diff --git a/net/mptcp/pm_netlink.c b/net/mptcp/pm_netlink.c
index ff1e5695dc1d..b1fe2a74fcfe 100644
--- a/net/mptcp/pm_netlink.c
+++ b/net/mptcp/pm_netlink.c
@@ -1923,11 +1923,16 @@ static void mptcp_pm_nl_fullmesh(struct mptcp_sock *msk,
 }
 
 static void mptcp_nl_set_flags(struct net *net, struct mptcp_addr_info *addr,
-			       u8 bkup, u8 changed)
+			       u8 flags, u8 changed)
 {
+	u8 is_subflow = !!(flags & MPTCP_PM_ADDR_FLAG_SUBFLOW);
+	u8 bkup = !!(flags & MPTCP_PM_ADDR_FLAG_BACKUP);
 	long s_slot = 0, s_num = 0;
 	struct mptcp_sock *msk;
 
+	if (changed == MPTCP_PM_ADDR_FLAG_FULLMESH && !is_subflow)
+		return;
+
 	while ((msk = mptcp_token_iter_next(net, &s_slot, &s_num)) != NULL) {
 		struct sock *sk = (struct sock *)msk;
 
@@ -1937,7 +1942,7 @@ static void mptcp_nl_set_flags(struct net *net, struct mptcp_addr_info *addr,
 		lock_sock(sk);
 		if (changed & MPTCP_PM_ADDR_FLAG_BACKUP)
 			mptcp_pm_nl_mp_prio_send_ack(msk, addr, NULL, bkup);
-		if (changed & MPTCP_PM_ADDR_FLAG_FULLMESH)
+		if (is_subflow && (changed & MPTCP_PM_ADDR_FLAG_FULLMESH))
 			mptcp_pm_nl_fullmesh(msk, addr);
 		release_sock(sk);
 
@@ -1959,7 +1964,6 @@ int mptcp_pm_nl_set_flags(struct mptcp_pm_addr_entry *local,
 	struct mptcp_pm_addr_entry *entry;
 	struct pm_nl_pernet *pernet;
 	u8 lookup_by_id = 0;
-	u8 bkup = 0;
 
 	pernet = pm_nl_get_pernet(net);
 
@@ -1972,9 +1976,6 @@ int mptcp_pm_nl_set_flags(struct mptcp_pm_addr_entry *local,
 		}
 	}
 
-	if (local->flags & MPTCP_PM_ADDR_FLAG_BACKUP)
-		bkup = 1;
-
 	spin_lock_bh(&pernet->lock);
 	entry = lookup_by_id ? __lookup_addr_by_id(pernet, local->addr.id) :
 			       __lookup_addr(pernet, &local->addr);
@@ -1996,7 +1997,7 @@ int mptcp_pm_nl_set_flags(struct mptcp_pm_addr_entry *local,
 	*local = *entry;
 	spin_unlock_bh(&pernet->lock);
 
-	mptcp_nl_set_flags(net, &local->addr, bkup, changed);
+	mptcp_nl_set_flags(net, &local->addr, entry->flags, changed);
 	return 0;
 }