diff --git a/lib/vmpooler/pool_manager.rb b/lib/vmpooler/pool_manager.rb
index dfd98ab..386182c 100644
--- a/lib/vmpooler/pool_manager.rb
+++ b/lib/vmpooler/pool_manager.rb
@@ -661,7 +661,9 @@ module Vmpooler
       $logger.log('s', "[*] [#{pool['name']}] is ready for use")
     end
 
-    def remove_excess_vms(pool, provider, ready, total)
+    def remove_excess_vms(pool)
+      ready = $redis.scard("vmpooler__ready__#{pool['name']}")
+      total = $redis.scard("vmpooler__pending__#{pool['name']}") + ready
       return if total.nil?
       return if total == 0
       mutex = pool_mutex(pool['name'])
@@ -893,11 +895,8 @@ module Vmpooler
 
       repopulate_pool_vms(pool['name'], provider, pool_check_response, pool['size'])
 
-      # query redis again until we refactor remove_excess_vms, duplicate of a line moved to refactored method repopulate_pool_vms
-      ready = $redis.scard("vmpooler__ready__#{pool['name']}")
-      total = $redis.scard("vmpooler__pending__#{pool['name']}") + ready
       # Remove VMs in excess of the configured pool size
-      remove_excess_vms(pool, provider, ready, total)
+      remove_excess_vms(pool)
 
       pool_check_response
     end
diff --git a/spec/unit/pool_manager_spec.rb b/spec/unit/pool_manager_spec.rb
index e799e92..ec425dd 100644
--- a/spec/unit/pool_manager_spec.rb
+++ b/spec/unit/pool_manager_spec.rb
@@ -3215,21 +3215,6 @@ EOT
       # end
     end
 
-    context 'when an excess number of ready vms exist' do
-
-      before(:each) do
-        allow(redis).to receive(:scard)
-        expect(redis).to receive(:scard).with("vmpooler__ready__#{pool}").and_return(1)
-        expect(redis).to receive(:scard).with("vmpooler__pending__#{pool}").and_return(1)
-      end
-
-      it 'should call remove_excess_vms' do
-        expect(subject).to receive(:remove_excess_vms).with(config[:pools][0], provider, 1, 2)
-
-        subject._check_pool(config[:pools][0],provider)
-      end
-    end
-
     context 'export metrics' do
       it 'increments metrics for ready queue' do
         create_ready_vm(pool,'vm1')
@@ -3557,6 +3542,23 @@ EOT
       end
     end
 
+    #remove_excess_vms
+    context 'when an excess number of ready vms exist' do
+
+      before(:each) do
+        allow(redis).to receive(:scard)
+        expect(redis).to receive(:scard).with("vmpooler__ready__#{pool}").and_return(1)
+        expect(redis).to receive(:scard).with("vmpooler__pending__#{pool}").and_return(1)
+      end
+
+      it 'should call remove_excess_vms' do
+        allow(subject).to receive(:create_inventory).and_return({})
+        expect(subject).to receive(:remove_excess_vms).with(config[:pools][0])
+
+        subject._check_pool(config[:pools][0],provider)
+      end
+    end
+
     #