diff --git a/src/java/org/apache/cassandra/db/ReadCommand.java b/src/java/org/apache/cassandra/db/ReadCommand.java
index f5f9105602ab..a47dc5cd72a1 100644
--- a/src/java/org/apache/cassandra/db/ReadCommand.java
+++ b/src/java/org/apache/cassandra/db/ReadCommand.java
@@ -644,12 +644,15 @@ public Row applyToStatic(Row row)
             public Row applyToRow(Row row)
             {
                 boolean hasTombstones = false;
-                for (Cell<?> cell : row.cells())
+                if (row.hasDeletion(ReadCommand.this.nowInSec())) // perf optimization, to avoid iteration if all cells are alive
                 {
-                    if (!cell.isLive(ReadCommand.this.nowInSec()))
+                    for (Cell<?> cell : row.cells())
                     {
-                        countTombstone(row.clustering());
-                        hasTombstones = true; // allows to avoid counting an extra tombstone if the whole row expired
+                        if (!cell.isLive(ReadCommand.this.nowInSec()))
+                        {
+                            countTombstone(row.clustering());
+                            hasTombstones = true; // allows to avoid counting an extra tombstone if the whole row expired
+                        }
                     }
                 }