diff --git a/airflow/jobs/backfill_job.py b/airflow/jobs/backfill_job.py
index 4a2d3e7bd4ad3..62bc8c2bb308f 100644
--- a/airflow/jobs/backfill_job.py
+++ b/airflow/jobs/backfill_job.py
@@ -217,6 +217,12 @@ def _update_counters(self, ti_status, session=None):
                 tis_to_be_scheduled.append(ti)
                 ti_status.running.pop(reduced_key)
                 ti_status.to_run[ti.key] = ti
+            # special case: Deferrable task can go from DEFERRED to SCHEDULED;
+            # when that happens, we need to put it back as in UP_FOR_RESCHEDULE
+            elif ti.state == TaskInstanceState.SCHEDULED:
+                self.log.debug("Task instance %s is resumed from deferred state", ti)
+                ti_status.running.pop(ti.key)
+                ti_status.to_run[ti.key] = ti
 
         # Batch schedule of task instances
         if tis_to_be_scheduled:
diff --git a/tests/jobs/test_backfill_job.py b/tests/jobs/test_backfill_job.py
index 31ea238f5e963..18fa630835a50 100644
--- a/tests/jobs/test_backfill_job.py
+++ b/tests/jobs/test_backfill_job.py
@@ -1415,6 +1415,30 @@ def test_update_counters(self, dag_maker, session):
 
         ti_status.to_run.clear()
 
+        # test for scheduled
+        ti.set_state(State.SCHEDULED)
+        # Deferred tasks are put into scheduled by the triggerer
+        # Check that they are put into to_run
+        ti_status.running[ti.key] = ti
+        job._update_counters(ti_status=ti_status, session=session)
+        assert len(ti_status.running) == 0
+        assert len(ti_status.succeeded) == 0
+        assert len(ti_status.skipped) == 0
+        assert len(ti_status.failed) == 0
+        assert len(ti_status.to_run) == 1
+
+        ti_status.to_run.clear()
+        # test for deferred
+        # if a task is deferred and it's not yet time for the triggerer
+        # to reschedule it, we should leave it in ti_status.running
+        ti.set_state(State.DEFERRED)
+        ti_status.running[ti.key] = ti
+        job._update_counters(ti_status=ti_status, session=session)
+        assert len(ti_status.running) == 1
+        assert len(ti_status.succeeded) == 0
+        assert len(ti_status.skipped) == 0
+        assert len(ti_status.failed) == 0
+        assert len(ti_status.to_run) == 0
         session.close()
 
     def test_dag_dagrun_infos_between(self, dag_maker):