diff --git a/hw/net/opencores_eth.c b/hw/net/opencores_eth.c
index 4118d54ac81e..4a443049dd3e 100644
--- a/hw/net/opencores_eth.c
+++ b/hw/net/opencores_eth.c
@@ -169,6 +169,7 @@ enum {
 };
 
 enum {
+    INT_SOURCE_BUSY = 0x10,
     INT_SOURCE_RXB = 0x4,
     INT_SOURCE_TXB = 0x1,
 };
@@ -351,8 +352,7 @@ static int open_eth_can_receive(NetClientState *nc)
     OpenEthState *s = qemu_get_nic_opaque(nc);
 
     return GET_REGBIT(s, MODER, RXEN) &&
-        (s->regs[TX_BD_NUM] < 0x80) &&
-        (rx_desc(s)->len_flags & RXD_E);
+        (s->regs[TX_BD_NUM] < 0x80);
 }
 
 static ssize_t open_eth_receive(NetClientState *nc,
@@ -402,6 +402,12 @@ static ssize_t open_eth_receive(NetClientState *nc,
         desc *desc = rx_desc(s);
         size_t copy_size = GET_REGBIT(s, MODER, HUGEN) ? 65536 : maxfl;
 
+        if (!(desc->len_flags & RXD_E)) {
+            open_eth_int_source_write(s,
+                    s->regs[INT_SOURCE] | INT_SOURCE_BUSY);
+            return size;
+        }
+
         desc->len_flags &= ~(RXD_CF | RXD_M | RXD_OR |
                 RXD_IS | RXD_DN | RXD_TL | RXD_SF | RXD_CRC | RXD_LC);
 
@@ -551,6 +557,15 @@ static uint64_t open_eth_reg_read(void *opaque,
     return v;
 }
 
+static void open_eth_notify_can_receive(OpenEthState *s)
+{
+    NetClientState *nc = qemu_get_queue(s->nic);
+
+    if (open_eth_can_receive(nc)) {
+        qemu_flush_queued_packets(nc);
+    }
+}
+
 static void open_eth_ro(OpenEthState *s, uint32_t val)
 {
 }
@@ -567,6 +582,7 @@ static void open_eth_moder_host_write(OpenEthState *s, uint32_t val)
 
     if (set & MODER_RXEN) {
         s->rx_desc = s->regs[TX_BD_NUM];
+        open_eth_notify_can_receive(s);
     }
     if (set & MODER_TXEN) {
         s->tx_desc = 0;
@@ -592,6 +608,18 @@ static void open_eth_int_mask_host_write(OpenEthState *s, uint32_t val)
             s->regs[INT_SOURCE] & s->regs[INT_MASK]);
 }
 
+static void open_eth_tx_bd_num_host_write(OpenEthState *s, uint32_t val)
+{
+    if (val < 0x80) {
+        bool enable = s->regs[TX_BD_NUM] == 0x80;
+
+        s->regs[TX_BD_NUM] = val;
+        if (enable) {
+            open_eth_notify_can_receive(s);
+        }
+    }
+}
+
 static void open_eth_mii_command_host_write(OpenEthState *s, uint32_t val)
 {
     unsigned fiad = GET_REGFIELD(s, MIIADDRESS, FIAD);
@@ -630,6 +658,7 @@ static void open_eth_reg_write(void *opaque,
         [MODER] = open_eth_moder_host_write,
         [INT_SOURCE] = open_eth_int_source_host_write,
         [INT_MASK] = open_eth_int_mask_host_write,
+        [TX_BD_NUM] = open_eth_tx_bd_num_host_write,
         [MIICOMMAND] = open_eth_mii_command_host_write,
         [MIITX_DATA] = open_eth_mii_tx_host_write,
         [MIISTATUS] = open_eth_ro,