diff --git a/drivers/net/can/spi/mcp251xfd/mcp251xfd-tef.c b/drivers/net/can/spi/mcp251xfd/mcp251xfd-tef.c
index f732556d233a..d3ac865933fd 100644
--- a/drivers/net/can/spi/mcp251xfd/mcp251xfd-tef.c
+++ b/drivers/net/can/spi/mcp251xfd/mcp251xfd-tef.c
@@ -16,9 +16,9 @@
 
 #include "mcp251xfd.h"
 
-static inline bool mcp251xfd_tx_fifo_sta_full(u32 fifo_sta)
+static inline bool mcp251xfd_tx_fifo_sta_empty(u32 fifo_sta)
 {
-	return !(fifo_sta & MCP251XFD_REG_FIFOSTA_TFNRFNIF);
+	return fifo_sta & MCP251XFD_REG_FIFOSTA_TFERFFIF;
 }
 
 static inline int
@@ -122,7 +122,11 @@ mcp251xfd_get_tef_len(struct mcp251xfd_priv *priv, u8 *len_p)
 	if (err)
 		return err;
 
-	if (mcp251xfd_tx_fifo_sta_full(fifo_sta)) {
+	/* If the chip says the TX-FIFO is empty, but there are no TX
+	 * buffers free in the ring, we assume all have been sent.
+	 */
+	if (mcp251xfd_tx_fifo_sta_empty(fifo_sta) &&
+	    mcp251xfd_get_tx_free(tx_ring) == 0) {
 		*len_p = tx_ring->obj_num;
 		return 0;
 	}