diff --git a/net/sunrpc/xprtrdma/verbs.c b/net/sunrpc/xprtrdma/verbs.c
index 6ea29420f0ac..af45cf390126 100644
--- a/net/sunrpc/xprtrdma/verbs.c
+++ b/net/sunrpc/xprtrdma/verbs.c
@@ -733,7 +733,9 @@ rpcrdma_ep_create(struct rpcrdma_ep *ep, struct rpcrdma_ia *ia,
 
 	/* set trigger for requesting send completion */
 	ep->rep_cqinit = ep->rep_attr.cap.max_send_wr/2 - 1;
-	if (ep->rep_cqinit <= 2)
+	if (ep->rep_cqinit > RPCRDMA_MAX_UNSIGNALED_SENDS)
+		ep->rep_cqinit = RPCRDMA_MAX_UNSIGNALED_SENDS;
+	else if (ep->rep_cqinit <= 2)
 		ep->rep_cqinit = 0;
 	INIT_CQCOUNT(ep);
 	ep->rep_ia = ia;
diff --git a/net/sunrpc/xprtrdma/xprt_rdma.h b/net/sunrpc/xprtrdma/xprt_rdma.h
index ac7fc9a31342..b799041b75bf 100644
--- a/net/sunrpc/xprtrdma/xprt_rdma.h
+++ b/net/sunrpc/xprtrdma/xprt_rdma.h
@@ -97,6 +97,12 @@ struct rpcrdma_ep {
 	struct ib_wc		rep_recv_wcs[RPCRDMA_POLLSIZE];
 };
 
+/*
+ * Force a signaled SEND Work Request every so often,
+ * in case the provider needs to do some housekeeping.
+ */
+#define RPCRDMA_MAX_UNSIGNALED_SENDS	(32)
+
 #define INIT_CQCOUNT(ep) atomic_set(&(ep)->rep_cqcount, (ep)->rep_cqinit)
 #define DECR_CQCOUNT(ep) atomic_sub_return(1, &(ep)->rep_cqcount)