diff --git a/net/ipv4/tcp_input.c b/net/ipv4/tcp_input.c
index f0dabd125c43..c4bbf704ff9c 100644
--- a/net/ipv4/tcp_input.c
+++ b/net/ipv4/tcp_input.c
@@ -3028,8 +3028,7 @@ void tcp_rearm_rto(struct sock *sk)
 			/* delta may not be positive if the socket is locked
 			 * when the retrans timer fires and is rescheduled.
 			 */
-			if (delta > 0)
-				rto = delta;
+			rto = max(delta, 1);
 		}
 		inet_csk_reset_xmit_timer(sk, ICSK_TIME_RETRANS, rto,
 					  TCP_RTO_MAX);