diff --git a/internal/ackhandler/sent_packet_handler.go b/internal/ackhandler/sent_packet_handler.go
index 242cc182a..ebca6ff13 100644
--- a/internal/ackhandler/sent_packet_handler.go
+++ b/internal/ackhandler/sent_packet_handler.go
@@ -666,7 +666,7 @@ func (h *sentPacketHandler) ResetForRetry() error {
 func (h *sentPacketHandler) GetStats() *quictrace.TransportState {
 	return &quictrace.TransportState{
 		MinRTT:           h.rttStats.MinRTT(),
-		SmoothedRTT:      h.rttStats.SmoothedOrInitialRTT(),
+		SmoothedRTT:      h.rttStats.SmoothedRTT(),
 		LatestRTT:        h.rttStats.LatestRTT(),
 		BytesInFlight:    h.bytesInFlight,
 		CongestionWindow: h.congestion.GetCongestionWindow(),
diff --git a/internal/congestion/rtt_stats.go b/internal/congestion/rtt_stats.go
index a44d79913..0b17fc10f 100644
--- a/internal/congestion/rtt_stats.go
+++ b/internal/congestion/rtt_stats.go
@@ -43,22 +43,16 @@ func (r *RTTStats) LatestRTT() time.Duration { return r.latestRTT }
 // May return Zero if no valid updates have occurred.
 func (r *RTTStats) SmoothedRTT() time.Duration { return r.smoothedRTT }
 
-// SmoothedOrInitialRTT returns the EWMA smoothed RTT for the connection.
-// If no valid updates have occurred, it returns the initial RTT.
-func (r *RTTStats) SmoothedOrInitialRTT() time.Duration {
-	if r.smoothedRTT != 0 {
-		return r.smoothedRTT
-	}
-	return defaultInitialRTT
-}
-
 // MeanDeviation gets the mean deviation
 func (r *RTTStats) MeanDeviation() time.Duration { return r.meanDeviation }
 
 func (r *RTTStats) MaxAckDelay() time.Duration { return r.maxAckDelay }
 
 func (r *RTTStats) PTO() time.Duration {
-	return r.SmoothedOrInitialRTT() + utils.MaxDuration(4*r.MeanDeviation(), protocol.TimerGranularity) + r.MaxAckDelay()
+	if r.SmoothedRTT() == 0 {
+		return 2 * defaultInitialRTT
+	}
+	return r.SmoothedRTT() + utils.MaxDuration(4*r.MeanDeviation(), protocol.TimerGranularity) + r.MaxAckDelay()
 }
 
 // UpdateRTT updates the RTT based on a new sample.
diff --git a/internal/congestion/rtt_stats_test.go b/internal/congestion/rtt_stats_test.go
index d7ddc8bd5..c899dde0e 100644
--- a/internal/congestion/rtt_stats_test.go
+++ b/internal/congestion/rtt_stats_test.go
@@ -38,12 +38,6 @@ var _ = Describe("RTT stats", func() {
 		Expect(rttStats.SmoothedRTT()).To(Equal((287500 * time.Microsecond)))
 	})
 
-	It("SmoothedOrInitialRTT", func() {
-		Expect(rttStats.SmoothedOrInitialRTT()).To(Equal(defaultInitialRTT))
-		rttStats.UpdateRTT((300 * time.Millisecond), (100 * time.Millisecond), time.Time{})
-		Expect(rttStats.SmoothedOrInitialRTT()).To(Equal((300 * time.Millisecond)))
-	})
-
 	It("MinRTT", func() {
 		rttStats.UpdateRTT((200 * time.Millisecond), 0, time.Time{})
 		Expect(rttStats.MinRTT()).To(Equal((200 * time.Millisecond)))