diff --git a/net/mptcp/protocol.c b/net/mptcp/protocol.c
index a8892494781522a16492169eb0746d626a09ecea..08fa2c73a7e58f5a4fb70b89116dcb92e9a171ac 100644
--- a/net/mptcp/protocol.c
+++ b/net/mptcp/protocol.c
@@ -411,16 +411,28 @@ static void mptcp_set_datafin_timeout(const struct sock *sk)
 				       TCP_RTO_MIN << icsk->icsk_retransmits);
 }
 
-static void mptcp_set_timeout(const struct sock *sk, const struct sock *ssk)
+static void __mptcp_set_timeout(struct sock *sk, long tout)
 {
-	long tout = ssk && inet_csk(ssk)->icsk_pending ?
-				      inet_csk(ssk)->icsk_timeout - jiffies : 0;
-
-	if (tout <= 0)
-		tout = mptcp_sk(sk)->timer_ival;
 	mptcp_sk(sk)->timer_ival = tout > 0 ? tout : TCP_RTO_MIN;
 }
 
+static long mptcp_timeout_from_subflow(const struct mptcp_subflow_context *subflow)
+{
+	const struct sock *ssk = mptcp_subflow_tcp_sock(subflow);
+
+	return inet_csk(ssk)->icsk_pending ? inet_csk(ssk)->icsk_timeout - jiffies : 0;
+}
+
+static void mptcp_set_timeout(struct sock *sk)
+{
+	struct mptcp_subflow_context *subflow;
+	long tout = 0;
+
+	mptcp_for_each_subflow(mptcp_sk(sk), subflow)
+		tout = max(tout, mptcp_timeout_from_subflow(subflow));
+	__mptcp_set_timeout(sk, tout);
+}
+
 static bool tcp_can_send_ack(const struct sock *ssk)
 {
 	return !((1 << inet_sk_state_load(ssk)) &
@@ -531,7 +543,6 @@ static bool mptcp_check_data_fin(struct sock *sk)
 		}
 
 		ret = true;
-		mptcp_set_timeout(sk, NULL);
 		mptcp_send_ack(msk);
 		mptcp_close_wake_up(sk);
 	}
@@ -791,10 +802,7 @@ static void mptcp_reset_timer(struct sock *sk)
 	if (unlikely(inet_sk_state_load(sk) == TCP_CLOSE))
 		return;
 
-	/* should never be called with mptcp level timer cleared */
-	tout = READ_ONCE(mptcp_sk(sk)->timer_ival);
-	if (WARN_ON_ONCE(!tout))
-		tout = TCP_RTO_MIN;
+	tout = mptcp_sk(sk)->timer_ival;
 	sk_reset_timer(sk, &icsk->icsk_retransmit_timer, jiffies + tout);
 }
 
@@ -1077,7 +1085,7 @@ static void __mptcp_clean_una(struct sock *sk)
 	}
 
 	if (snd_una == READ_ONCE(msk->snd_nxt)) {
-		if (msk->timer_ival && !mptcp_data_fin_enabled(msk))
+		if (mptcp_timer_pending(sk) && !mptcp_data_fin_enabled(msk))
 			mptcp_stop_timer(sk);
 	} else {
 		mptcp_reset_timer(sk);
@@ -1366,16 +1374,22 @@ struct subflow_send_info {
 	u64 ratio;
 };
 
+/* implement the mptcp packet scheduler;
+ * returns the subflow that will transmit the next DSS
+ * additionally updates the rtx timeout
+ */
 static struct sock *mptcp_subflow_get_send(struct mptcp_sock *msk)
 {
 	struct subflow_send_info send_info[2];
 	struct mptcp_subflow_context *subflow;
+	struct sock *sk = (struct sock *)msk;
 	int i, nr_active = 0;
 	struct sock *ssk;
+	long tout = 0;
 	u64 ratio;
 	u32 pace;
 
