diff --git a/src/libxrpl/tx/transactors/Sponsor/SponsorshipTransfer.cpp b/src/libxrpl/tx/transactors/Sponsor/SponsorshipTransfer.cpp
index cd5dc05560..79995c07a9 100644
--- a/src/libxrpl/tx/transactors/Sponsor/SponsorshipTransfer.cpp
+++ b/src/libxrpl/tx/transactors/Sponsor/SponsorshipTransfer.cpp
@@ -363,7 +363,7 @@ SponsorshipTransfer::preclaim(PreclaimContext const& ctx)
 }
 
 TER
-adjustReserveCount(
+reduceReserveCount(
     ApplyView& view,
     AccountID const& account,
     AccountID const& sponsor,
@@ -371,6 +371,9 @@ adjustReserveCount(
 {
     if (delta == 0)
         return tesSUCCESS;
+    if (delta > 0)
+        return tefINTERNAL;  // LCOV_EXCL_LINE
+
     auto const sponsorKeylet = keylet::sponsor(sponsor, account);
     auto const sponsorSle = view.peek(sponsorKeylet);
     if (!sponsorSle)
@@ -459,7 +462,7 @@ SponsorshipTransfer::doApply()
             if (!hasSignature)
             {
                 // use ReserveCount for pre-funded sponsoring
-                if (auto const ter = adjustReserveCount(
+                if (auto const ter = reduceReserveCount(
                         view(), sponseeAccountID, newSponsorAccountID, -ownerCountDelta);
                     !isTesSuccess(ter))
                     return ter;
@@ -496,22 +499,11 @@ SponsorshipTransfer::doApply()
             if (!hasSignature)
             {
                 // use ReserveCount for pre-funded sponsoring
-                if (auto const ter = adjustReserveCount(
+                if (auto const ter = reduceReserveCount(
                         view(), sponseeAccountID, newSponsorAccountID, -ownerCountDelta);
                     !isTesSuccess(ter))
                     return ter;
             }
-
-            // payback the reserve count if ltSponsorship exists
-            if (auto const sponsorSle =
-                    view().exists(keylet::sponsor(oldSponsorAccountID, sponseeAccountID));
-                sponsorSle)
-            {
-                if (auto const ter = adjustReserveCount(
-                        view(), sponseeAccountID, oldSponsorAccountID, ownerCountDelta);
-                    !isTesSuccess(ter))
-                    return ter;
-            }
         }
         else if (ctx_.tx.isFlag(tfSponsorshipEnd))
         {
@@ -530,17 +522,6 @@ SponsorshipTransfer::doApply()
             setSponsorFieldU32(oldSponsorSle, sfSponsoringOwnerCount, -ownerCountDelta);
             view().update(oldSponsorSle);
 
-            // payback the reserve count if ltSponsorship exists
-            if (auto const sponsorSle =
-                    view().exists(keylet::sponsor(oldSponsorAccountID, sponseeAccountID));
-                sponsorSle)
-            {
-                if (auto const ter = adjustReserveCount(
-                        view(), sponseeAccountID, oldSponsorAccountID, ownerCountDelta);
-                    !isTesSuccess(ter))
-                    return ter;
-            }
-
             // remove sponsor from object
             objSle->makeFieldAbsent(sponsorField);
             view().update(objSle);
diff --git a/src/test/app/Sponsor_test.cpp b/src/test/app/Sponsor_test.cpp
index 511aa55006..c7d2da84fa 100644
--- a/src/test/app/Sponsor_test.cpp
+++ b/src/test/app/Sponsor_test.cpp
@@ -1223,7 +1223,7 @@ public:
             BEAST_EXPECT(checkSle->isFieldPresent(sfSponsor));
             BEAST_EXPECT(checkSle->getAccountID(sfSponsor) == sponsor2.id());
             sponsor1Sle = env.le(keylet::sponsor(sponsor1, alice));
-            BEAST_EXPECT(sponsor1Sle->getFieldU32(sfReserveCount) == 100);  // paybacked
+            BEAST_EXPECT(sponsor1Sle->getFieldU32(sfReserveCount) == 99);
             auto sponsor2Sle = env.le(keylet::sponsor(sponsor2, alice));
             BEAST_EXPECT(sponsor2Sle->getFieldU32(sfReserveCount) == 99);
 
@@ -1246,7 +1246,7 @@ public:
             checkSle = env.le(keylet::unchecked(checkId));
             BEAST_EXPECT(!checkSle->isFieldPresent(sfSponsor));
             sponsor2Sle = env.le(keylet::sponsor(sponsor2, alice));
-            BEAST_EXPECT(sponsor2Sle->getFieldU32(sfReserveCount) == 100);  // paybacked
+            BEAST_EXPECT(sponsor2Sle->getFieldU32(sfReserveCount) == 99);
         }
 
         {
@@ -1333,7 +1333,7 @@ public:
             BEAST_EXPECT(sponsoredOwnerCount(env, alice) == 0);
             BEAST_EXPECT(sponsoringOwnerCount(env, sponsor) == 0);
             BEAST_EXPECT(
-                env.le(keylet::sponsor(sponsor, alice))->getFieldU32(sfReserveCount) == 101);
+                env.le(keylet::sponsor(sponsor, alice))->getFieldU32(sfReserveCount) == 100);
         }
 
         {