diff --git a/tools/testing/selftests/net/mptcp/mptcp_connect.sh b/tools/testing/selftests/net/mptcp/mptcp_connect.sh
index 362e891f89cf..10a030b53b23 100755
--- a/tools/testing/selftests/net/mptcp/mptcp_connect.sh
+++ b/tools/testing/selftests/net/mptcp/mptcp_connect.sh
@@ -483,10 +483,6 @@ do_transfer()
 	check_transfer $cin $sout "file received by server"
 	rets=$?
 
-	if [ $retc -eq 0 ] && [ $rets -eq 0 ]; then
-		printf "[ OK ]"
-	fi
-
 	local stat_synrx_now_l=$(get_mib_counter "${listener_ns}" "MPTcpExtMPCapableSYNRX")
 	local stat_ackrx_now_l=$(get_mib_counter "${listener_ns}" "MPTcpExtMPCapableACKRX")
 	local stat_cookietx_now=$(get_mib_counter "${listener_ns}" "TcpExtSyncookiesSent")
@@ -502,6 +498,22 @@ do_transfer()
 		expect_synrx=$((stat_synrx_last_l+1))
 		expect_ackrx=$((stat_ackrx_last_l+1))
 	fi
+
+	if [ ${stat_synrx_now_l} -lt ${expect_synrx} ]; then
+		printf "[ FAIL ] lower MPC SYN rx (%d) than expected (%d)\n" \
+			"${stat_synrx_now_l}" "${expect_synrx}" 1>&2
+		retc=1
+	fi
+	if [ ${stat_ackrx_now_l} -lt ${expect_ackrx} ]; then
+		printf "[ FAIL ] lower MPC ACK rx (%d) than expected (%d)\n" \
+			"${stat_ackrx_now_l}" "${expect_ackrx}" 1>&2
+		rets=1
+	fi
+
+	if [ $retc -eq 0 ] && [ $rets -eq 0 ]; then
+		printf "[ OK ]"
+	fi
+
 	if [ $cookies -eq 2 ];then
 		if [ $stat_cookietx_last -ge $stat_cookietx_now ] ;then
 			printf " WARN: CookieSent: did not advance"
@@ -518,12 +530,12 @@ do_transfer()
 		fi
 	fi
 
-	if [ $expect_synrx -ne $stat_synrx_now_l ] ;then
-		printf " WARN: SYNRX: expect %d, got %d" \
+	if [ ${stat_synrx_now_l} -gt ${expect_synrx} ]; then
+		printf " WARN: SYNRX: expect %d, got %d (probably retransmissions)" \
 			"${expect_synrx}" "${stat_synrx_now_l}"
 	fi
-	if [ $expect_ackrx -ne $stat_ackrx_now_l ] ;then
-		printf " WARN: ACKRX: expect %d, got %d" \
+	if [ ${stat_ackrx_now_l} -gt ${expect_ackrx} ]; then
+		printf " WARN: ACKRX: expect %d, got %d (probably retransmissions)" \
 			"${expect_ackrx}" "${stat_ackrx_now_l}"
 	fi