diff --git a/pkg/tcpip/stack/neighbor_entry.go b/pkg/tcpip/stack/neighbor_entry.go
index 0a59eecdd..b8ceeebf2 100644
--- a/pkg/tcpip/stack/neighbor_entry.go
+++ b/pkg/tcpip/stack/neighbor_entry.go
@@ -592,13 +592,13 @@ func (e *neighborEntry) handleConfirmationLocked(linkAddr tcpip.LinkAddress, fla
 // Precondition: e.mu MUST be locked.
 func (e *neighborEntry) handleUpperLevelConfirmationLocked() {
 	switch e.mu.neigh.State {
-	case Reachable, Stale, Delay, Probe:
-		wasReachable := e.mu.neigh.State == Reachable
-		// Set state to Reachable again to refresh timers.
+	case Stale, Delay, Probe:
 		e.setStateLocked(Reachable)
-		if !wasReachable {
-			e.dispatchChangeEventLocked()
-		}
+		e.dispatchChangeEventLocked()
+
+	case Reachable:
+		// Avoid setStateLocked; Timer.Reset is cheaper.
+		e.mu.timer.timer.Reset(e.nudState.ReachableTime())
 
 	case Unknown, Incomplete, Unreachable, Static:
 		// Do nothing