diff --git a/fs/smb/server/transport_rdma.c b/fs/smb/server/transport_rdma.c
index 278dca912485..c3d4ce423db3 100644
--- a/fs/smb/server/transport_rdma.c
+++ b/fs/smb/server/transport_rdma.c
@@ -618,23 +618,6 @@ static int smb_direct_read(struct ksmbd_transport *t, char *buf,
 	return ret;
 }
 
-static int manage_keep_alive_before_sending(struct smbdirect_socket *sc)
-{
-	struct smbdirect_socket_parameters *sp = &sc->parameters;
-
-	if (sc->idle.keepalive == SMBDIRECT_KEEPALIVE_PENDING) {
-		sc->idle.keepalive = SMBDIRECT_KEEPALIVE_SENT;
-		/*
-		 * Now use the keepalive timeout (instead of keepalive interval)
-		 * in order to wait for a response
-		 */
-		mod_delayed_work(sc->workqueue, &sc->idle.timer_work,
-				 msecs_to_jiffies(sp->keepalive_timeout_msec));
-		return 1;
-	}
-	return 0;
-}
-
 static int smb_direct_post_send(struct smbdirect_socket *sc,
 				struct ib_send_wr *wr)
 {
@@ -802,7 +785,7 @@ static int smb_direct_create_header(struct smbdirect_socket *sc,
 	packet->credits_granted = cpu_to_le16(new_credits);
 
 	packet->flags = 0;
-	if (manage_keep_alive_before_sending(sc))
+	if (smbdirect_connection_request_keep_alive(sc))
 		packet->flags |= cpu_to_le16(SMBDIRECT_FLAG_RESPONSE_REQUESTED);
 
 	packet->reserved = 0;