diff --git a/src/checks.c b/src/checks.c
index 2c5e2a9d4..5d1c1187b 100644
--- a/src/checks.c
+++ b/src/checks.c
@@ -1312,8 +1312,10 @@ static struct task *process_chk(struct task *t)
 		 *  - SN_ERR_RESOURCE if a system resource is lacking (eg: fd limits, ports, ...)
 		 *  - SN_ERR_INTERNAL for any other purely internal errors
 		 * Additionnally, in the case of SN_ERR_RESOURCE, an emergency log will be emitted.
+		 * Note that we try to prevent the network stack from sending the ACK during the
+		 * connect() when a pure TCP check is used.
 		 */
-		ret = s->check.proto->connect(conn, 1);
+		ret = s->check.proto->connect(conn, (s->proxy->options2 & PR_O2_CHK_ANY) ? 1 : 2);
 		__conn_data_want_recv(conn);   /* prepare for reading a possible reply */
 		conn->flags |= CO_FL_WAKE_DATA;
 		if (s->check.send_proxy)
diff --git a/src/proto_tcp.c b/src/proto_tcp.c
index c8f4768e0..2b8d148d1 100644
--- a/src/proto_tcp.c
+++ b/src/proto_tcp.c
@@ -221,9 +221,12 @@ int tcp_bind_socket(int fd, int flags, struct sockaddr_storage *local, struct so
  * bind addresses are still determined locally (due to the possible need of a
  * source port). conn->target may point either to a valid server or to a backend,
  * depending on conn->target. Only OBJ_TYPE_PROXY and OBJ_TYPE_SERVER are
- * supported. The <data> parameter is a boolean indicating whether there are data
- * waiting for being sent or not, in order to adjust data write polling and on
- * some platforms, the ability to avoid an empty initial ACK.
+ * supported. The <data> parameter indicates when non-zero that data will
+ * immediately follow the connection and will tune the ACK behaviour after
+ * the connect :
+ *   - 0 = always send it
+ *   - 1 = send it unless the backends has the tcp-smart-connect option
+ *   - 2 = never send it
  *
  * It can return one of :
  *  - SN_ERR_NONE if everything's OK
@@ -418,9 +421,9 @@ int tcp_connect_server(struct connection *conn, int data)
 #if defined(TCP_QUICKACK)
 	/* disabling tcp quick ack now allows the first request to leave the
 	 * machine with the first ACK. We only do this if there are pending
-	 * data in the buffer.
+	 * data in the buffer or if we plan to close after SYN/ACK (TCP checks).
 	 */
-	if ((be->options2 & PR_O2_SMARTCON) && data)
+	if (data == 2 || (data && (be->options2 & PR_O2_SMARTCON)))
                 setsockopt(fd, IPPROTO_TCP, TCP_QUICKACK, &zero, sizeof(zero));
 #endif