diff --git a/core/src/progress_map.rs b/core/src/progress_map.rs
index bf77a4d53c..cd960c52fc 100644
--- a/core/src/progress_map.rs
+++ b/core/src/progress_map.rs
@@ -163,26 +163,22 @@ impl ValidatorStakeInfo {
 pub const RETRANSMIT_BASE_DELAY_MS: u64 = 5_000;
 pub const RETRANSMIT_BACKOFF_CAP: u32 = 6;
 
-#[derive(Debug, Default)]
+#[derive(Debug)]
 pub struct RetransmitInfo {
-    pub retry_time: Option<Instant>,
-    pub retry_iteration: u32,
+    pub(crate) retry_time: Instant,
+    pub(crate) retry_iteration: u32,
 }
 
 impl RetransmitInfo {
     pub fn reached_retransmit_threshold(&self) -> bool {
         let backoff = std::cmp::min(self.retry_iteration, RETRANSMIT_BACKOFF_CAP);
         let backoff_duration_ms = (1_u64 << backoff) * RETRANSMIT_BASE_DELAY_MS;
-        self.retry_time
-            .map(|time| time.elapsed().as_millis() > backoff_duration_ms.into())
-            .unwrap_or(true)
+        self.retry_time.elapsed().as_millis() > u128::from(backoff_duration_ms)
     }
 
     pub fn increment_retry_iteration(&mut self) {
-        if self.retry_time.is_some() {
-            self.retry_iteration += 1;
-        }
-        self.retry_time = Some(Instant::now());
+        self.retry_iteration = self.retry_iteration.saturating_add(1);
+        self.retry_time = Instant::now();
     }
 }
 
@@ -250,7 +246,10 @@ impl ForkProgress {
                 total_epoch_stake,
                 ..PropagatedStats::default()
             },
-            retransmit_info: RetransmitInfo::default(),
+            retransmit_info: RetransmitInfo {
+                retry_time: Instant::now(),
+                retry_iteration: 0u32,
+            },
         }
     }
 
diff --git a/core/src/replay_stage.rs b/core/src/replay_stage.rs
index c983755e7e..6e724dd099 100644
--- a/core/src/replay_stage.rs
+++ b/core/src/replay_stage.rs
@@ -6840,7 +6840,7 @@ pub(crate) mod tests {
             &mut progress,
         );
         let res = retransmit_slots_receiver.recv_timeout(Duration::from_millis(10));
-        assert!(res.is_ok(), "retry_iteration=0, retry_time=None");
+        assert_matches!(res, Err(_));
         assert_eq!(
             progress.get_retransmit_info(0).unwrap().retry_iteration,
             0,
@@ -6858,11 +6858,9 @@ pub(crate) mod tests {
             "retry_iteration=0, elapsed < 2^0 * RETRANSMIT_BASE_DELAY_MS"
         );
 
-        progress.get_retransmit_info_mut(0).unwrap().retry_time = Some(
-            Instant::now()
-                .checked_sub(Duration::from_millis(RETRANSMIT_BASE_DELAY_MS + 1))
-                .unwrap(),
-        );
+        progress.get_retransmit_info_mut(0).unwrap().retry_time = Instant::now()
+            .checked_sub(Duration::from_millis(RETRANSMIT_BASE_DELAY_MS + 1))
+            .unwrap();
         ReplayStage::retransmit_latest_unpropagated_leader_slot(
             &poh_recorder,
             &retransmit_slots_sender,
@@ -6890,11 +6888,9 @@ pub(crate) mod tests {
             "retry_iteration=1, elapsed < 2^1 * RETRY_BASE_DELAY_MS"
         );
 
-        progress.get_retransmit_info_mut(0).unwrap().retry_time = Some(
-            Instant::now()
-                .checked_sub(Duration::from_millis(RETRANSMIT_BASE_DELAY_MS + 1))
-                .unwrap(),
-        );
+        progress.get_retransmit_info_mut(0).unwrap().retry_time = Instant::now()
+            .checked_sub(Duration::from_millis(RETRANSMIT_BASE_DELAY_MS + 1))
+            .unwrap();
         ReplayStage::retransmit_latest_unpropagated_leader_slot(
             &poh_recorder,
             &retransmit_slots_sender,
@@ -6906,11 +6902,9 @@ pub(crate) mod tests {
             "retry_iteration=1, elapsed < 2^1 * RETRANSMIT_BASE_DELAY_MS"
         );
 
-        progress.get_retransmit_info_mut(0).unwrap().retry_time = Some(
-            Instant::now()
-                .checked_sub(Duration::from_millis(2 * RETRANSMIT_BASE_DELAY_MS + 1))
-                .unwrap(),
-        );
+        progress.get_retransmit_info_mut(0).unwrap().retry_time = Instant::now()
+            .checked_sub(Duration::from_millis(2 * RETRANSMIT_BASE_DELAY_MS + 1))
+            .unwrap();
         ReplayStage::retransmit_latest_unpropagated_leader_slot(
             &poh_recorder,
             &retransmit_slots_sender,
@@ -6933,11 +6927,9 @@ pub(crate) mod tests {
             .unwrap()
             .increment_retry_iteration();
 
-        progress.get_retransmit_info_mut(0).unwrap().retry_time = Some(
-            Instant::now()
-                .checked_sub(Duration::from_millis(2 * RETRANSMIT_BASE_DELAY_MS + 1))
-                .unwrap(),
-        );
+        progress.get_retransmit_info_mut(0).unwrap().retry_time = Instant::now()
+            .checked_sub(Duration::from_millis(2 * RETRANSMIT_BASE_DELAY_MS + 1))
+            .unwrap();
         ReplayStage::retransmit_latest_unpropagated_leader_slot(
             &poh_recorder,
             &retransmit_slots_sender,
@@ -6949,11 +6941,9 @@ pub(crate) mod tests {
             "retry_iteration=3, elapsed < 2^3 * RETRANSMIT_BASE_DELAY_MS"
         );
 
-        progress.get_retransmit_info_mut(0).unwrap().retry_time = Some(
-            Instant::now()
-                .checked_sub(Duration::from_millis(8 * RETRANSMIT_BASE_DELAY_MS + 1))
-                .unwrap(),
-        );
+        progress.get_retransmit_info_mut(0).unwrap().retry_time = Instant::now()
+            .checked_sub(Duration::from_millis(8 * RETRANSMIT_BASE_DELAY_MS + 1))
+            .unwrap();
         ReplayStage::retransmit_latest_unpropagated_leader_slot(
             &poh_recorder,
             &retransmit_slots_sender,
@@ -6995,6 +6985,10 @@ pub(crate) mod tests {
         } = vote_simulator;
 
         let (retransmit_slots_sender, retransmit_slots_receiver) = unbounded();
+        let retry_time = Instant::now()
+            .checked_sub(Duration::from_millis(RETRANSMIT_BASE_DELAY_MS + 1))
+            .unwrap();
+        progress.get_retransmit_info_mut(0).unwrap().retry_time = retry_time;
 
         let mut prev_index = 0;
         for i in (1..10).chain(11..15) {
@@ -7020,6 +7014,7 @@ pub(crate) mod tests {
             bank.freeze();
             bank_forks.write().unwrap().insert(bank);
             prev_index = i;
+            progress.get_retransmit_info_mut(i).unwrap().retry_time = retry_time;
         }
 
         // expect single slot when latest_leader_slot is the start of a consecutive range