diff --git a/src/hotspot/share/gc/shenandoah/shenandoahHeapRegion.cpp b/src/hotspot/share/gc/shenandoah/shenandoahHeapRegion.cpp
index 7184623eb3f..2736376fe9a 100644
--- a/src/hotspot/share/gc/shenandoah/shenandoahHeapRegion.cpp
+++ b/src/hotspot/share/gc/shenandoah/shenandoahHeapRegion.cpp
@@ -567,7 +567,6 @@ void ShenandoahHeapRegion::recycle_internal() {
   ShenandoahHeap* heap = ShenandoahHeap::heap();
 
   _mixed_candidate_garbage_words = 0;
-  set_top(bottom());
   clear_live_data();
   reset_alloc_metadata();
   heap->marking_context()->reset_top_at_mark_start(this);
@@ -575,14 +574,19 @@ void ShenandoahHeapRegion::recycle_internal() {
   if (ZapUnusedHeapArea) {
     SpaceMangler::mangle_region(MemRegion(bottom(), top()));
   }
+  set_top(bottom());
+  set_affiliation(FREE);
 
+  // Lastly, set region state to empty
   make_empty();
-  set_affiliation(FREE);
 }
 
 void ShenandoahHeapRegion::try_recycle_under_lock() {
   shenandoah_assert_heaplocked();
-  if (is_trash() && _recycling.try_set()) {
+  if (!is_trash()) {
+    return;
+  }
+  if (_recycling.try_set()) {
     if (is_trash()) {
       ShenandoahHeap* heap = ShenandoahHeap::heap();
       ShenandoahGeneration* generation = heap->generation_for(affiliation());
@@ -602,12 +606,16 @@ void ShenandoahHeapRegion::try_recycle_under_lock() {
         os::naked_yield();
       }
     }
+    assert(!is_trash(), "Must not");
   }
 }
 
 void ShenandoahHeapRegion::try_recycle() {
   shenandoah_assert_not_heaplocked();
-  if (is_trash() && _recycling.try_set()) {
+  if (!is_trash()) {
+    return;
+  }
+  if (_recycling.try_set()) {
     // Double check region state after win the race to set recycling flag
     if (is_trash()) {
       ShenandoahHeap* heap = ShenandoahHeap::heap();
@@ -827,7 +835,7 @@ void ShenandoahHeapRegion::set_state(RegionState to) {
     evt.set_to(to);
     evt.commit();
   }
-  Atomic::store(&_state, to);
+  Atomic::release_store(&_state, to);
 }
 
 void ShenandoahHeapRegion::record_pin() {
diff --git a/src/hotspot/share/gc/shenandoah/shenandoahHeapRegion.hpp b/src/hotspot/share/gc/shenandoah/shenandoahHeapRegion.hpp
index 336f790529c..20040eebafd 100644
--- a/src/hotspot/share/gc/shenandoah/shenandoahHeapRegion.hpp
+++ b/src/hotspot/share/gc/shenandoah/shenandoahHeapRegion.hpp
@@ -217,7 +217,7 @@ class ShenandoahHeapRegion {
   bool is_alloc_allowed()          const { auto cur_state = state(); return is_empty_state(cur_state) || cur_state == _regular || cur_state == _pinned; }
   bool is_stw_move_allowed()       const { auto cur_state = state(); return cur_state == _regular || cur_state == _cset || (ShenandoahHumongousMoves && cur_state == _humongous_start); }
 
-  RegionState state()              const { return Atomic::load(&_state); }
+  RegionState state()              const { return Atomic::load_acquire(&_state); }
   int  state_ordinal()             const { return region_state_to_ordinal(state()); }
 
   void record_pin();