diff --git a/Documentation/networking/mptcp-sysctl.rst b/Documentation/networking/mptcp-sysctl.rst
index 76d939e688b8485a2eacb33d19f44ee89eaba3b0..b0d4da71e68efb62f825e104bb3cde2aefed4a85 100644
--- a/Documentation/networking/mptcp-sysctl.rst
+++ b/Documentation/networking/mptcp-sysctl.rst
@@ -45,3 +45,15 @@ allow_join_initial_addr_port - BOOLEAN
 	This is a per-namespace sysctl.
 
 	Default: 1
+
+stale_loss_cnt - INTEGER
+	The number of MPTCP-level retransmission intervals with no traffic and
+	pending outstanding data on a given subflow required to declare it stale.
+	The packet scheduler ignores stale subflows.
+	A low stale_loss_cnt  value allows for fast active-backup switch-over,
+	an high value maximize links utilization on edge scenarios e.g. lossy
+	link with high BER or peer pausing the data processing.
+
+	This is a per-namespace sysctl.
+
+	Default: 4
diff --git a/net/mptcp/ctrl.c b/net/mptcp/ctrl.c
index 63bba9d8e289fb5c50672b04972e2a9e66296ee9..8b235468c88ffa0847465ce20cec22c5338de888 100644
--- a/net/mptcp/ctrl.c
+++ b/net/mptcp/ctrl.c
@@ -22,6 +22,7 @@ struct mptcp_pernet {
 #endif
 
 	unsigned int add_addr_timeout;
+	unsigned int stale_loss_cnt;
 	u8 mptcp_enabled;
 	u8 checksum_enabled;
 	u8 allow_join_initial_addr_port;
@@ -52,12 +53,18 @@ int mptcp_allow_join_id0(const struct net *net)
 	return mptcp_get_pernet(net)->allow_join_initial_addr_port;
 }
 
+unsigned int mptcp_stale_loss_cnt(const struct net *net)
+{
+	return mptcp_get_pernet(net)->stale_loss_cnt;
+}
+
 static void mptcp_pernet_set_defaults(struct mptcp_pernet *pernet)
 {
 	pernet->mptcp_enabled = 1;
 	pernet->add_addr_timeout = TCP_RTO_MAX;
 	pernet->checksum_enabled = 0;
 	pernet->allow_join_initial_addr_port = 1;
+	pernet->stale_loss_cnt = 4;
 }
 
 #ifdef CONFIG_SYSCTL
@@ -95,6 +102,12 @@ static struct ctl_table mptcp_sysctl_table[] = {
 		.extra1       = SYSCTL_ZERO,
 		.extra2       = SYSCTL_ONE
 	},
+	{
+		.procname = "stale_loss_cnt",
+		.maxlen = sizeof(unsigned int),
+		.mode = 0644,
+		.proc_handler = proc_douintvec_minmax,
+	},
 	{}
 };
 
@@ -114,6 +127,7 @@ static int mptcp_pernet_new_table(struct net *net, struct mptcp_pernet *pernet)
 	table[1].data = &pernet->add_addr_timeout;
 	table[2].data = &pernet->checksum_enabled;
 	table[3].data = &pernet->allow_join_initial_addr_port;
+	table[4].data = &pernet->stale_loss_cnt;
 
 	hdr = register_net_sysctl(net, MPTCP_SYSCTL_PATH, table);
 	if (!hdr)
diff --git a/net/mptcp/pm.c b/net/mptcp/pm.c
index 9ff17c5205ceba04508ed99ab73a1016c87db0ca..d8a85fe923609e92d06c133087fb6c805b5ff3b2 100644
--- a/net/mptcp/pm.c
+++ b/net/mptcp/pm.c
@@ -320,8 +320,10 @@ void mptcp_pm_subflow_chk_stale(const struct mptcp_sock *msk, struct sock *ssk)
 	} else if (subflow->stale_rcv_tstamp == rcv_tstamp) {
 		if (subflow->stale_count < U8_MAX)
 			subflow->stale_count++;
+		mptcp_pm_nl_subflow_chk_stale(msk, ssk);
 	} else {
 		subflow->stale_count = 0;
+		mptcp_subflow_set_active(subflow);
 	}
 }
 
