diff --git a/tools/testing/selftests/bpf/prog_tests/test_tc_edt.c b/tools/testing/selftests/bpf/prog_tests/test_tc_edt.c
index 462512fb191f..1391978a3e30 100644
--- a/tools/testing/selftests/bpf/prog_tests/test_tc_edt.c
+++ b/tools/testing/selftests/bpf/prog_tests/test_tc_edt.c
@@ -90,7 +90,7 @@ static void cleanup(void)
 	remove_netns(SERVER_NS);
 }
 
-static void run_test(void)
+static void run_test(struct test_tc_edt *skel)
 {
 	int server_fd, client_fd, err;
 	double rate_mbps, rate_error;
@@ -113,12 +113,19 @@ static void run_test(void)
 	if (!ASSERT_OK_FD(client_fd, "connect client"))
 		return;
 
-	ts_start = get_time_ns();
 	err = send_recv_data(server_fd, client_fd, TX_BYTES_COUNT);
 	ts_end = get_time_ns();
 	close_netns(nstoken);
 	ASSERT_OK(err, "send_recv_data");
 
+	/*
+	 * Start from the first packet with data rather than before
+	 * send_recv_data(), which also sets up the sender.
+	 */
+	ts_start = skel->bss->tx_start_ns;
+	if (!ASSERT_GT(ts_start, 0, "tx_start_ns"))
+		return;
+
 	rate_mbps = TX_BYTES_COUNT / ((ts_end - ts_start) / 1000.0);
 	rate_error =
 		fabs((rate_mbps - TARGET_RATE_MBPS) * 100.0 / TARGET_RATE_MBPS);
@@ -138,7 +145,7 @@ void test_tc_edt(void)
 	if (!ASSERT_OK(setup(skel), "global setup"))
 		return;
 
-	run_test();
+	run_test(skel);
 
 	cleanup();
 	test_tc_edt__destroy(skel);
diff --git a/tools/testing/selftests/bpf/progs/test_tc_edt.c b/tools/testing/selftests/bpf/progs/test_tc_edt.c
index 4f6f03122d61..69f4b16acbef 100644
--- a/tools/testing/selftests/bpf/progs/test_tc_edt.c
+++ b/tools/testing/selftests/bpf/progs/test_tc_edt.c
@@ -24,6 +24,7 @@ struct {
 } flow_map SEC(".maps");
 
 __uint64_t target_rate;
+__uint64_t tx_start_ns;
 
 static inline int throttle_flow(struct __sk_buff *skb)
 {
@@ -62,7 +63,8 @@ static inline int throttle_flow(struct __sk_buff *skb)
 	return TC_ACT_OK;
 }
 
-static inline int handle_tcp(struct __sk_buff *skb, struct tcphdr *tcp)
+static inline int handle_tcp(struct __sk_buff *skb, struct tcphdr *tcp,
+			     uint32_t hdr_len)
 {
 	void *data_end = (void *)(long)skb->data_end;
 
@@ -70,8 +72,12 @@ static inline int handle_tcp(struct __sk_buff *skb, struct tcphdr *tcp)
 	if ((void *)(tcp + 1) > data_end)
 		return TC_ACT_SHOT;
 
-	if (tcp->source == bpf_htons(9000))
+	if (tcp->source == bpf_htons(9000)) {
+		/* Note when the first packet with data goes out */
+		if (!tx_start_ns && skb->len > hdr_len + tcp->doff * 4)
+			tx_start_ns = bpf_ktime_get_ns();
 		return throttle_flow(skb);
+	}
 
 	return TC_ACT_OK;
 }
@@ -94,7 +100,8 @@ static inline int handle_ipv4(struct __sk_buff *skb)
 		return TC_ACT_SHOT;
 
 	if (iph->protocol == IPPROTO_TCP)
-		return handle_tcp(skb, (struct tcphdr *)(((void *)iph) + ihl));
+		return handle_tcp(skb, (struct tcphdr *)(((void *)iph) + ihl),
+				  sizeof(struct ethhdr) + ihl);
 
 	return TC_ACT_OK;
 }