diff --git a/sched/wqueue/kwork_cancel.c b/sched/wqueue/kwork_cancel.c
index 340d861ce5a..fd8055ea041 100644
--- a/sched/wqueue/kwork_cancel.c
+++ b/sched/wqueue/kwork_cancel.c
@@ -88,6 +88,12 @@ static int work_qcancel(FAR struct kwork_wqueue_s *wqueue,
       else
         {
           dq_rem((FAR dq_entry_t *)work, &wqueue->q);
+
+          /* Semaphore count should be consistent with the number of
+           * work entries.
+           */
+
+          wqueue->sem.semcount--;
         }
 
       work->worker = NULL;