-	sock_owned_by_me((struct sock *)msk);
+	sock_owned_by_me(sk);
 
 	if (__mptcp_check_fallback(msk)) {
 		if (!msk->first)
@@ -1386,8 +1400,10 @@ static struct sock *mptcp_subflow_get_send(struct mptcp_sock *msk)
 	/* re-use last subflow, if the burst allow that */
 	if (msk->last_snd && msk->snd_burst > 0 &&
 	    sk_stream_memory_free(msk->last_snd) &&
-	    mptcp_subflow_active(mptcp_subflow_ctx(msk->last_snd)))
+	    mptcp_subflow_active(mptcp_subflow_ctx(msk->last_snd))) {
+		mptcp_set_timeout(sk);
 		return msk->last_snd;
+	}
 
 	/* pick the subflow with the lower wmem/wspace ratio */
 	for (i = 0; i < 2; ++i) {
@@ -1400,6 +1416,7 @@ static struct sock *mptcp_subflow_get_send(struct mptcp_sock *msk)
 		if (!mptcp_subflow_active(subflow))
 			continue;
 
+		tout = max(tout, mptcp_timeout_from_subflow(subflow));
 		nr_active += !subflow->backup;
 		if (!sk_stream_memory_free(subflow->tcp_sock) || !tcp_sk(ssk)->snd_wnd)
 			continue;
@@ -1415,6 +1432,7 @@ static struct sock *mptcp_subflow_get_send(struct mptcp_sock *msk)
 			send_info[subflow->backup].ratio = ratio;
 		}
 	}
+	__mptcp_set_timeout(sk, tout);
 
 	/* pick the best backup if no other subflow is active */
 	if (!nr_active)
@@ -1433,7 +1451,6 @@ static struct sock *mptcp_subflow_get_send(struct mptcp_sock *msk)
 static void mptcp_push_release(struct sock *sk, struct sock *ssk,
 			       struct mptcp_sendmsg_info *info)
 {
-	mptcp_set_timeout(sk, ssk);
 	tcp_push(ssk, 0, info->mss_now, tcp_sk(ssk)->nonagle, info->size_goal);
 	release_sock(ssk);
 }
@@ -1501,12 +1518,11 @@ static void __mptcp_push_pending(struct sock *sk, unsigned int flags)
 		mptcp_push_release(sk, ssk, &info);
 
 out:
-	if (copied) {
-		/* start the timer, if it's not pending */
-		if (!mptcp_timer_pending(sk))
-			mptcp_reset_timer(sk);
+	/* ensure the rtx timer is running */
+	if (!mptcp_timer_pending(sk))
+		mptcp_reset_timer(sk);
+	if (copied)
 		__mptcp_check_send_data_fin(sk);
-	}
 }
 
 static void __mptcp_subflow_push_pending(struct sock *sk, struct sock *ssk)
@@ -1567,7 +1583,6 @@ static void __mptcp_subflow_push_pending(struct sock *sk, struct sock *ssk)
 	 */
 	__mptcp_update_wmem(sk);
 	if (copied) {
-		mptcp_set_timeout(sk, ssk);
 		tcp_push(ssk, 0, info.mss_now, tcp_sk(ssk)->nonagle,
 			 info.size_goal);
 		if (!mptcp_timer_pending(sk))
@@ -2313,7 +2328,6 @@ static void __mptcp_retrans(struct sock *sk)
 			 info.size_goal);
 	}
 
-	mptcp_set_timeout(sk, ssk);
 	release_sock(ssk);
 
 reset_timer:
@@ -2384,6 +2398,7 @@ static int __mptcp_init_sock(struct sock *sk)
 	msk->wmem_reserved = 0;
 	WRITE_ONCE(msk->rmem_released, 0);
 	msk->tx_pending_data = 0;
+	msk->timer_ival = TCP_RTO_MIN;
 
 	msk->first = NULL;
 	inet_csk(sk)->icsk_sync_mss = mptcp_sync_mss;
@@ -2472,7 +2487,6 @@ void mptcp_subflow_shutdown(struct sock *sk, struct sock *ssk, int how)
 			tcp_shutdown(ssk, how);
 		} else {
 			pr_debug("Sending DATA_FIN on subflow %p", ssk);
-			mptcp_set_timeout(sk, ssk);
 			tcp_send_ack(ssk);
 			if (!mptcp_timer_pending(sk))
 				mptcp_reset_timer(sk);