diff --git a/java/src/org/openqa/selenium/grid/node/local/LocalNode.java b/java/src/org/openqa/selenium/grid/node/local/LocalNode.java
index fc5ab455f0439..832732f7a2714 100644
--- a/java/src/org/openqa/selenium/grid/node/local/LocalNode.java
+++ b/java/src/org/openqa/selenium/grid/node/local/LocalNode.java
@@ -59,9 +59,11 @@
 import java.util.concurrent.Executors;
 import java.util.concurrent.ScheduledExecutorService;
 import java.util.concurrent.TimeUnit;
-import java.util.concurrent.atomic.AtomicBoolean;
 import java.util.concurrent.atomic.AtomicInteger;
 import java.util.concurrent.atomic.AtomicLong;
+import java.util.concurrent.locks.Lock;
+import java.util.concurrent.locks.ReadWriteLock;
+import java.util.concurrent.locks.ReentrantReadWriteLock;
 import java.util.logging.Level;
 import java.util.logging.Logger;
 import java.util.stream.Collectors;
@@ -133,7 +135,7 @@ public class LocalNode extends Node implements Closeable {
   private final int connectionLimitPerSession;
 
   private final boolean bidiEnabled;
-  private final AtomicBoolean drainAfterSessions = new AtomicBoolean();
+  private final boolean drainAfterSessions;
   private final List<SessionSlot> factories;
   private final Cache<SessionId, SessionSlot> currentSessions;
   private final Cache<SessionId, TemporaryFilesystem> uploadsTempFileSystem;
@@ -142,6 +144,7 @@ public class LocalNode extends Node implements Closeable {
   private final AtomicInteger pendingSessions = new AtomicInteger();
   private final AtomicInteger sessionCount = new AtomicInteger();
   private final Runnable shutdown;
+  private final ReadWriteLock drainLock = new ReentrantReadWriteLock();
 
   protected LocalNode(
       Tracer tracer,
@@ -177,7 +180,7 @@ protected LocalNode(
     this.factories = ImmutableList.copyOf(factories);
     Require.nonNull("Registration secret", registrationSecret);
     this.configuredSessionCount = drainAfterSessionCount;
-    this.drainAfterSessions.set(this.configuredSessionCount > 0);
+    this.drainAfterSessions = this.configuredSessionCount > 0;
     this.sessionCount.set(drainAfterSessionCount);
     this.cdpEnabled = cdpEnabled;
     this.bidiEnabled = bidiEnabled;
@@ -443,6 +446,9 @@ public Either<WebDriverException, CreateSessionResponse> newSession(
       CreateSessionRequest sessionRequest) {
     Require.nonNull("Session request", sessionRequest);
 
+    Lock lock = drainLock.readLock();
+    lock.lock();
+
     try (Span span = tracer.getCurrentContext().createSpan("node.new_session")) {
       AttributeMap attributeMap = tracer.createAttributeMap();
       attributeMap.put(AttributeKey.LOGGER_CLASS.getKey(), getClass().getName());
@@ -455,13 +461,14 @@ public Either<WebDriverException, CreateSessionResponse> newSession(
       span.setAttribute("current.session.count", currentSessionCount);
       attributeMap.put("current.session.count", currentSessionCount);
 
-      if (getCurrentSessionCount() >= maxSessionCount) {
+      if (currentSessionCount >= maxSessionCount) {
         span.setAttribute(AttributeKey.ERROR.getKey(), true);
         span.setStatus(Status.RESOURCE_EXHAUSTED);
         attributeMap.put("max.session.count", maxSessionCount);
         span.addEvent("Max session count reached", attributeMap);
         return Either.left(new RetrySessionRequestException("Max session count reached."));
       }
+
       if (isDraining()) {
         span.setStatus(
             Status.UNAVAILABLE.withDescription(
@@ -492,6 +499,15 @@ public Either<WebDriverException, CreateSessionResponse> newSession(
             new RetrySessionRequestException("No slot matched the requested capabilities."));
       }
 
+      if (!decrementSessionCount()) {
+        slotToUse.release();
+        span.setAttribute(AttributeKey.ERROR.getKey(), true);
+        span.setStatus(Status.RESOURCE_EXHAUSTED);
+        attributeMap.put("drain.after.session.count", configuredSessionCount);
+        span.addEvent("Drain after session count reached", attributeMap);
+        return Either.left(new RetrySessionRequestException("Drain after session count reached."));
+      }
+
       UUID uuidForSessionDownloads = UUID.randomUUID();
       Capabilities desiredCapabilities = sessionRequest.getDesiredCapabilities();
       if (managedDownloadsRequested(desiredCapabilities)) {
@@ -548,6 +564,7 @@ public Either<WebDriverException, CreateSessionResponse> newSession(
         return Either.left(possibleSession.left());
       }
     } finally {
+      lock.unlock();
       checkSessionCount();
     }
   }
@@ -1020,20 +1037,40 @@ public void drain() {
   }
 
   private void checkSessionCount() {
-    if (this.drainAfterSessions.get()) {
+    if (this.drainAfterSessions) {
+      Lock lock = drainLock.writeLock();
+      if (!lock.tryLock()) {
+        // in case we can't get a write lock another thread does hold a read lock and will call
+        // checkSessionCount as soon as he releases the read lock. So we do not need to wait here
+        // for the other session to start and release the lock, just continue and let the other
+        // session start to drain the node.
+        return;
+      }
+      try {
+        int remainingSessions = this.sessionCount.get();
+        if (remainingSessions <= 0) {
+          LOG.info(
+              String.format(
+                  "Draining Node, configured sessions value (%s) has been reached.",
+                  this.configuredSessionCount));
+          drain();
+        }
+      } finally {
+        lock.unlock();
+      }
+    }
+  }
+
+  private boolean decrementSessionCount() {
+    if (this.drainAfterSessions) {
       int remainingSessions = this.sessionCount.decrementAndGet();
       LOG.log(
           Debug.getDebugLogLevel(),
           "{0} remaining sessions before draining Node",
           remainingSessions);
-      if (remainingSessions <= 0) {
-        LOG.info(
-            String.format(
-                "Draining Node, configured sessions value (%s) has been reached.",
-                this.configuredSessionCount));
-        drain();
-      }
+      return remainingSessions >= 0;
     }
+    return true;
   }
 
   private Map<String, Object> toJson() {