diff --git a/net/ipv4/tcp_timer.c b/net/ipv4/tcp_timer.c
index 9d775b8df57d4fef4635e2f2fe62832633d86d50..c719a41d2eba22d7b90794fa3bebcb544fbe4215 100644
--- a/net/ipv4/tcp_timer.c
+++ b/net/ipv4/tcp_timer.c
@@ -443,10 +443,8 @@ void tcp_retransmit_timer(struct sock *sk)
 		 */
 		return;
 	}
-	if (!tp->packets_out)
-		goto out;
-
-	WARN_ON(tcp_rtx_queue_empty(sk));
+	if (!tp->packets_out || WARN_ON_ONCE(tcp_rtx_queue_empty(sk)))
+		return;
 
 	tp->tlp_high_seq = 0;