diff --git a/tools/testing/selftests/net/mptcp/mptcp_connect.sh b/tools/testing/selftests/net/mptcp/mptcp_connect.sh
index c0589e071f20..57d75b7f6220 100755
--- a/tools/testing/selftests/net/mptcp/mptcp_connect.sh
+++ b/tools/testing/selftests/net/mptcp/mptcp_connect.sh
@@ -196,6 +196,9 @@ ip -net "$ns4" link set ns4eth3 up
 ip -net "$ns4" route add default via 10.0.3.2
 ip -net "$ns4" route add default via dead:beef:3::2
 
+# use TCP syn cookies, even if no flooding was detected.
+ip netns exec "$ns2" sysctl -q net.ipv4.tcp_syncookies=2
+
 set_ethtool_flags() {
 	local ns="$1"
 	local dev="$2"
@@ -407,6 +410,11 @@ do_transfer()
 		sleep 1
 	fi
 
+	local stat_synrx_last_l=$(ip netns exec ${listener_ns} nstat -z -a MPTcpExtMPCapableSYNRX | while read a count c rest ;do  echo $count;done)
+	local stat_ackrx_last_l=$(ip netns exec ${listener_ns} nstat -z -a MPTcpExtMPCapableACKRX | while read a count c rest ;do  echo $count;done)
+	local stat_cookietx_last=$(ip netns exec ${listener_ns} nstat -z -a TcpExtSyncookiesSent | while read a count c rest ;do  echo $count;done)
+	local stat_cookierx_last=$(ip netns exec ${listener_ns} nstat -z -a TcpExtSyncookiesRecv | while read a count c rest ;do  echo $count;done)
+
 	ip netns exec ${listener_ns} ./mptcp_connect -t $timeout -l -p $port -s ${srv_proto} $extra_args $local_addr < "$sin" > "$sout" &
 	local spid=$!
 
@@ -450,6 +458,45 @@ do_transfer()
 	check_transfer $cin $sout "file received by server"
 	rets=$?
 
+	local stat_synrx_now_l=$(ip netns exec ${listener_ns} nstat -z -a MPTcpExtMPCapableSYNRX  | while read a count c rest ;do  echo $count;done)
+	local stat_ackrx_now_l=$(ip netns exec ${listener_ns} nstat -z -a MPTcpExtMPCapableACKRX  | while read a count c rest ;do  echo $count;done)
+
+	local stat_cookietx_now=$(ip netns exec ${listener_ns} nstat -z -a TcpExtSyncookiesSent | while read a count c rest ;do  echo $count;done)
+	local stat_cookierx_now=$(ip netns exec ${listener_ns} nstat -z -a TcpExtSyncookiesRecv | while read a count c rest ;do  echo $count;done)
+
+	expect_synrx=$((stat_synrx_last_l))
+	expect_ackrx=$((stat_ackrx_last_l))
+
+	cookies=$(ip netns exec ${listener_ns} sysctl net.ipv4.tcp_syncookies)
+	cookies=${cookies##*=}
+
+	if [ ${cl_proto} = "MPTCP" ] && [ ${srv_proto} = "MPTCP" ]; then
+		expect_synrx=$((stat_synrx_last_l+1))
+		expect_ackrx=$((stat_ackrx_last_l+1))
+	fi
+	if [ $cookies -eq 2 ];then
+		if [ $stat_cookietx_last -ge $stat_cookietx_now ] ;then
+			echo "${listener_ns} CookieSent: ${cl_proto} -> ${srv_proto}: did not advance"
+		fi
+		if [ $stat_cookierx_last -ge $stat_cookierx_now ] ;then
+			echo "${listener_ns} CookieRecv: ${cl_proto} -> ${srv_proto}: did not advance"
+		fi
+	else
+		if [ $stat_cookietx_last -ne $stat_cookietx_now ] ;then
+			echo "${listener_ns} CookieSent: ${cl_proto} -> ${srv_proto}: changed"
+		fi
+		if [ $stat_cookierx_last -ne $stat_cookierx_now ] ;then
+			echo "${listener_ns} CookieRecv: ${cl_proto} -> ${srv_proto}: changed"
+		fi
+	fi
+
+	if [ $expect_synrx -ne $stat_synrx_now_l ] ;then
+		echo "${listener_ns} SYNRX: ${cl_proto} -> ${srv_proto}: expect ${expect_synrx}, got ${stat_synrx_now_l}"
+	fi
+	if [ $expect_ackrx -ne $stat_ackrx_now_l ] ;then
+		echo "${listener_ns} ACKRX: ${cl_proto} -> ${srv_proto}: expect ${expect_synrx}, got ${stat_synrx_now_l}"
+	fi
+
 	if [ $retc -eq 0 ] && [ $rets -eq 0 ];then
 		echo "$duration [ OK ]"
 		cat "$capout"