diff --git a/net/ipv4/tcp_bbr.c b/net/ipv4/tcp_bbr.c
index 58e2f479ffb4..4bfff3c87e8e 100644
--- a/net/ipv4/tcp_bbr.c
+++ b/net/ipv4/tcp_bbr.c
@@ -354,6 +354,10 @@ static u32 bbr_target_cwnd(struct sock *sk, u32 bw, int gain)
 	/* Reduce delayed ACKs by rounding up cwnd to the next even number. */
 	cwnd = (cwnd + 1) & ~1U;
 
+	/* Ensure gain cycling gets inflight above BDP even for small BDPs. */
+	if (bbr->mode == BBR_PROBE_BW && gain > BBR_UNIT)
+		cwnd += 2;
+
 	return cwnd;
 }