diff --git a/pkg/local_object_storage/shard/gc.go b/pkg/local_object_storage/shard/gc.go
index 19b6e2d12f..a262a52cbd 100644
--- a/pkg/local_object_storage/shard/gc.go
+++ b/pkg/local_object_storage/shard/gc.go
@@ -391,6 +391,16 @@ func (s *Shard) handleExpiredObjects(ctx context.Context, expired []oid.Address)
 		return
 	}
 
+	s.handleExpiredObjectsUnsafe(ctx, expired)
+}
+
+func (s *Shard) handleExpiredObjectsUnsafe(ctx context.Context, expired []oid.Address) {
+	select {
+	case <-ctx.Done():
+		return
+	default:
+	}
+
 	expired, err := s.getExpiredWithLinked(ctx, expired)
 	if err != nil {
 		s.log.Warn(ctx, logs.ShardGCFailedToGetExpiredWithLinked, zap.Error(err))
@@ -611,13 +621,6 @@ func (s *Shard) getExpiredObjects(ctx context.Context, epoch uint64, onExpiredFo
 }
 
 func (s *Shard) selectExpired(ctx context.Context, epoch uint64, addresses []oid.Address) ([]oid.Address, error) {
-	s.m.RLock()
-	defer s.m.RUnlock()
-
-	if s.info.Mode.NoMetabase() {
-		return nil, ErrDegradedMode
-	}
-
 	release, err := s.opsLimiter.ReadRequest(ctx)
 	if err != nil {
 		return nil, err
@@ -728,7 +731,7 @@ func (s *Shard) inhumeUnlockedIfExpired(ctx context.Context, epoch uint64, unloc
 		return
 	}
 
-	s.handleExpiredObjects(ctx, expiredUnlocked)
+	s.handleExpiredObjectsUnsafe(ctx, expiredUnlocked)
 }
 
 // HandleDeletedLocks unlocks all objects which were locked by lockers.