diff --git a/ack_timer.go b/ack_timer.go
index 3d9b43e0..7de156bb 100644
--- a/ack_timer.go
+++ b/ack_timer.go
@@ -4,6 +4,7 @@
 package sctp
 
 import (
+	"math"
 	"sync"
 	"time"
 )
@@ -17,22 +18,32 @@ type ackTimerObserver interface {
 	onAckTimeout()
 }
 
+type ackTimerState int
+
+const (
+	ackTimerStopped ackTimerState = iota
+	ackTimerStarted
+	ackTimerClosed
+)
+
 // ackTimer provides the retnransmission timer conforms with RFC 4960 Sec 6.3.1
 type ackTimer struct {
 	observer ackTimerObserver
-	interval time.Duration
-	stopFunc stopAckTimerLoop
-	closed   bool
 	mutex    sync.RWMutex
+	state    ackTimerState
+	timer    *time.Timer
+	cancel   chan struct{}
 }
 
-type stopAckTimerLoop func()
-
 // newAckTimer creates a new acknowledgement timer used to enable delayed ack.
 func newAckTimer(observer ackTimerObserver) *ackTimer {
+	timer := time.NewTimer(math.MaxInt64)
+	timer.Stop()
+
 	return &ackTimer{
 		observer: observer,
-		interval: ackInterval,
+		timer:    timer,
+		cancel:   make(chan struct{}, 1),
 	}
 }
 
@@ -41,34 +52,35 @@ func (t *ackTimer) start() bool {
 	t.mutex.Lock()
 	defer t.mutex.Unlock()
 
-	// this timer is already closed
-	if t.closed {
+	// this timer is already closed or already running
+	if t.state != ackTimerStopped {
 		return false
 	}
-
-	// this is a noop if the timer is already running
-	if t.stopFunc != nil {
-		return false
-	}
-
-	cancelCh := make(chan struct{})
+	t.state = ackTimerStarted
 
 	go func() {
-		timer := time.NewTimer(t.interval)
+		t.timer.Reset(ackInterval)
 
 		select {
-		case <-timer.C:
-			t.stop()
-			t.observer.onAckTimeout()
-		case <-cancelCh:
-			timer.Stop()
+		case <-t.timer.C:
+			t.mutex.Lock()
+			switch t.state {
+			case ackTimerStopped:
+				// if the timer is already stopped empty the cancel channel
+				<-t.cancel
+			case ackTimerStarted:
+				t.state = ackTimerStopped
+				defer t.observer.onAckTimeout()
+			case ackTimerClosed:
+			}
+			t.mutex.Unlock()
+		case <-t.cancel:
+			if !t.timer.Stop() {
+				<-t.timer.C
+			}
 		}
 	}()
 
-	t.stopFunc = func() {
-		close(cancelCh)
-	}
-
 	return true
 }
 
@@ -78,9 +90,9 @@ func (t *ackTimer) stop() {
 	t.mutex.Lock()
 	defer t.mutex.Unlock()
 
-	if t.stopFunc != nil {
-		t.stopFunc()
-		t.stopFunc = nil
+	if t.state == ackTimerStarted {
+		t.cancel <- struct{}{}
+		t.state = ackTimerStopped
 	}
 }
 
@@ -90,12 +102,10 @@ func (t *ackTimer) close() {
 	t.mutex.Lock()
 	defer t.mutex.Unlock()
 
-	if t.stopFunc != nil {
-		t.stopFunc()
-		t.stopFunc = nil
+	if t.state == ackTimerStarted {
+		t.cancel <- struct{}{}
 	}
-
-	t.closed = true
+	t.state = ackTimerClosed
 }
 
 // isRunning tests if the timer is running.
@@ -104,5 +114,5 @@ func (t *ackTimer) isRunning() bool {
 	t.mutex.RLock()
 	defer t.mutex.RUnlock()
 
-	return (t.stopFunc != nil)
+	return t.state == ackTimerStarted
 }
diff --git a/rtx_timer.go b/rtx_timer.go
index 42848abc..354825b5 100644
--- a/rtx_timer.go
+++ b/rtx_timer.go
@@ -175,9 +175,12 @@ func (t *rtxTimer) start(rto float64) bool {
 	go func() {
 		canceling := false
 
+		timer := time.NewTimer(math.MaxInt64)
+		timer.Stop()
+
 		for !canceling {
 			timeout := calculateNextTimeout(rto, nRtos, t.rtoMax)
-			timer := time.NewTimer(time.Duration(timeout) * time.Millisecond)
+			timer.Reset(time.Duration(timeout) * time.Millisecond)
 
 			select {
 			case <-timer.C: