diff --git a/Documentation/netlink/specs/mptcp_pm.yaml b/Documentation/netlink/specs/mptcp_pm.yaml
index d1b4829b580a..fc47a2931014 100644
--- a/Documentation/netlink/specs/mptcp_pm.yaml
+++ b/Documentation/netlink/specs/mptcp_pm.yaml
@@ -28,13 +28,13 @@ definitions:
           traffic-patterns it can take a long time until the
           MPTCP_EVENT_ESTABLISHED is sent.
           Attributes: token, family, saddr4 | saddr6, daddr4 | daddr6, sport,
-          dport, server-side, [flags].
+          dport, [server-side], [flags].
       -
         name: established
         doc: >-
           A MPTCP connection is established (can start new subflows).
           Attributes: token, family, saddr4 | saddr6, daddr4 | daddr6, sport,
-          dport, server-side, [flags].
+          dport, [server-side], [flags].
       -
         name: closed
         doc: >-
diff --git a/include/uapi/linux/mptcp_pm.h b/include/uapi/linux/mptcp_pm.h
index 7359d34da446..bf44a5cf5b5a 100644
--- a/include/uapi/linux/mptcp_pm.h
+++ b/include/uapi/linux/mptcp_pm.h
@@ -16,10 +16,10 @@
  *   good time to allocate memory and send ADD_ADDR if needed. Depending on the
  *   traffic-patterns it can take a long time until the MPTCP_EVENT_ESTABLISHED
  *   is sent. Attributes: token, family, saddr4 | saddr6, daddr4 | daddr6,
- *   sport, dport, server-side, [flags].
+ *   sport, dport, [server-side], [flags].
  * @MPTCP_EVENT_ESTABLISHED: A MPTCP connection is established (can start new
  *   subflows). Attributes: token, family, saddr4 | saddr6, daddr4 | daddr6,
- *   sport, dport, server-side, [flags].
+ *   sport, dport, [server-side], [flags].
  * @MPTCP_EVENT_CLOSED: A MPTCP connection has stopped. Attribute: token.
  * @MPTCP_EVENT_ANNOUNCED: A new address has been announced by the peer.
  *   Attributes: token, rem_id, family, daddr4 | daddr6 [, dport].
diff --git a/net/mptcp/pm_netlink.c b/net/mptcp/pm_netlink.c
index 483ddbb9ec40..33a6bf536c02 100644
--- a/net/mptcp/pm_netlink.c
+++ b/net/mptcp/pm_netlink.c
@@ -413,7 +413,9 @@ static int mptcp_event_created(struct sk_buff *skb,
 	if (err)
 		return err;
 
-	if (nla_put_u8(skb, MPTCP_ATTR_SERVER_SIDE, READ_ONCE(msk->pm.server_side)))
+	/* only set when it is the server side */
+	if (READ_ONCE(msk->pm.server_side) &&
+	    nla_put_u8(skb, MPTCP_ATTR_SERVER_SIDE, 1))
 		return -EMSGSIZE;
 
 	if (READ_ONCE(msk->pm.remote_deny_join_id0))
diff --git a/tools/testing/selftests/net/mptcp/userspace_pm.sh b/tools/testing/selftests/net/mptcp/userspace_pm.sh
index 3d45991f24ed..87323942cb8a 100755
--- a/tools/testing/selftests/net/mptcp/userspace_pm.sh
+++ b/tools/testing/selftests/net/mptcp/userspace_pm.sh
@@ -241,7 +241,7 @@ make_connection()
 
 	print_test "Established IP${is_v6} MPTCP Connection ns2 => ns1"
 	if [ "${client_token}" != "" ] && [ "${server_token}" != "" ] &&
-	   [ "${client_serverside}" = 0 ] && [ "${server_serverside}" = 1 ] &&
+	   [ "${client_serverside:-0}" = 0 ] && [ "${server_serverside:-0}" = 1 ] &&
 	   [ "${client_nojoin:-0}" = 0 ] && [ "${server_nojoin:-0}" = 1 ]
 	then
 		test_pass