diff --git a/net/mptcp/options.c b/net/mptcp/options.c
index 5caaab9ffef26..5e337f5303cc6 100644
--- a/net/mptcp/options.c
+++ b/net/mptcp/options.c
@@ -931,7 +931,7 @@ static bool check_fully_established(struct mptcp_sock *msk, struct sock *ssk,
 		if (TCP_SKB_CB(skb)->seq == subflow->ssn_offset + 1 &&
 		    TCP_SKB_CB(skb)->end_seq == TCP_SKB_CB(skb)->seq &&
 		    subflow->mp_join && (mp_opt->suboptions & OPTIONS_MPTCP_MPJ) &&
-		    READ_ONCE(msk->pm.server_side))
+		    !subflow->request_join)
 			tcp_send_ack(ssk);
 		goto fully_established;
 	}
diff --git a/net/mptcp/protocol.c b/net/mptcp/protocol.c
index 225292322fafe..61c2968e0ab88 100644
--- a/net/mptcp/protocol.c
+++ b/net/mptcp/protocol.c
@@ -3329,15 +3329,12 @@ bool mptcp_finish_join(struct sock *ssk)
 		return false;
 	}
 
-	if (!msk->pm.server_side)
+	if (!list_empty(&subflow->node))
 		goto out;
 
 	if (!mptcp_pm_allow_new_subflow(msk))
 		goto err_prohibited;
 
-	if (WARN_ON_ONCE(!list_empty(&subflow->node)))
-		goto err_prohibited;
-
 	/* active connections are already on conn_list.
 	 * If we can't acquire msk socket lock here, let the release callback
 	 * handle it
diff --git a/net/mptcp/protocol.h b/net/mptcp/protocol.h
index 21c20d0cd84e5..040d8c1a2df96 100644
--- a/net/mptcp/protocol.h
+++ b/net/mptcp/protocol.h
@@ -911,13 +911,17 @@ static inline bool mptcp_check_infinite_map(struct sk_buff *skb)
 	return false;
 }
 
+static inline bool is_active_ssk(struct mptcp_subflow_context *subflow)
+{
+	return (subflow->request_mptcp || subflow->request_join);
+}
+
 static inline bool subflow_simultaneous_connect(struct sock *sk)
 {
 	struct mptcp_subflow_context *subflow = mptcp_subflow_ctx(sk);
-	struct sock *parent = subflow->conn;
 
 	return sk->sk_state == TCP_ESTABLISHED &&
-	       !mptcp_sk(parent)->pm.server_side &&
+	       is_active_ssk(subflow) &&
 	       !subflow->conn_finished;
 }