diff --git a/drivers/infiniband/ulp/ipoib/ipoib_multicast.c b/drivers/infiniband/ulp/ipoib/ipoib_multicast.c
index 91b8fe118ec..cb1e495bd74 100644
--- a/drivers/infiniband/ulp/ipoib/ipoib_multicast.c
+++ b/drivers/infiniband/ulp/ipoib/ipoib_multicast.c
@@ -66,6 +66,13 @@ struct ipoib_mcast_iter {
 	unsigned int       send_only;
 };
 
+static void __ipoib_mcast_continue_join_thread(struct ipoib_dev_priv *priv,
+					       int delay)
+{
+	if (test_bit(IPOIB_MCAST_RUN, &priv->flags))
+		queue_delayed_work(priv->wq, &priv->mcast_task, delay);
+}
+
 static void ipoib_mcast_free(struct ipoib_mcast *mcast)
 {
 	struct net_device *dev = mcast->dev;
@@ -270,6 +277,7 @@ ipoib_mcast_sendonly_join_complete(int status,
 {
 	struct ipoib_mcast *mcast = multicast->context;
 	struct net_device *dev = mcast->dev;
+	struct ipoib_dev_priv *priv = netdev_priv(dev);
 
 	/*
 	 * We have to take the mutex to force mcast_sendonly_join to
@@ -309,6 +317,7 @@ out:
 	complete(&mcast->done);
 	if (status == -ENETRESET)
 		status = 0;
+	__ipoib_mcast_continue_join_thread(priv, 0);
 	mutex_unlock(&mcast_mutex);
 	return status;
 }
@@ -360,6 +369,7 @@ static int ipoib_mcast_sendonly_join(struct ipoib_mcast *mcast)
 		complete(&mcast->done);
 		ipoib_warn(priv, "ib_sa_join_multicast for sendonly join "
 			   "failed (ret = %d)\n", ret);
+		__ipoib_mcast_continue_join_thread(priv, 0);
 	} else {
 		ipoib_dbg_mcast(priv, "no multicast record for %pI6, starting "
 				"sendonly join\n", mcast->mcmember.mgid.raw);
@@ -431,8 +441,7 @@ static int ipoib_mcast_join_complete(int status,
 
 	if (!status) {
 		mcast->backoff = 1;
-		if (test_bit(IPOIB_MCAST_RUN, &priv->flags))
-			queue_delayed_work(priv->wq, &priv->mcast_task, 0);
+		__ipoib_mcast_continue_join_thread(priv, 0);
 
 		/*
 		 * Defer carrier on work to priv->wq to avoid a
@@ -454,6 +463,13 @@ static int ipoib_mcast_join_complete(int status,
 		mcast->backoff *= 2;
 		if (mcast->backoff > IPOIB_MAX_BACKOFF_SECONDS)
 			mcast->backoff = IPOIB_MAX_BACKOFF_SECONDS;
+		/*
+		 * XXX - This is wrong.  *Our* join failed, but because the
+		 * join thread does the joins in a serial fashion, if there
+		 * are any joins behind ours waiting to complete, they should
+		 * not be subjected to our backoff delay.
+		 */
+		__ipoib_mcast_continue_join_thread(priv, mcast->backoff * HZ);
 	}
 out:
 	spin_lock_irq(&priv->lock);
@@ -463,9 +479,6 @@ out:
 	complete(&mcast->done);
 	if (status == -ENETRESET)
 		status = 0;
-	if (status && test_bit(IPOIB_MCAST_RUN, &priv->flags))
-		queue_delayed_work(priv->wq, &priv->mcast_task,
-				   mcast->backoff * HZ);
 	spin_unlock_irq(&priv->lock);
 	mutex_unlock(&mcast_mutex);
 
@@ -532,10 +545,13 @@ static void ipoib_mcast_join(struct net_device *dev, struct ipoib_mcast *mcast,
 		mcast->backoff *= 2;
 		if (mcast->backoff > IPOIB_MAX_BACKOFF_SECONDS)
 			mcast->backoff = IPOIB_MAX_BACKOFF_SECONDS;
-
-		if (test_bit(IPOIB_MCAST_RUN, &priv->flags))
-			queue_delayed_work(priv->wq, &priv->mcast_task,
-					   mcast->backoff * HZ);
+		/*
+		 * XXX - This is wrong.  *Our* join failed, but because the
+		 * join thread does the joins in a serial fashion, if there
+		 * are any joins behind ours waiting to complete, they should
+		 * not be subjected to our backoff delay.
+		 */
+		__ipoib_mcast_continue_join_thread(priv, mcast->backoff * HZ);
 	}
 	mutex_unlock(&mcast_mutex);
 }
@@ -573,9 +589,7 @@ void ipoib_mcast_join_task(struct work_struct *work)
 		if (!broadcast) {
 			ipoib_warn(priv, "failed to allocate broadcast group\n");
 			mutex_lock(&mcast_mutex);
-			if (test_bit(IPOIB_MCAST_RUN, &priv->flags))
-				queue_delayed_work(priv->wq, &priv->mcast_task,
-						   HZ);
+			__ipoib_mcast_continue_join_thread(priv, HZ);
 			mutex_unlock(&mcast_mutex);
 			return;
 		}
@@ -723,8 +737,7 @@ void ipoib_mcast_send(struct net_device *dev, u8 *daddr, struct sk_buff *skb)
 		memcpy(mcast->mcmember.mgid.raw, mgid, sizeof (union ib_gid));
 		__ipoib_mcast_add(dev, mcast);
 		list_add_tail(&mcast->list, &priv->multicast_list);
-		if (test_bit(IPOIB_MCAST_RUN, &priv->flags))
-			queue_delayed_work(priv->wq, &priv->mcast_task, 0);
+		__ipoib_mcast_continue_join_thread(priv, 0);
 	}
 
 	if (!mcast->ah) {
@@ -947,10 +960,9 @@ void ipoib_mcast_restart_task(struct work_struct *work)
 		ipoib_mcast_free(mcast);
 	}
 	/*
-	 * Restart our join task if needed
+	 * Restart our join task thread if needed
 	 */
-	if (test_bit(IPOIB_MCAST_RUN, &priv->flags))
-		queue_delayed_work(priv->wq, &priv->mcast_task, 0);
+	__ipoib_mcast_continue_join_thread(priv, 0);
 	rtnl_unlock();
 }
 
