diff --git a/vllm/distributed/kv_transfer/kv_connector/v1/nixl_connector.py b/vllm/distributed/kv_transfer/kv_connector/v1/nixl_connector.py
index c6437610e3bab..fecf08c7e647c 100644
--- a/vllm/distributed/kv_transfer/kv_connector/v1/nixl_connector.py
+++ b/vllm/distributed/kv_transfer/kv_connector/v1/nixl_connector.py
@@ -1452,11 +1452,17 @@ class NixlConnectorWorker:
                 len(done_recving),
             )
 
-        # clean up metadata for completed requests
+        block_ids_to_permute = []
         for req_id in done_recving:
+            # clean up metadata for completed requests
             meta = self._recving_metadata.pop(req_id, None)
-            if self.use_host_buffer and meta:
+            assert meta is not None, f"{req_id} not found in recving_metadata list"
+            if self.use_host_buffer:
                 self.sync_recved_kv_to_device(req_id, meta)
+            if self.enable_permute_local_kv:
+                block_ids_to_permute += meta.local_block_ids
+        if len(block_ids_to_permute) > 0:
+            self.permute_device_kv(block_ids_to_permute)
 
         # Handle timeout to avoid stranding blocks on remote.
         now = time.perf_counter()
@@ -1477,15 +1483,6 @@ class NixlConnectorWorker:
             del self._reqs_to_send[req_id]
             done_sending.add(req_id)
 
-        if self.enable_permute_local_kv and len(done_recving) > 0:
-            block_ids = []
-            for req_id in done_recving:
-                meta = self._recving_metadata.pop(req_id)
-                assert meta, f"{req_id} not found in recving_metadata list"
-                block_ids += meta.local_block_ids
-
-            self.permute_device_kv(block_ids)
-
         return done_sending, done_recving
 
     def _get_new_notifs(self) -> set[str]: