diff --git a/lib/runtime/AccessCounter.h b/lib/runtime/AccessCounter.h
index 68dca194..d0930396 100644
--- a/lib/runtime/AccessCounter.h
+++ b/lib/runtime/AccessCounter.h
@@ -31,6 +31,13 @@ class AccessRecorder {
 
   inline void incHeapAlloc(int typeId, size_t count) {
     ++curHeapAllocs;
+
+    // Always check here for max
+    // A program without free would otherwise never update maxHeap (see test 20_softcounter_max)
+    if (curHeapAllocs > maxHeapAllocs) {
+      maxHeapAllocs = curHeapAllocs;
+    }
+
     ++heapAllocs;
     if (count > 1) {
       ++heapArray;
@@ -72,9 +79,10 @@ class AccessRecorder {
   }
 
   inline void decHeapAlloc() {
-    if (curHeapAllocs > maxHeapAllocs) {
-      maxHeapAllocs = curHeapAllocs;
-    }
+    // Removed, since we already increment maxHeapAllocs just in time:
+    //    if (curHeapAllocs > maxHeapAllocs) {
+    //      maxHeapAllocs = curHeapAllocs;
+    //    }
     --curHeapAllocs;
   }
 
diff --git a/test/runtime/19_softcounter.c b/test/runtime/19_softcounter.c
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..a5824aef
--- /dev/null
+++ b/test/runtime/19_softcounter.c
@@ -0,0 +1,38 @@
+// RUN: %run %s -o -O3 2>&1 | FileCheck %s
+// REQUIRED: softcounter
+
+#include <stdlib.h>
+
+int main(void) {
+  for (int i = 1; i <= 5; ++i) {
+    // 5 heap alloc and free: one single double, and then arrays
+    // max heap (concurrently) 1
+    double* d = (double*)malloc(i * sizeof(double));
+    free(d);
+  }
+  return 0;
+}
+
+// CHECK: Alloc Stats from softcounters
+// CHECK-NEXT: Total heap                 :   5 ,    4 ,    -
+// CHECK-NEXT: Total stack                :   0 ,    0 ,    -
+// CHECK-NEXT: Total global               :   0 ,    0 ,    -
+// CHECK-NEXT: Max. Heap Allocs           :   1 ,    - ,    -
+// CHECK-NEXT: Max. Stack Allocs          :   0 ,    - ,    -
+// CHECK-NEXT: Addresses checked          :   0 ,    - ,    -
+// CHECK-NEXT: Distinct Addresses checked :   0 ,    - ,    -
+// CHECK-NEXT: Addresses re-used          :   0 ,    - ,    -
+// CHECK-NEXT: Addresses missed           :   0 ,    - ,    -
+// CHECK-NEXT: Distinct Addresses missed  :   0 ,    - ,    -
+// CHECK-NEXT: Total free heap            :   5 ,    4 ,    -
+// CHECK-NEXT: Total free stack           :   0 ,    0 ,    -
+// CHECK-NEXT: Null/Zero/NullZero Addr    :   0 ,    0 ,    0
+// CHECK-NEXT: User-def. types            :   0 ,    - ,    -
+// CHECK-NEXT: Estimated memory use (KiB) :   4 ,    - ,    -
+// CHECK-NEXT: Bytes per node map/stack   :  96 ,    8 ,    -
+// CHECK-NEXT: {{(#|-)+}}
+// CHECK-NEXT: Allocation type detail (heap, stack, global)
+// CHECK-NEXT: 6 :   5 ,    0 ,    0 , double
+// CHECK-NEXT: {{(#|-)+}}
+// CHECK-NEXT: Free allocation type detail (heap, stack)
+// CHECK-NEXT: 6 :   5 ,    0 , double
\ No newline at end of file
diff --git a/test/runtime/20_softcounter_max.c b/test/runtime/20_softcounter_max.c
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..d21444ee
--- /dev/null
+++ b/test/runtime/20_softcounter_max.c
@@ -0,0 +1,38 @@
+// RUN: %run %s -o -O1 2>&1 | FileCheck %s
+// REQUIRED: softcounter
+
+#include <stdlib.h>
+
+int main(void) {
+  for (int i = 1; i <= 6; ++i) {
+    // 6 heap alloc
+    // max heap (concurrently) 6
+    double* d = (double*)malloc(sizeof(double));
+  }
+
+  return 0;
+}
+
+// CHECK: Alloc Stats from softcounters
+// CHECK-NEXT: Total heap                 :   6 ,    0 ,    -
+// CHECK-NEXT: Total stack                :   0 ,    0 ,    -
+// CHECK-NEXT: Total global               :   0 ,    0 ,    -
+// CHECK-NEXT: Max. Heap Allocs           :   6 ,    - ,    -
+// CHECK-NEXT: Max. Stack Allocs          :   0 ,    - ,    -
+// CHECK-NEXT: Addresses checked          :   0 ,    - ,    -
+// CHECK-NEXT: Distinct Addresses checked :   0 ,    - ,    -
+// CHECK-NEXT: Addresses re-used          :   0 ,    - ,    -
+// CHECK-NEXT: Addresses missed           :   0 ,    - ,    -
+// CHECK-NEXT: Distinct Addresses missed  :   0 ,    - ,    -
+// CHECK-NEXT: Total free heap            :   0 ,    0 ,    -
+// CHECK-NEXT: Total free stack           :   0 ,    0 ,    -
+// CHECK-NEXT: Null/Zero/NullZero Addr    :   0 ,    0 ,    0
+// CHECK-NEXT: User-def. types            :   0 ,    - ,    -
+// CHECK-NEXT: Estimated memory use (KiB) :   {{[4-9]}} ,    - ,    -
+// CHECK-NEXT: Bytes per node map/stack   :  96 ,    8 ,    -
+// CHECK-NEXT: {{(#|-)+}}
+// CHECK-NEXT: Allocation type detail (heap, stack, global)
+// CHECK-NEXT: 6 :   6 ,    0 ,    0 , double
+// CHECK-NEXT: {{(#|-)+}}
+// CHECK-NEXT: Free allocation type detail (heap, stack)
+// CHECK-NEXT: 6 :   0 ,    0 , double
\ No newline at end of file