diff --git a/drivers/net/wireless/iwlwifi/pcie/trans.c b/drivers/net/wireless/iwlwifi/pcie/trans.c
index d6a73179ebf1840a89f6afeeb264f6fdeb7f8df2..b647eb4dca64d3a2d61e6ff4ed1c27daa5ed7327 100644
--- a/drivers/net/wireless/iwlwifi/pcie/trans.c
+++ b/drivers/net/wireless/iwlwifi/pcie/trans.c
@@ -1354,7 +1354,8 @@ static int iwl_trans_pcie_tx(struct iwl_trans *trans, struct sk_buff *skb,
 			     skb->data + hdr_len, secondlen);
 
 	/* start timer if queue currently empty */
-	if (q->read_ptr == q->write_ptr && trans_pcie->wd_timeout)
+	if (txq->need_update && q->read_ptr == q->write_ptr &&
+	    trans_pcie->wd_timeout)
 		mod_timer(&txq->stuck_timer, jiffies + trans_pcie->wd_timeout);
 
 	/* Tell device the write index *just past* this latest filled TFD */