diff --git a/google/cloud/spanner_v1/pool.py b/google/cloud/spanner_v1/pool.py
index 56a78ef672..dd5da532e4 100644
--- a/google/cloud/spanner_v1/pool.py
+++ b/google/cloud/spanner_v1/pool.py
@@ -387,15 +387,14 @@ def get(self, timeout=None):
         if timeout is None:
             timeout = self.default_timeout
 
-        ping_after, session = self._sessions.get(block=True, timeout=timeout)
+        _, session = self._sessions.get(block=True, timeout=timeout)
 
-        if _NOW() > ping_after:
-            # Using session.exists() guarantees the returned session exists.
-            # session.ping() uses a cached result in the backend which could
-            # result in a recently deleted session being returned.
-            if not session.exists():
-                session = self._new_session()
-                session.create()
+        # Using session.exists() guarantees the returned session exists.
+        # session.ping() uses a cached result in the backend which could
+        # result in a recently deleted session being returned.
+        if not session.exists():
+            session = self._new_session()
+            session.create()
 
         return session
 
diff --git a/tests/unit/test_pool.py b/tests/unit/test_pool.py
index 593420187d..462e3ead86 100644
--- a/tests/unit/test_pool.py
+++ b/tests/unit/test_pool.py
@@ -433,7 +433,7 @@ def test_get_hit_no_ping(self):
         session = pool.get()
 
         self.assertIs(session, SESSIONS[0])
-        self.assertFalse(session._exists_checked)
+        self.assertTrue(session._exists_checked)
         self.assertFalse(pool._sessions.full())
 
     def test_get_hit_w_ping(self):