diff --git a/net/ipv4/tcp_output.c b/net/ipv4/tcp_output.c
index b4ed957f201a6f3f2ebf8d5564edec567b6435a6..7ed9dc1042d1930a7eb2107def30642cb367fa92 100644
--- a/net/ipv4/tcp_output.c
+++ b/net/ipv4/tcp_output.c
@@ -2208,6 +2208,9 @@ void tcp_xmit_retransmit_queue(struct sock *sk)
 	int mib_idx;
 	int fwd_rexmitting = 0;
 
+	if (!tp->packets_out)
+		return;
+
 	if (!tp->lost_out)
 		tp->retransmit_high = tp->snd_una;