diff --git a/src/hotspot/share/classfile/dictionary.cpp b/src/hotspot/share/classfile/dictionary.cpp
index f60d426f5fb..f1f02e11d81 100644
--- a/src/hotspot/share/classfile/dictionary.cpp
+++ b/src/hotspot/share/classfile/dictionary.cpp
@@ -229,11 +229,13 @@ public:
   uintx get_hash() const {
     return _name->identity_hash();
   }
-  bool equals(DictionaryEntry** value, bool* is_dead) {
+  bool equals(DictionaryEntry** value) {
     DictionaryEntry *entry = *value;
-    *is_dead = false;
     return (entry->instance_klass()->name() == _name);
   }
+  bool is_dead(DictionaryEntry** value) {
+    return false;
+  }
 };
 
 // Add a loaded class to the dictionary.
diff --git a/src/hotspot/share/classfile/stringTable.cpp b/src/hotspot/share/classfile/stringTable.cpp
index 2751148dff3..66b9ca4ff02 100644
--- a/src/hotspot/share/classfile/stringTable.cpp
+++ b/src/hotspot/share/classfile/stringTable.cpp
@@ -176,11 +176,9 @@ class StringTableLookupJchar : StackObj {
   uintx get_hash() const {
     return _hash;
   }
-  bool equals(WeakHandle* value, bool* is_dead) {
+  bool equals(WeakHandle* value) {
     oop val_oop = value->peek();
     if (val_oop == nullptr) {
-      // dead oop, mark this hash dead for cleaning
-      *is_dead = true;
       return false;
     }
     bool equals = java_lang_String::equals(val_oop, _str, _len);
@@ -191,6 +189,10 @@ class StringTableLookupJchar : StackObj {
      _found = Handle(_thread, value->resolve());
     return true;
   }
+  bool is_dead(WeakHandle* value) {
+    oop val_oop = value->peek();
+    return val_oop == nullptr;
+  }
 };
 
 class StringTableLookupOop : public StackObj {
@@ -208,11 +210,9 @@ class StringTableLookupOop : public StackObj {
     return _hash;
   }
 
-  bool equals(WeakHandle* value, bool* is_dead) {
+  bool equals(WeakHandle* value) {
     oop val_oop = value->peek();
     if (val_oop == nullptr) {
-      // dead oop, mark this hash dead for cleaning
-      *is_dead = true;
       return false;
     }
     bool equals = java_lang_String::equals(_find(), val_oop);
@@ -223,6 +223,11 @@ class StringTableLookupOop : public StackObj {
     _found = Handle(_thread, value->resolve());
     return true;
   }
+
+  bool is_dead(WeakHandle* value) {
+    oop val_oop = value->peek();
+    return val_oop == nullptr;
+  }
 };
 
 void StringTable::create_table() {
diff --git a/src/hotspot/share/classfile/symbolTable.cpp b/src/hotspot/share/classfile/symbolTable.cpp
index a6fb48ac547..6162be7c0fe 100644
--- a/src/hotspot/share/classfile/symbolTable.cpp
+++ b/src/hotspot/share/classfile/symbolTable.cpp
@@ -374,7 +374,11 @@ public:
   uintx get_hash() const {
     return _hash;
   }
-  bool equals(Symbol* value, bool* is_dead) {
+  // Note: When equals() returns "true", the symbol's refcount is incremented. This is
+  // needed to ensure that the symbol is kept alive before equals() returns to the caller,
+  // so that another thread cannot clean the symbol up concurrently. The caller is
+  // responsible for decrementing the refcount, when the symbol is no longer needed.
+  bool equals(Symbol* value) {
     assert(value != nullptr, "expected valid value");
     Symbol *sym = value;
     if (sym->equals(_str, _len)) {
@@ -383,14 +387,15 @@ public:
         return true;
       } else {
         assert(sym->refcount() == 0, "expected dead symbol");
-        *is_dead = true;
         return false;
       }
     } else {
-      *is_dead = (sym->refcount() == 0);
       return false;
     }
   }
+  bool is_dead(Symbol* value) {
+    return value->refcount() == 0;
+  }
 };
 
 class SymbolTableGet : public StackObj {
diff --git a/src/hotspot/share/gc/g1/g1CardSet.cpp b/src/hotspot/share/gc/g1/g1CardSet.cpp
index 4e3f08ddc9d..f39e2066739 100644
--- a/src/hotspot/share/gc/g1/g1CardSet.cpp
+++ b/src/hotspot/share/gc/g1/g1CardSet.cpp
@@ -258,10 +258,13 @@ class G1CardSetHashTable : public CHeapObj<mtGCCardSet> {
 
