diff --git a/demo/demo_client.c b/demo/demo_client.c
index 5142dbf0..5ef02368 100644
--- a/demo/demo_client.c
+++ b/demo/demo_client.c
@@ -1088,23 +1088,31 @@ xqc_demo_cli_h3_request_read_notify(xqc_h3_request_t *h3_request, xqc_request_no
     xqc_demo_cli_task_ctx_t *ctx = &user_stream->user_conn->ctx->task_ctx;
     xqc_demo_cli_user_conn_t *user_conn = user_stream->user_conn;
     uint32_t task_idx = user_conn->task->task_idx;
+    xqc_msec_t ts_now = 0;
 
     if (user_conn->send_path_standby) {
         /* set initial path standby here */
         if (user_conn->path_status == 0
             && xqc_conn_available_paths(user_conn->ctx->engine, &user_conn->cid) >= 2)
         {
-            xqc_conn_mark_path_standby(user_conn->ctx->engine, &user_conn->cid, 0);
-            user_conn->path_status = 1; /* 1:standby */
-            user_conn->path_status_time = xqc_demo_now();
-            printf("mark initial path standby\n");
+            ts_now = xqc_demo_now();
+            if (ts_now > user_conn->path_status_time + user_conn->path_status_timer_threshold) {
+                xqc_conn_mark_path_standby(user_conn->ctx->engine, &user_conn->cid, 0);
+                user_conn->path_status = 1; /* 1:standby */
+                printf("mark initial path standby: now=" PRId64 "\n", user_conn->path_status_time);
+
+                user_conn->path_status_time = ts_now;
+            }
 
         } else if (user_conn->path_status == 1) {
-            xqc_msec_t ts_now = xqc_demo_now();
+            ts_now = xqc_demo_now();
             if (ts_now > user_conn->path_status_time + user_conn->path_status_timer_threshold) {
                 xqc_conn_mark_path_available(user_conn->ctx->engine, &user_conn->cid, 0);
                 user_conn->path_status = 0; /* 0:available */
-                printf("mark initial path available\n");
+                printf("mark initial path available: now=" PRId64 ", threshold=" PRId64 "\n",
+                            user_conn->path_status_time, user_conn->path_status_timer_threshold);
+
+                user_conn->path_status_time = ts_now;
             }
         }
     }
@@ -2416,6 +2424,7 @@ xqc_demo_cli_init_xquic_connection(xqc_demo_cli_user_conn_t *user_conn,
         user_conn->send_path_standby = 1;
         user_conn->path_status = 0;
         user_conn->path_status_timer_threshold = args->quic_cfg.path_status_timer_threshold;
+        user_conn->path_status_time = 0;
     }
 
     return 0;