diff --git a/sql/sql_class.cc b/sql/sql_class.cc
index a61a7d97746..405ac8e8f31 100644
--- a/sql/sql_class.cc
+++ b/sql/sql_class.cc
@@ -5127,12 +5127,22 @@ void reset_thd(MYSQL_THD thd)
   before writing response to client, to provide durability
   guarantees, in other words, server can't send OK packet
   before modified data is durable in redo log.
-*/
-extern "C" void thd_increment_pending_ops(MYSQL_THD thd)
+
+  NOTE: system THD (those that are not associated with client
+        connection) do not allows async operations yet.
+
+  @param thd  a THD
+  @return thd
+  @retval nullptr   if this is system THD */
+extern "C" MYSQL_THD thd_increment_pending_ops(MYSQL_THD thd)
 {
+  if (!thd || thd->system_thread != NON_SYSTEM_THREAD)
+    return nullptr;
   thd->async_state.inc_pending_ops();
+  return thd;
 }
 
+
 /**
   This function can be used by plugin/engine to indicate
   end of async operation (such as end of group commit
@@ -5143,6 +5153,8 @@ extern "C" void thd_increment_pending_ops(MYSQL_THD thd)
 extern "C" void thd_decrement_pending_ops(MYSQL_THD thd)
 {
   DBUG_ASSERT(thd);
+  DBUG_ASSERT(thd->system_thread == NON_SYSTEM_THREAD);
+
   thd_async_state::enum_async_state state;
   if (thd->async_state.dec_pending_ops(&state) == 0)
   {
diff --git a/sql/sql_class.h b/sql/sql_class.h
index 6c0a4b9f5ed..e07d91edf75 100644
--- a/sql/sql_class.h
+++ b/sql/sql_class.h
@@ -2586,9 +2586,6 @@ struct thd_async_state
   }
 };
 
-extern "C" void thd_increment_pending_ops(MYSQL_THD);
-extern "C" void thd_decrement_pending_ops(MYSQL_THD);
-
 
 /**
   @class THD
diff --git a/storage/innobase/handler/ha_innodb.cc b/storage/innobase/handler/ha_innodb.cc
index 7d29147d89e..9c9a9b53c3f 100644
--- a/storage/innobase/handler/ha_innodb.cc
+++ b/storage/innobase/handler/ha_innodb.cc
@@ -1823,15 +1823,6 @@ MYSQL_THD innobase_create_background_thd(const char* name)
 	return thd;
 }
 
-extern "C" void thd_increment_pending_ops(MYSQL_THD);
-
-THD *innodb_thd_increment_pending_ops(THD *thd)
-{
-  if (!thd || THDVAR(thd, background_thread))
-    return nullptr;
-  thd_increment_pending_ops(thd);
-  return thd;
-}
 
 /** Close opened tables, free memory, delete items for a MYSQL_THD.
 @param[in]	thd	MYSQL_THD to reset */
diff --git a/storage/innobase/include/ha_prototypes.h b/storage/innobase/include/ha_prototypes.h
index d9a26226e98..da9dec05827 100644
--- a/storage/innobase/include/ha_prototypes.h
+++ b/storage/innobase/include/ha_prototypes.h
@@ -199,13 +199,6 @@ but can be used for comparison.
 extern "C" unsigned long long thd_start_utime(const MYSQL_THD thd);
 
 
-/**
-  Indicate the start of an async operation in a foreground thread.
-@param thd          current_thd
-@return thd
-@retval nullptr   if this is not a foreground thread */
-THD *innodb_thd_increment_pending_ops(THD *thd);
-
 /** Determines the current SQL statement.
 Thread unsafe, can only be called from the thread owning the THD.
 @param[in]	thd	MySQL thread handle
diff --git a/storage/innobase/trx/trx0trx.cc b/storage/innobase/trx/trx0trx.cc
index ae92f0f80cb..f9a152e294e 100644
--- a/storage/innobase/trx/trx0trx.cc
+++ b/storage/innobase/trx/trx0trx.cc
@@ -1134,8 +1134,8 @@ trx_finalize_for_fts(
 	trx->fts_trx = NULL;
 }
 
-
-extern "C" void thd_decrement_pending_ops(MYSQL_THD);
+extern "C" MYSQL_THD thd_increment_pending_ops(MYSQL_THD);
+extern "C" void  thd_decrement_pending_ops(MYSQL_THD);
 
 
 #include "../log/log0sync.h"
@@ -1168,7 +1168,7 @@ sync:
   }
 
   completion_callback cb;
-  if ((cb.m_param = innodb_thd_increment_pending_ops(trx->mysql_thd)))
+  if ((cb.m_param = thd_increment_pending_ops(trx->mysql_thd)))
   {
     cb.m_callback = (void (*)(void *)) thd_decrement_pending_ops;
     log_write_up_to(lsn, flush, false, &cb);