     uintx get_hash() const { return G1CardSetHashTable::get_hash(_region_idx); }
 
-    bool equals(G1CardSetHashTableValue* value, bool* is_dead) {
-      *is_dead = false;
+    bool equals(G1CardSetHashTableValue* value) {
       return value->_region_idx == _region_idx;
     }
+
+    bool is_dead(G1CardSetHashTableValue*) {
+      return false;
+    }
   };
 
   class G1CardSetHashTableFound : public StackObj {
diff --git a/src/hotspot/share/prims/resolvedMethodTable.cpp b/src/hotspot/share/prims/resolvedMethodTable.cpp
index fbcbd2b1590..c10fe1f6601 100644
--- a/src/hotspot/share/prims/resolvedMethodTable.cpp
+++ b/src/hotspot/share/prims/resolvedMethodTable.cpp
@@ -126,11 +126,9 @@ class ResolvedMethodTableLookup : StackObj {
   uintx get_hash() const {
     return _hash;
   }
-  bool equals(WeakHandle* value, bool* is_dead) {
+  bool equals(WeakHandle* value) {
     oop val_oop = value->peek();
     if (val_oop == nullptr) {
-      // dead oop, mark this hash dead for cleaning
-      *is_dead = true;
       return false;
     }
     bool equals = _method == java_lang_invoke_ResolvedMethodName::vmtarget(val_oop);
@@ -141,6 +139,10 @@ class ResolvedMethodTableLookup : StackObj {
     _found = Handle(_thread, value->resolve());
     return true;
   }
+  bool is_dead(WeakHandle* value) {
+    oop val_oop = value->peek();
+    return val_oop == nullptr;
+  }
 };
 
 
diff --git a/src/hotspot/share/services/finalizerService.cpp b/src/hotspot/share/services/finalizerService.cpp
index 202a1af0801..ecd9168cd65 100644
--- a/src/hotspot/share/services/finalizerService.cpp
+++ b/src/hotspot/share/services/finalizerService.cpp
@@ -137,11 +137,14 @@ class FinalizerEntryLookup : StackObj {
  public:
   FinalizerEntryLookup(const InstanceKlass* ik) : _ik(ik) {}
   uintx get_hash() const { return hash_function(_ik); }
-  bool equals(FinalizerEntry** value, bool* is_dead) {
+  bool equals(FinalizerEntry** value) {
     assert(value != nullptr, "invariant");
     assert(*value != nullptr, "invariant");
     return (*value)->klass() == _ik;
   }
+  bool is_dead(FinalizerEntry** value) {
+    return false;
+  }
 };
 
 class FinalizerTableConfig : public AllStatic {
diff --git a/src/hotspot/share/services/threadIdTable.cpp b/src/hotspot/share/services/threadIdTable.cpp
index ba0e6bdd4fd..168b2e085ad 100644
--- a/src/hotspot/share/services/threadIdTable.cpp
+++ b/src/hotspot/share/services/threadIdTable.cpp
@@ -187,13 +187,16 @@ public:
   uintx get_hash() const {
     return _hash;
   }
-  bool equals(ThreadIdTableEntry** value, bool* is_dead) {
+  bool equals(ThreadIdTableEntry** value) {
     bool equals = primitive_equals(_tid, (*value)->tid());
     if (!equals) {
       return false;
     }
     return true;
   }
+  bool is_dead(ThreadIdTableEntry** value) {
+    return false;
+  }
 };
 
