diff --git a/include/net/inet_connection_sock.h b/include/net/inet_connection_sock.h
index 0b1864a82d4a..ff901aade442 100644
--- a/include/net/inet_connection_sock.h
+++ b/include/net/inet_connection_sock.h
@@ -317,7 +317,7 @@ void inet_csk_update_fastreuse(struct inet_bind_bucket *tb,
 
 struct dst_entry *inet_csk_update_pmtu(struct sock *sk, u32 mtu);
 
-#define TCP_PINGPONG_THRESH	3
+#define TCP_PINGPONG_THRESH	1
 
 static inline void inet_csk_enter_pingpong_mode(struct sock *sk)
 {
@@ -334,14 +334,6 @@ static inline bool inet_csk_in_pingpong_mode(struct sock *sk)
 	return inet_csk(sk)->icsk_ack.pingpong >= TCP_PINGPONG_THRESH;
 }
 
-static inline void inet_csk_inc_pingpong_cnt(struct sock *sk)
-{
-	struct inet_connection_sock *icsk = inet_csk(sk);
-
-	if (icsk->icsk_ack.pingpong < U8_MAX)
-		icsk->icsk_ack.pingpong++;
-}
-
 static inline bool inet_csk_has_ulp(struct sock *sk)
 {
 	return inet_sk(sk)->is_icsk && !!inet_csk(sk)->icsk_ulp_ops;
diff --git a/net/ipv4/tcp_output.c b/net/ipv4/tcp_output.c
index 9b67c61576e4..dfa41d73deab 100644
--- a/net/ipv4/tcp_output.c
+++ b/net/ipv4/tcp_output.c
@@ -167,16 +167,13 @@ static void tcp_event_data_sent(struct tcp_sock *tp,
 	if (tcp_packets_in_flight(tp) == 0)
 		tcp_ca_event(sk, CA_EVENT_TX_START);
 
-	/* If this is the first data packet sent in response to the
-	 * previous received data,
-	 * and it is a reply for ato after last received packet,
-	 * increase pingpong count.
-	 */
-	if (before(tp->lsndtime, icsk->icsk_ack.lrcvtime) &&
-	    (u32)(now - icsk->icsk_ack.lrcvtime) < icsk->icsk_ack.ato)
-		inet_csk_inc_pingpong_cnt(sk);
-
 	tp->lsndtime = now;
+
+	/* If it is a reply for ato after last received
+	 * packet, enter pingpong mode.
+	 */
+	if ((u32)(now - icsk->icsk_ack.lrcvtime) < icsk->icsk_ack.ato)
+		inet_csk_enter_pingpong_mode(sk);
 }
 
 /* Account for an ACK we sent. */