diff --git a/src/uct/ib/rc/accel/rc_mlx5_iface.c b/src/uct/ib/rc/accel/rc_mlx5_iface.c
index e784ab931cc4..cb0979b39ba0 100644
--- a/src/uct/ib/rc/accel/rc_mlx5_iface.c
+++ b/src/uct/ib/rc/accel/rc_mlx5_iface.c
@@ -126,13 +126,13 @@ uct_rc_mlx5_iface_poll_tx(uct_rc_mlx5_iface_common_t *iface)
     }
 
     hw_ci = ntohs(cqe->wqe_counter);
-    ucs_trace_poll("rc_mlx5 iface %p tx_cqe: ep %p qpn 0x%x hw_ci %d", iface, ep,
-                   qp_num, hw_ci);
 
     uct_rc_mlx5_txqp_process_tx_cqe(&ep->super.txqp, cqe, hw_ci);
 
     uct_rc_mlx5_common_update_tx_res(&iface->super, &ep->tx.wq, &ep->super.txqp,
                                      hw_ci);
+    ucs_trace_data("rc_mlx5 iface %p tx_cqe: ep %p qpn 0x%x hw_ci %d reads_avail %zd",
+                   iface, ep, qp_num, hw_ci, iface->super.tx.reads_available);
 
     /* process pending elements prior to CQ entries to avoid out-of-order
      * transmission in completion callbacks */
@@ -171,8 +171,13 @@ uct_rc_mlx5_common_ka_progress(uct_rc_mlx5_iface_common_t *iface)
         return 0;
     }
 
+
     ucs_spin_lock(&iface->super.ep_list_lock);
     ucs_list_for_each(ep, &iface->super.ep_list, super.list) {
+        if (ep->super.txqp.available < ep->tx.wq.bb_max) {
+            /* have outstanding operations */
+            continue;
+        }
         ucs_trace("send keepalive grant on ep %p", ep);
         uct_rc_ep_fc_send_grant(&ep->super);
     }
diff --git a/test/apps/iodemo/ucx_wrapper.cc b/test/apps/iodemo/ucx_wrapper.cc
index a3f0e00933de..4168434bddda 100644
--- a/test/apps/iodemo/ucx_wrapper.cc
+++ b/test/apps/iodemo/ucx_wrapper.cc
@@ -355,10 +355,21 @@ int UcxContext::is_timeout_elapsed(struct timeval const *tv_prior, double timeou
 
 void UcxContext::progress_timed_out_conns()
 {
+    if (_conns_in_progress.empty()) {
+        return;
+    }
+
+    double time = get_time();
     while (!_conns_in_progress.empty() &&
-           (get_time() > _conns_in_progress.begin()->first)) {
+           (time > _conns_in_progress.begin()->first)) {
         UcxConnection *conn = _conns_in_progress.begin()->second;
-        conn->handle_connection_error(UCS_ERR_TIMED_OUT);
+        if (0) {
+           conn->handle_connection_error(UCS_ERR_TIMED_OUT);
+        } else {
+           conn->print_addresses();
+           UCX_LOG << "conn " << conn->get_log_prefix() << " timed out";
+           _conns_in_progress.begin()->first= time + 10.0;
+        }
     }
 }
 
@@ -977,10 +988,11 @@ void UcxConnection::established(ucs_status_t status)
 {
     if (status == UCS_OK) {
         assert(_remote_conn_id != 0);
-        UCX_CONN_LOG << "Remote id is " << _remote_conn_id;
+        UCX_CONN_LOG << "remote id is " << _remote_conn_id;
     }
 
     _ucx_status = status;
+    print_addresses();
     _context.remove_connection_inprogress(this);
     invoke_callback(_establish_cb, status);
 }
diff --git a/test/apps/iodemo/ucx_wrapper.h b/test/apps/iodemo/ucx_wrapper.h
index 0f06702b0bb0..f16c9a564fdb 100644
--- a/test/apps/iodemo/ucx_wrapper.h
+++ b/test/apps/iodemo/ucx_wrapper.h
@@ -309,6 +309,8 @@ class UcxConnection {
         return _num_instances;
     }
 
+    void print_addresses();
+
 private:
     static ucp_tag_t make_data_tag(uint32_t conn_id, uint32_t sn);
 
@@ -328,8 +330,6 @@ class UcxConnection {
 
     void set_log_prefix(const struct sockaddr* saddr, socklen_t addrlen);
 
-    void print_addresses();
-
     void connect_common(ucp_ep_params_t &ep_params, UcxCallback *callback);
 
     void connect_tag(UcxCallback *callback);