diff --git a/sys/netinet/tcp_hpts.c b/sys/netinet/tcp_hpts.c
--- a/sys/netinet/tcp_hpts.c
+++ b/sys/netinet/tcp_hpts.c
@@ -542,15 +542,23 @@
 }
 
 /*
- * Initialize newborn tcpcb to get ready for use with HPTS.
+ * Initialize tcpcb to get ready for use with HPTS.  We will know which CPU
+ * is preferred on the first incoming packet.  Before that avoid crowding
+ * a single CPU with newborn connections and use a random one.
+ * This initialization is normally called on a newborn tcpcb, but potentially
+ * can be called once again if stack is switched.  In that case we inherit CPU
+ * that the previous stack has set, be it random or not.  In extreme cases,
+ * e.g. syzkaller fuzzing, a tcpcb can already be in HPTS in IHPTS_MOVING state
+ * and has never received a first packet.
  */
 void
 tcp_hpts_init(struct tcpcb *tp)
 {
 
-	tp->t_hpts_cpu = hpts_random_cpu();
-	tp->t_lro_cpu = HPTS_CPU_NONE;
-	MPASS(!(tp->t_flags2 & TF2_HPTS_CPU_SET));
+	if (__predict_true(tp->t_hpts_cpu == HPTS_CPU_NONE)) {
+		tp->t_hpts_cpu = hpts_random_cpu();
+		MPASS(!(tp->t_flags2 & TF2_HPTS_CPU_SET));
+	}
 }
 
 /*
diff --git a/sys/netinet/tcp_subr.c b/sys/netinet/tcp_subr.c
--- a/sys/netinet/tcp_subr.c
+++ b/sys/netinet/tcp_subr.c
@@ -2274,6 +2274,9 @@
 	/* All mbuf queue/ack compress flags should be off */
 	tcp_lro_features_off(tp);
 
+	tp->t_hpts_cpu = HPTS_CPU_NONE;
+	tp->t_lro_cpu = HPTS_CPU_NONE;
+
 	callout_init_rw(&tp->t_callout, &inp->inp_lock, CALLOUT_RETURNUNLOCKED);
 	for (int i = 0; i < TT_N; i++)
 		tp->t_timers[i] = SBT_MAX;