diff --git a/net/ipv4/tcp_output.c b/net/ipv4/tcp_output.c
index 1188e4fcf23b..f9a8a12b62ee 100644
--- a/net/ipv4/tcp_output.c
+++ b/net/ipv4/tcp_output.c
@@ -164,6 +164,9 @@ static void tcp_event_data_sent(struct tcp_sock *tp,
 	struct inet_connection_sock *icsk = inet_csk(sk);
 	const u32 now = tcp_time_stamp;
 
+	if (tcp_packets_in_flight(tp) == 0)
+		tcp_ca_event(sk, CA_EVENT_TX_START);
+
 	tp->lsndtime = now;
 
 	/* If it is a reply for ato after last received
@@ -940,9 +943,6 @@ static int tcp_transmit_skb(struct sock *sk, struct sk_buff *skb, int clone_it,
 							   &md5);
 	tcp_header_size = tcp_options_size + sizeof(struct tcphdr);
 
-	if (tcp_packets_in_flight(tp) == 0)
-		tcp_ca_event(sk, CA_EVENT_TX_START);
-
 	/* if no packet is in qdisc/device queue, then allow XPS to select
 	 * another queue. We can be called from tcp_tsq_handler()
 	 * which holds one reference to sk_wmem_alloc.