diff --git a/net/mptcp/protocol.c b/net/mptcp/protocol.c
index 76539d1004ebb5..db5369b6442d00 100644
--- a/net/mptcp/protocol.c
+++ b/net/mptcp/protocol.c
@@ -2422,7 +2422,7 @@ static void __mptcp_close_ssk(struct sock *sk, struct sock *ssk,
 		goto out_release;
 	}
 
-	dispose_it = !msk->subflow || ssk != msk->subflow->sk;
+	dispose_it = msk->free_first || ssk != msk->first;
 	if (dispose_it)
 		list_del(&subflow->node);
 
@@ -2440,7 +2440,6 @@ static void __mptcp_close_ssk(struct sock *sk, struct sock *ssk,
 	need_push = (flags & MPTCP_CF_PUSH) && __mptcp_retransmit_pending_data(sk);
 	if (!dispose_it) {
 		__mptcp_subflow_disconnect(ssk, subflow, flags);
-		msk->subflow->state = SS_UNCONNECTED;
 		release_sock(ssk);
 
 		goto out;
@@ -3341,10 +3340,10 @@ static void mptcp_destroy(struct sock *sk)
 {
 	struct mptcp_sock *msk = mptcp_sk(sk);
 
-	/* clears msk->subflow, allowing the following to close
-	 * even the initial subflow
-	 */
 	mptcp_dispose_initial_subflow(msk);
+
+	/* allow the following to close even the initial subflow */
+	msk->free_first = 1;
 	mptcp_destroy_common(msk, 0);
 	sk_sockets_allocated_dec(sk);
 }
diff --git a/net/mptcp/protocol.h b/net/mptcp/protocol.h
index 4ec8e0a81b5a43..e5d553dfc13fd3 100644
--- a/net/mptcp/protocol.h
+++ b/net/mptcp/protocol.h
@@ -287,7 +287,8 @@ struct mptcp_sock {
 			cork:1,
 			nodelay:1,
 			fastopening:1,
-			in_accept_queue:1;
+			in_accept_queue:1,
+			free_first:1;
 	struct work_struct work;
 	struct sk_buff  *ooo_last_skb;
 	struct rb_root  out_of_order_queue;