diff --git a/src/core/ext/transport/chttp2/transport/chttp2_transport.c b/src/core/ext/transport/chttp2/transport/chttp2_transport.c
index 5ad31c7d2cd..ecf278329eb 100644
--- a/src/core/ext/transport/chttp2/transport/chttp2_transport.c
+++ b/src/core/ext/transport/chttp2/transport/chttp2_transport.c
@@ -544,9 +544,9 @@ static void init_transport(grpc_exec_ctx *exec_ctx, grpc_chttp2_transport *t,
         gpr_time_add(gpr_now(GPR_CLOCK_MONOTONIC), t->keepalive_time),
         &t->init_keepalive_ping_locked, gpr_now(GPR_CLOCK_MONOTONIC));
   } else {
-    /* Use GRPC_CHTTP2_KEEPALIVE_STATE_DYING to indicate there are no inflight
-       keeaplive timers */
-    t->keepalive_state = GRPC_CHTTP2_KEEPALIVE_STATE_DYING;
+    /* Use GRPC_CHTTP2_KEEPALIVE_STATE_DISABLED to indicate there are no
+       inflight keeaplive timers */
+    t->keepalive_state = GRPC_CHTTP2_KEEPALIVE_STATE_DISABLED;
   }
 
   grpc_chttp2_initiate_write(exec_ctx, t, false, "init");
@@ -596,18 +596,17 @@ static void close_transport_locked(grpc_exec_ctx *exec_ctx,
                            GRPC_ERROR_REF(error), "close_transport");
     grpc_endpoint_shutdown(exec_ctx, t->ep, GRPC_ERROR_REF(error));
     switch (t->keepalive_state) {
-      case GRPC_CHTTP2_KEEPALIVE_STATE_WAITING: {
+      case GRPC_CHTTP2_KEEPALIVE_STATE_WAITING:
         grpc_timer_cancel(exec_ctx, &t->keepalive_ping_timer);
         break;
-      }
-      case GRPC_CHTTP2_KEEPALIVE_STATE_PINGING: {
+      case GRPC_CHTTP2_KEEPALIVE_STATE_PINGING:
         grpc_timer_cancel(exec_ctx, &t->keepalive_ping_timer);
         grpc_timer_cancel(exec_ctx, &t->keepalive_watchdog_timer);
         break;
-      }
-      case GRPC_CHTTP2_KEEPALIVE_STATE_DYING: {
+      case GRPC_CHTTP2_KEEPALIVE_STATE_DYING:
+      case GRPC_CHTTP2_KEEPALIVE_STATE_DISABLED:
+        /* keepalive timers are not set in these two states */
         break;
-      }
     }
 
     /* flush writable stream list to avoid dangling references */
@@ -2269,7 +2268,9 @@ static void init_keepalive_ping_locked(grpc_exec_ctx *exec_ctx, void *arg,
                                        grpc_error *error) {
   grpc_chttp2_transport *t = arg;
   GPR_ASSERT(t->keepalive_state == GRPC_CHTTP2_KEEPALIVE_STATE_WAITING);
-  if (error == GRPC_ERROR_NONE && !(t->destroying || t->closed)) {
+  if (t->destroying || t->closed) {
+    t->keepalive_state = GRPC_CHTTP2_KEEPALIVE_STATE_DYING;
+  } else if (error == GRPC_ERROR_NONE) {
     if (t->keepalive_permit_without_calls ||
         grpc_chttp2_stream_map_size(&t->stream_map) > 0) {
       t->keepalive_state = GRPC_CHTTP2_KEEPALIVE_STATE_PINGING;
@@ -2284,7 +2285,7 @@ static void init_keepalive_ping_locked(grpc_exec_ctx *exec_ctx, void *arg,
           gpr_time_add(gpr_now(GPR_CLOCK_MONOTONIC), t->keepalive_time),
           &t->init_keepalive_ping_locked, gpr_now(GPR_CLOCK_MONOTONIC));
     }
-  } else if (error == GRPC_ERROR_CANCELLED && !(t->destroying || t->closed)) {
+  } else if (error == GRPC_ERROR_CANCELLED) {
     /* The keepalive ping timer may be cancelled by bdp */
     GRPC_CHTTP2_REF_TRANSPORT(t, "init keepalive ping");
     grpc_timer_init(
diff --git a/src/core/ext/transport/chttp2/transport/internal.h b/src/core/ext/transport/chttp2/transport/internal.h
index 6eb848b8d77..0452081dd5c 100644
--- a/src/core/ext/transport/chttp2/transport/internal.h
+++ b/src/core/ext/transport/chttp2/transport/internal.h
@@ -222,6 +222,7 @@ typedef enum {
   GRPC_CHTTP2_KEEPALIVE_STATE_WAITING,
   GRPC_CHTTP2_KEEPALIVE_STATE_PINGING,
   GRPC_CHTTP2_KEEPALIVE_STATE_DYING,
+  GRPC_CHTTP2_KEEPALIVE_STATE_DISABLED,
 } grpc_chttp2_keepalive_state;
 
 struct grpc_chttp2_transport {