diff --git a/net/mptcp/pm_netlink.c b/net/mptcp/pm_netlink.c
index 56263c2c4014cd81359a5bd84bccd227f56c60c5..c0eb14e05beafdaf0fad5fff714e8bdc5caa91e3 100644
--- a/net/mptcp/pm_netlink.c
+++ b/net/mptcp/pm_netlink.c
@@ -46,6 +46,7 @@ struct pm_nl_pernet {
 	spinlock_t		lock;
 	struct list_head	local_addr_list;
 	unsigned int		addrs;
+	unsigned int		stale_loss_cnt;
 	unsigned int		add_addr_signal_max;
 	unsigned int		add_addr_accept_max;
 	unsigned int		local_addr_max;
@@ -899,6 +900,42 @@ static const struct nla_policy mptcp_pm_policy[MPTCP_PM_ATTR_MAX + 1] = {
 	[MPTCP_PM_ATTR_SUBFLOWS]	= { .type	= NLA_U32,	},
 };
 
+void mptcp_pm_nl_subflow_chk_stale(const struct mptcp_sock *msk, struct sock *ssk)
+{
+	struct mptcp_subflow_context *iter, *subflow = mptcp_subflow_ctx(ssk);
+	struct sock *sk = (struct sock *)msk;
+	unsigned int active_max_loss_cnt;
+	struct net *net = sock_net(sk);
+	unsigned int stale_loss_cnt;
+	bool slow;
+
+	stale_loss_cnt = mptcp_stale_loss_cnt(net);
+	if (subflow->stale || !stale_loss_cnt || subflow->stale_count <= stale_loss_cnt)
+		return;
+
+	/* look for another available subflow not in loss state */
+	active_max_loss_cnt = max_t(int, stale_loss_cnt - 1, 1);
+	mptcp_for_each_subflow(msk, iter) {
+		if (iter != subflow && mptcp_subflow_active(iter) &&
+		    iter->stale_count < active_max_loss_cnt) {
+			/* we have some alternatives, try to mark this subflow as idle ...*/
+			slow = lock_sock_fast(ssk);
+			if (!tcp_rtx_and_write_queues_empty(ssk)) {
+				subflow->stale = 1;
+				__mptcp_retransmit_pending_data(sk);
+			}
+			unlock_sock_fast(ssk, slow);
+
+			/* always try to push the pending data regarless of re-injections:
+			 * we can possibly use backup subflows now, and subflow selection
+			 * is cheap under the msk socket lock
+			 */
+			__mptcp_push_pending(sk, 0);
+			return;
+		}
+	}
+}
+
 static int mptcp_pm_family_to_addr(int family)
 {
 #if IS_ENABLED(CONFIG_MPTCP_IPV6)
@@ -1922,6 +1959,7 @@ static int __net_init pm_nl_init_net(struct net *net)
 
 	INIT_LIST_HEAD_RCU(&pernet->local_addr_list);
 	pernet->next_id = 1;
+	pernet->stale_loss_cnt = 4;
 	spin_lock_init(&pernet->lock);
 
 	/* No need to initialize other pernet fields, the struct is zeroed at
diff --git a/net/mptcp/protocol.c b/net/mptcp/protocol.c
index 5fafa7a4cd6958d4317240bd7ebeaaf90c3d5982..18d3adccba5c52190b5d4cdf176a68417631f19a 100644
--- a/net/mptcp/protocol.c
+++ b/net/mptcp/protocol.c
@@ -1391,6 +1391,27 @@ struct subflow_send_info {
 	u64 ratio;
 };
 
+void mptcp_subflow_set_active(struct mptcp_subflow_context *subflow)
+{
+	if (!subflow->stale)
+		return;
+
+	subflow->stale = 0;
+}
+
+bool mptcp_subflow_active(struct mptcp_subflow_context *subflow)
+{
+	if (unlikely(subflow->stale)) {
+		u32 rcv_tstamp = READ_ONCE(tcp_sk(mptcp_subflow_tcp_sock(subflow))->rcv_tstamp);
+
+		if (subflow->stale_rcv_tstamp == rcv_tstamp)
+			return false;
+
+		mptcp_subflow_set_active(subflow);
+	}
+	return __mptcp_subflow_active(subflow);
+}
+
 /* implement the mptcp packet scheduler;
  * returns the subflow that will transmit the next DSS
  * additionally updates the rtx timeout
@@ -1472,7 +1493,7 @@ static void mptcp_push_release(struct sock *sk, struct sock *ssk,
 	release_sock(ssk);
 }
 
