diff --git a/fs/smb/client/transport.c b/fs/smb/client/transport.c
index 915cedde5d66..2d7140767dc4 100644
--- a/fs/smb/client/transport.c
+++ b/fs/smb/client/transport.c
@@ -806,16 +806,21 @@ cifs_cancelled_callback(struct mid_q_entry *mid)
 }
 
 /*
- * Return a channel (master if none) of @ses that can be used to send
- * regular requests.
+ * cifs_pick_channel - pick an eligible channel for network operations
  *
- * If we are currently binding a new channel (negprot/sess.setup),
- * return the new incomplete channel.
+ * @ses: session reference
+ *
+ * Select an eligible channel (not terminating and not marked as needing
+ * reconnect), preferring the least loaded one. If no eligible channel is
+ * found, fall back to the primary channel (index 0).
+ *
+ * Return: TCP_Server_Info pointer for the chosen channel, or NULL if @ses is
+ * NULL.
  */
 struct TCP_Server_Info *cifs_pick_channel(struct cifs_ses *ses)
 {
 	uint index = 0;
-	unsigned int min_in_flight = UINT_MAX, max_in_flight = 0;
+	unsigned int min_in_flight = UINT_MAX;
 	struct TCP_Server_Info *server = NULL;
 	int i, start, cur;
 
@@ -845,14 +850,8 @@ struct TCP_Server_Info *cifs_pick_channel(struct cifs_ses *ses)
 			min_in_flight = server->in_flight;
 			index = cur;
 		}
-		if (server->in_flight > max_in_flight)
-			max_in_flight = server->in_flight;
 	}
 
-	/* if all channels are equally loaded, fall back to round-robin */
-	if (min_in_flight == max_in_flight)
-		index = (uint)start % ses->chan_count;
-
 	server = ses->chans[index].server;
 	spin_unlock(&ses->chan_lock);