diff --git a/drivers/char/tpm/tpm-interface.c b/drivers/char/tpm/tpm-interface.c
index 9e9bb62ae6b8..62fee2c10013 100644
--- a/drivers/char/tpm/tpm-interface.c
+++ b/drivers/char/tpm/tpm-interface.c
@@ -569,6 +569,8 @@ ssize_t tpm_transmit(struct tpm_chip *chip, struct tpm_space *space,
 	ssize_t ret;
 	const size_t save_size = min(space ? sizeof(save) : TPM_HEADER_SIZE,
 				     bufsiz);
+	/* the command code is where the return code will be */
+	u32 cc = be32_to_cpu(header->return_code);
 
 	/*
 	 * Subtlety here: if we have a space, the handles will be
@@ -582,11 +584,21 @@ ssize_t tpm_transmit(struct tpm_chip *chip, struct tpm_space *space,
 		if (ret < 0)
 			break;
 		rc = be32_to_cpu(header->return_code);
-		if (rc != TPM2_RC_RETRY)
+		if (rc != TPM2_RC_RETRY && rc != TPM2_RC_TESTING)
+			break;
+		/*
+		 * return immediately if self test returns test
+		 * still running to shorten boot time.
+		 */
+		if (rc == TPM2_RC_TESTING && cc == TPM2_CC_SELF_TEST)
 			break;
 		delay_msec *= 2;
 		if (delay_msec > TPM2_DURATION_LONG) {
-			dev_err(&chip->dev, "TPM is in retry loop\n");
+			if (rc == TPM2_RC_RETRY)
+				dev_err(&chip->dev, "in retry loop\n");
+			else
+				dev_err(&chip->dev,
+					"self test is still running\n");
 			break;
 		}
 		tpm_msleep(delay_msec);
diff --git a/drivers/char/tpm/tpm.h b/drivers/char/tpm/tpm.h
index 05967c1a1f32..c542f877cea7 100644
--- a/drivers/char/tpm/tpm.h
+++ b/drivers/char/tpm/tpm.h
@@ -108,6 +108,7 @@ enum tpm2_return_codes {
 	TPM2_RC_HASH		= 0x0083, /* RC_FMT1 */
 	TPM2_RC_HANDLE		= 0x008B,
 	TPM2_RC_INITIALIZE	= 0x0100, /* RC_VER1 */
+	TPM2_RC_FAILURE		= 0x0101,
 	TPM2_RC_DISABLED	= 0x0120,
 	TPM2_RC_COMMAND_CODE    = 0x0143,
 	TPM2_RC_TESTING		= 0x090A, /* RC_WARN */
diff --git a/drivers/char/tpm/tpm2-cmd.c b/drivers/char/tpm/tpm2-cmd.c
index 47f612ded599..909150f6db7f 100644
--- a/drivers/char/tpm/tpm2-cmd.c
+++ b/drivers/char/tpm/tpm2-cmd.c
@@ -24,10 +24,6 @@ struct tpm2_startup_in {
 	__be16	startup_type;
 } __packed;
 
-struct tpm2_self_test_in {
-	u8	full_test;
-} __packed;
-
 struct tpm2_get_tpm_pt_in {
 	__be32	cap_id;
 	__be32	property_id;
@@ -49,7 +45,6 @@ struct tpm2_get_random_out {
 
 union tpm2_cmd_params {
 	struct	tpm2_startup_in		startup_in;
-	struct	tpm2_self_test_in	selftest_in;
 	struct	tpm2_get_tpm_pt_in	get_tpm_pt_in;
 	struct	tpm2_get_tpm_pt_out	get_tpm_pt_out;
 };
@@ -864,16 +859,6 @@ unsigned long tpm2_calc_ordinal_duration(struct tpm_chip *chip, u32 ordinal)
 }
 EXPORT_SYMBOL_GPL(tpm2_calc_ordinal_duration);
 
-#define TPM2_SELF_TEST_IN_SIZE \
-	(sizeof(struct tpm_input_header) + \
-	 sizeof(struct tpm2_self_test_in))
-
-static const struct tpm_input_header tpm2_selftest_header = {
-	.tag = cpu_to_be16(TPM2_ST_NO_SESSIONS),
-	.length = cpu_to_be32(TPM2_SELF_TEST_IN_SIZE),
-	.ordinal = cpu_to_be32(TPM2_CC_SELF_TEST)
-};
-
 /**
  * tpm2_do_selftest() - ensure that all self tests have passed
  *
@@ -889,27 +874,24 @@ static const struct tpm_input_header tpm2_selftest_header = {
  */
 static int tpm2_do_selftest(struct tpm_chip *chip)
 {
+	struct tpm_buf buf;
+	int full;
 	int rc;
-	unsigned int delay_msec = 10;
-	long duration;
-	struct tpm2_cmd cmd;
 
-	duration = jiffies_to_msecs(
-		tpm2_calc_ordinal_duration(chip, TPM2_CC_SELF_TEST));
-
-	while (1) {
-		cmd.header.in = tpm2_selftest_header;
-		cmd.params.selftest_in.full_test = 0;
-
-		rc = tpm_transmit_cmd(chip, NULL, &cmd, TPM2_SELF_TEST_IN_SIZE,
-				      0, 0, "continue selftest");
+	for (full = 0; full < 2; full++) {
+		rc = tpm_buf_init(&buf, TPM2_ST_NO_SESSIONS, TPM2_CC_SELF_TEST);
+		if (rc)
+			return rc;
 
-		if (rc != TPM2_RC_TESTING || delay_msec >= duration)
-			break;
+		tpm_buf_append_u8(&buf, full);
+		rc = tpm_transmit_cmd(chip, NULL, buf.data, PAGE_SIZE, 0, 0,
+				      "attempting the self test");
+		tpm_buf_destroy(&buf);
 
-		/* wait longer than before */
-		delay_msec *= 2;
-		tpm_msleep(delay_msec);
+		if (rc == TPM2_RC_TESTING)
+			rc = TPM2_RC_SUCCESS;
+		if (rc == TPM2_RC_INITIALIZE || rc == TPM2_RC_SUCCESS)
+			return rc;
 	}
 
 	return rc;
@@ -1095,10 +1077,8 @@ int tpm2_auto_startup(struct tpm_chip *chip)
 		goto out;
 
 	rc = tpm2_do_selftest(chip);
-	if (rc != 0 && rc != TPM2_RC_INITIALIZE) {
-		dev_err(&chip->dev, "TPM self test failed\n");
+	if (rc && rc != TPM2_RC_INITIALIZE)
 		goto out;
-	}
 
 	if (rc == TPM2_RC_INITIALIZE) {
 		rc = tpm_startup(chip);
@@ -1106,10 +1086,8 @@ int tpm2_auto_startup(struct tpm_chip *chip)
 			goto out;
 
 		rc = tpm2_do_selftest(chip);
-		if (rc) {
-			dev_err(&chip->dev, "TPM self test failed\n");
+		if (rc)
 			goto out;
-		}
 	}
 
 	rc = tpm2_get_pcr_allocation(chip);
