diff --git a/net/ipv4/tcp_output.c b/net/ipv4/tcp_output.c
index 7c7f2d63a12f..3dd62cf739e3 100644
--- a/net/ipv4/tcp_output.c
+++ b/net/ipv4/tcp_output.c
@@ -2220,6 +2220,18 @@ static int tcp_mtu_probe(struct sock *sk)
 	return -1;
 }
 
+static bool tcp_rtx_queue_empty_or_single_skb(const struct sock *sk)
+{
+	const struct rb_node *node = sk->tcp_rtx_queue.rb_node;
+
+	/* No skb in the rtx queue. */
+	if (!node)
+		return true;
+
+	/* Only one skb in rtx queue. */
+	return !node->rb_left && !node->rb_right;
+}
+
 /* TCP Small Queues :
  * Control number of packets in qdisc/devices to two packets / or ~1 ms.
  * (These limits are doubled for retransmits)
@@ -2242,12 +2254,12 @@ static bool tcp_small_queue_check(struct sock *sk, const struct sk_buff *skb,
 	limit <<= factor;
 
 	if (refcount_read(&sk->sk_wmem_alloc) > limit) {
-		/* Always send skb if rtx queue is empty.
+		/* Always send skb if rtx queue is empty or has one skb.
 		 * No need to wait for TX completion to call us back,
 		 * after softirq/tasklet schedule.
 		 * This helps when TX completions are delayed too much.
 		 */
-		if (tcp_rtx_queue_empty(sk))
+		if (tcp_rtx_queue_empty_or_single_skb(sk))
 			return false;
 
 		set_bit(TSQ_THROTTLED, &sk->sk_tsq_flags);