 class ThreadGet : public StackObj {
diff --git a/src/hotspot/share/utilities/concurrentHashTable.inline.hpp b/src/hotspot/share/utilities/concurrentHashTable.inline.hpp
index 0d62a9f162e..b222d379b72 100644
--- a/src/hotspot/share/utilities/concurrentHashTable.inline.hpp
+++ b/src/hotspot/share/utilities/concurrentHashTable.inline.hpp
@@ -455,9 +455,8 @@ inline bool ConcurrentHashTable<CONFIG, F>::
   assert(bucket->is_locked(), "Must be locked.");
   Node* const volatile * rem_n_prev = bucket->first_ptr();
   Node* rem_n = bucket->first();
-  bool have_dead = false;
   while (rem_n != nullptr) {
-    if (lookup_f.equals(rem_n->value(), &have_dead)) {
+    if (lookup_f.equals(rem_n->value())) {
       bucket->release_assign_node_ptr(rem_n_prev, rem_n->next());
       break;
     } else {
@@ -546,9 +545,7 @@ inline void ConcurrentHashTable<CONFIG, F>::
   Node* const volatile * rem_n_prev = bucket->first_ptr();
   Node* rem_n = bucket->first();
   while (rem_n != nullptr) {
-    bool is_dead = false;
-    lookup_f.equals(rem_n->value(), &is_dead);
-    if (is_dead) {
+    if (lookup_f.is_dead(rem_n->value())) {
       ndel[dels++] = rem_n;
       Node* next_node = rem_n->next();
       bucket->release_assign_node_ptr(rem_n_prev, next_node);
@@ -626,12 +623,11 @@ ConcurrentHashTable<CONFIG, F>::
   size_t loop_count = 0;
   Node* node = bucket->first();
   while (node != nullptr) {
-    bool is_dead = false;
     ++loop_count;
-    if (lookup_f.equals(node->value(), &is_dead)) {
+    if (lookup_f.equals(node->value())) {
       break;
     }
-    if (is_dead && !(*have_dead)) {
+    if (!(*have_dead) && lookup_f.is_dead(node->value())) {
       *have_dead = true;
     }
     node = node->next();
diff --git a/test/hotspot/gtest/classfile/test_symbolTable.cpp b/test/hotspot/gtest/classfile/test_symbolTable.cpp
index 77d076ec213..4f4cbfe3e89 100644
--- a/test/hotspot/gtest/classfile/test_symbolTable.cpp
+++ b/test/hotspot/gtest/classfile/test_symbolTable.cpp
@@ -125,3 +125,17 @@ TEST_VM_FATAL_ERROR_MSG(SymbolTable, test_symbol_underflow, ".*refcount has gone
   my_symbol->decrement_refcount();
   my_symbol->increment_refcount();  // Should crash even in PRODUCT mode
 }
+
+TEST_VM(SymbolTable, test_cleanup_leak) {
+  // Check that dead entry cleanup doesn't increment refcount of live entry in same bucket.
+
+  // Create symbol and release ref, marking it available for cleanup.
+  Symbol* entry1 = SymbolTable::new_symbol("hash_collision_123");
+  entry1->decrement_refcount();
+
+  // Create a new symbol in the same bucket, which will notice the dead entry and trigger cleanup.
+  // Note: relies on SymbolTable's use of String::hashCode which collides for these two values.
+  Symbol* entry2 = SymbolTable::new_symbol("hash_collision_397476851");
+
+  ASSERT_EQ(entry2->refcount(), 1) << "Symbol refcount just created is 1";
+}
diff --git a/test/hotspot/gtest/utilities/test_concurrentHashtable.cpp b/test/hotspot/gtest/utilities/test_concurrentHashtable.cpp
index 2094565dea3..ca41fc6b0f1 100644
--- a/test/hotspot/gtest/utilities/test_concurrentHashtable.cpp
+++ b/test/hotspot/gtest/utilities/test_concurrentHashtable.cpp
@@ -107,9 +107,12 @@ struct SimpleTestLookup {
   uintx get_hash() {
     return Pointer::get_hash(_val, NULL);
   }
-  bool equals(const uintptr_t* value, bool* is_dead) {
+  bool equals(const uintptr_t* value) {
     return _val == *value;
   }
+  bool is_dead(const uintptr_t* value) {
+    return false;
+  }
 };
 
 struct ValueGet {
@@ -561,9 +564,12 @@ struct TestLookup {
   uintx get_hash() {
     return TestInterface::get_hash(_val, NULL);
   }
-  bool equals(const uintptr_t* value, bool* is_dead) {
+  bool equals(const uintptr_t* value) {
     return _val == *value;
   }
+  bool is_dead(const uintptr_t* value) {
+    return false;
+  }
 };
 
 static uintptr_t cht_get_copy(TestTable* cht, Thread* thr, TestLookup tl) {
diff --git a/test/hotspot/jtreg/runtime/cds/appcds/dynamicArchive/DynamicSharedSymbols.java b/test/hotspot/jtreg/runtime/cds/appcds/dynamicArchive/DynamicSharedSymbols.java
index 806313e270e..24305c5a166 100644
--- a/test/hotspot/jtreg/runtime/cds/appcds/dynamicArchive/DynamicSharedSymbols.java
+++ b/test/hotspot/jtreg/runtime/cds/appcds/dynamicArchive/DynamicSharedSymbols.java
@@ -90,7 +90,7 @@ public class DynamicSharedSymbols extends DynamicArchiveTestBase {
         ProcessBuilder pb = new ProcessBuilder();
         pb.command(new String[] {JDKToolFinder.getJDKTool("jcmd"), Long.toString(pid), "VM.symboltable", "-verbose"});
         OutputAnalyzer output = CDSTestUtils.executeAndLog(pb, "jcmd-symboltable");
-        output.shouldContain("17 3: jdk/test/lib/apps\n");
+        output.shouldContain("17 2: jdk/test/lib/apps\n");
         output.shouldContain("Dynamic shared symbols:\n");
         output.shouldContain("5 65535: Hello\n");