Did you try using _tally instead of RecCount()? (I know is not exactly the answer you want, but I can not think of any reason while the alias would be closed in your scenario.
"The five senses obstruct or deform the apprehension of reality."
Jorge L. Borges?
"Premature optimization is the root of all evil in programming."
Donald Knuth, repeating C. A. R. Hoare
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Jorge L. Borges