-static void __mptcp_push_pending(struct sock *sk, unsigned int flags)
+void __mptcp_push_pending(struct sock *sk, unsigned int flags)
 {
 	struct sock *prev_ssk = NULL, *ssk = NULL;
 	struct mptcp_sock *msk = mptcp_sk(sk);
@@ -2115,7 +2136,7 @@ static void mptcp_timeout_timer(struct timer_list *t)
  *
  * A backup subflow is returned only if that is the only kind available.
  */
-static struct sock *mptcp_subflow_get_retrans(const struct mptcp_sock *msk)
+static struct sock *mptcp_subflow_get_retrans(struct mptcp_sock *msk)
 {
 	struct sock *backup = NULL, *pick = NULL;
 	struct mptcp_subflow_context *subflow;
@@ -2129,7 +2150,7 @@ static struct sock *mptcp_subflow_get_retrans(const struct mptcp_sock *msk)
 	mptcp_for_each_subflow(msk, subflow) {
 		struct sock *ssk = mptcp_subflow_tcp_sock(subflow);
 
-		if (!mptcp_subflow_active(subflow))
+		if (!__mptcp_subflow_active(subflow))
 			continue;
 
 		/* still data outstanding at TCP level? skip this */
diff --git a/net/mptcp/protocol.h b/net/mptcp/protocol.h
index 43ff6c5baddc7cae5d1400e84a97404c82f4a277..8bdd038def3838169dbd3e023769a85d06cff1b9 100644
--- a/net/mptcp/protocol.h
+++ b/net/mptcp/protocol.h
@@ -432,7 +432,8 @@ struct mptcp_subflow_context {
 		send_mp_prio : 1,
 		rx_eof : 1,
 		can_ack : 1,        /* only after processing the remote a key */
-		disposable : 1;	    /* ctx can be free at ulp release time */
+		disposable : 1,	    /* ctx can be free at ulp release time */
+		stale : 1;	    /* unable to snd/rcv data, do not use for xmit */
 	enum mptcp_data_avail data_avail;
 	u32	remote_nonce;
 	u64	thmac;
@@ -560,9 +561,11 @@ int mptcp_is_enabled(const struct net *net);
 unsigned int mptcp_get_add_addr_timeout(const struct net *net);
 int mptcp_is_checksum_enabled(const struct net *net);
 int mptcp_allow_join_id0(const struct net *net);
+unsigned int mptcp_stale_loss_cnt(const struct net *net);
 void mptcp_subflow_fully_established(struct mptcp_subflow_context *subflow,
 				     struct mptcp_options_received *mp_opt);
 bool __mptcp_retransmit_pending_data(struct sock *sk);
+void __mptcp_push_pending(struct sock *sk, unsigned int flags);
 bool mptcp_subflow_data_available(struct sock *sk);
 void __init mptcp_subflow_init(void);
 void mptcp_subflow_shutdown(struct sock *sk, struct sock *ssk, int how);
@@ -581,7 +584,7 @@ void mptcp_info2sockaddr(const struct mptcp_addr_info *info,
 			 struct sockaddr_storage *addr,
 			 unsigned short family);
 
-static inline bool mptcp_subflow_active(struct mptcp_subflow_context *subflow)
+static inline bool __mptcp_subflow_active(struct mptcp_subflow_context *subflow)
 {
 	struct sock *ssk = mptcp_subflow_tcp_sock(subflow);
 
@@ -593,6 +596,10 @@ static inline bool mptcp_subflow_active(struct mptcp_subflow_context *subflow)
 	return ((1 << ssk->sk_state) & (TCPF_ESTABLISHED | TCPF_CLOSE_WAIT));
 }
 
+void mptcp_subflow_set_active(struct mptcp_subflow_context *subflow);
+
+bool mptcp_subflow_active(struct mptcp_subflow_context *subflow);
+
 static inline void mptcp_subflow_tcp_fallback(struct sock *sk,
 					      struct mptcp_subflow_context *ctx)
 {
@@ -699,6 +706,7 @@ void mptcp_crypto_hmac_sha(u64 key1, u64 key2, u8 *msg, int len, void *hmac);
 void __init mptcp_pm_init(void);
 void mptcp_pm_data_init(struct mptcp_sock *msk);
 void mptcp_pm_subflow_chk_stale(const struct mptcp_sock *msk, struct sock *ssk);
+void mptcp_pm_nl_subflow_chk_stale(const struct mptcp_sock *msk, struct sock *ssk);
 void mptcp_pm_new_connection(struct mptcp_sock *msk, const struct sock *ssk, int server_side);
 void mptcp_pm_fully_established(struct mptcp_sock *msk, const struct sock *ssk, gfp_t gfp);
 bool mptcp_pm_allow_new_subflow(struct mptcp_sock *msk);