diff --git a/net/smc/af_smc.c b/net/smc/af_smc.c
index da97f946b79b..2a1388841951 100644
--- a/net/smc/af_smc.c
+++ b/net/smc/af_smc.c
@@ -598,8 +598,12 @@ static int smcr_clnt_conf_first_link(struct smc_sock *smc)
 	struct smc_llc_qentry *qentry;
 	int rc;
 
-	/* receive CONFIRM LINK request from server over RoCE fabric */
-	qentry = smc_llc_wait(link->lgr, NULL, SMC_LLC_WAIT_TIME,
+	/* Receive CONFIRM LINK request from server over RoCE fabric.
+	 * Increasing the client's timeout by twice as much as the server's
+	 * timeout by default can temporarily avoid decline messages of
+	 * both sides crossing or colliding
+	 */
+	qentry = smc_llc_wait(link->lgr, NULL, 2 * SMC_LLC_WAIT_TIME,
 			      SMC_LLC_CONFIRM_LINK);
 	if (!qentry) {
 		struct smc_clc_msg_decline dclc;