diff --git a/net/tipc/link.c b/net/tipc/link.c
index 66d3a07bc571..e215b4ba6a4b 100644
--- a/net/tipc/link.c
+++ b/net/tipc/link.c
@@ -1665,6 +1665,7 @@ void tipc_link_tnl_prepare(struct tipc_link *l, struct tipc_link *tnl,
 	struct sk_buff_head *queue = &l->transmq;
 	struct sk_buff_head tmpxq, tnlq;
 	u16 pktlen, pktcnt, seqno = l->snd_nxt;
+	u16 syncpt;
 
 	if (!tnl)
 		return;
@@ -1684,6 +1685,31 @@ void tipc_link_tnl_prepare(struct tipc_link *l, struct tipc_link *tnl,
 	tipc_link_xmit(l, &tnlq, &tmpxq);
 	__skb_queue_purge(&tmpxq);
 
+	/* Link Synching:
+	 * From now on, send only one single ("dummy") SYNCH message
+	 * to peer. The SYNCH message does not contain any data, just
+	 * a header conveying the synch point to the peer.
+	 */
+	if (mtyp == SYNCH_MSG && (tnl->peer_caps & TIPC_TUNNEL_ENHANCED)) {
+		tnlskb = tipc_msg_create(TUNNEL_PROTOCOL, SYNCH_MSG,
+					 INT_H_SIZE, 0, l->addr,
+					 tipc_own_addr(l->net),
+					 0, 0, 0);
+		if (!tnlskb) {
+			pr_warn("%sunable to create dummy SYNCH_MSG\n",
+				link_co_err);
+			return;
+		}
+
+		hdr = buf_msg(tnlskb);
+		syncpt = l->snd_nxt + skb_queue_len(&l->backlogq) - 1;
+		msg_set_syncpt(hdr, syncpt);
+		msg_set_bearer_id(hdr, l->peer_bearer_id);
+		__skb_queue_tail(&tnlq, tnlskb);
+		tipc_link_xmit(tnl, &tnlq, xmitq);
+		return;
+	}
+
 	/* Initialize reusable tunnel packet header */
 	tipc_msg_init(tipc_own_addr(l->net), &tnlhdr, TUNNEL_PROTOCOL,
 		      mtyp, INT_H_SIZE, l->addr);
diff --git a/net/tipc/msg.h b/net/tipc/msg.h
index da509f0eb9ca..fca042cdff88 100644
--- a/net/tipc/msg.h
+++ b/net/tipc/msg.h
@@ -877,6 +877,16 @@ static inline void msg_set_msgcnt(struct tipc_msg *m, u16 n)
 	msg_set_bits(m, 9, 16, 0xffff, n);
 }
 
+static inline u16 msg_syncpt(struct tipc_msg *m)
+{
+	return msg_bits(m, 9, 16, 0xffff);
+}
+
+static inline void msg_set_syncpt(struct tipc_msg *m, u16 n)
+{
+	msg_set_bits(m, 9, 16, 0xffff, n);
+}
+
 static inline u32 msg_conn_ack(struct tipc_msg *m)
 {
 	return msg_bits(m, 9, 16, 0xffff);
diff --git a/net/tipc/node.c b/net/tipc/node.c
index 3a5be1d7e572..7ca019001f7c 100644
--- a/net/tipc/node.c
+++ b/net/tipc/node.c
@@ -1649,7 +1649,6 @@ static bool tipc_node_check_state(struct tipc_node *n, struct sk_buff *skb,
 	int usr = msg_user(hdr);
 	int mtyp = msg_type(hdr);
 	u16 oseqno = msg_seqno(hdr);
-	u16 iseqno = msg_seqno(msg_inner_hdr(hdr));
 	u16 exp_pkts = msg_msgcnt(hdr);
 	u16 rcv_nxt, syncpt, dlv_nxt, inputq_len;
 	int state = n->state;
@@ -1748,7 +1747,10 @@ static bool tipc_node_check_state(struct tipc_node *n, struct sk_buff *skb,
 
 	/* Initiate synch mode if applicable */
 	if ((usr == TUNNEL_PROTOCOL) && (mtyp == SYNCH_MSG) && (oseqno == 1)) {
-		syncpt = iseqno + exp_pkts - 1;
+		if (n->capabilities & TIPC_TUNNEL_ENHANCED)
+			syncpt = msg_syncpt(hdr);
+		else
+			syncpt = msg_seqno(msg_inner_hdr(hdr)) + exp_pkts - 1;
 		if (!tipc_link_is_up(l))
 			__tipc_node_link_up(n, bearer_id, xmitq);
 		if (n->state == SELF_UP_PEER_UP) {
diff --git a/net/tipc/node.h b/net/tipc/node.h
index c0bf49ea3de4..291d0ecd4101 100644
--- a/net/tipc/node.h
+++ b/net/tipc/node.h
@@ -53,7 +53,8 @@ enum {
 	TIPC_NODE_ID128       = (1 << 5),
 	TIPC_LINK_PROTO_SEQNO = (1 << 6),
 	TIPC_MCAST_RBCTL      = (1 << 7),
-	TIPC_GAP_ACK_BLOCK    = (1 << 8)
+	TIPC_GAP_ACK_BLOCK    = (1 << 8),
+	TIPC_TUNNEL_ENHANCED  = (1 << 9)
 };
 
 #define TIPC_NODE_CAPABILITIES (TIPC_SYN_BIT           |  \
@@ -64,7 +65,8 @@ enum {
 				TIPC_NODE_ID128        |   \
 				TIPC_LINK_PROTO_SEQNO  |   \
 				TIPC_MCAST_RBCTL       |   \
-				TIPC_GAP_ACK_BLOCK)
+				TIPC_GAP_ACK_BLOCK     |   \
+				TIPC_TUNNEL_ENHANCED)
 #define INVALID_BEARER_ID -1
 
 void tipc_node_stop(struct net *net);