diff --git a/drivers/block/aoe/aoe.h b/drivers/block/aoe/aoe.h
index ffded64dcbeb8ab56e2c9a2762fca0f1a326c8c4..d17b727639735e684de78474c3a5d5b7b87f0237 100644
--- a/drivers/block/aoe/aoe.h
+++ b/drivers/block/aoe/aoe.h
@@ -96,7 +96,6 @@ enum {
 	TIMERTICK = HZ / 10,
 	MINTIMER = HZ >> 2,
 	MAXTIMER = HZ << 1,
-	HELPWAIT = 20,
 };
 
 struct buf {
diff --git a/drivers/block/aoe/aoecmd.c b/drivers/block/aoe/aoecmd.c
index bbab40c8d67cb58c5f0ec87d76c186da02f564a8..e3291dfa76075c38ecde0789a4b4838676a2f77d 100644
--- a/drivers/block/aoe/aoecmd.c
+++ b/drivers/block/aoe/aoecmd.c
@@ -633,11 +633,9 @@ rexmit_timer(ulong vp)
 		list_del(pos);
 
 		t = f->t;
-		if (n > HELPWAIT) {
-			/* see if another target can help */
-			if (d->ntargets > 1)
-				d->htgt = t;
-		}
+		if (n > aoe_deadsecs/2)
+			d->htgt = t; /* see if another target can help */
+
 		if (t->nout == t->maxout) {
 			if (t->maxout > 1)
 				t->maxout--;