diff --git a/drivers/rptun/rptun.c b/drivers/rptun/rptun.c
index f80af913965..5f835160238 100644
--- a/drivers/rptun/rptun.c
+++ b/drivers/rptun/rptun.c
@@ -70,6 +70,7 @@ struct rptun_priv_s
   pid_t                        tid;
 #ifdef CONFIG_RPTUN_PM
   bool                         stay;
+  uint16_t                     headrx;
 #endif
 };
 
@@ -222,8 +223,40 @@ static inline void rptun_pm_action(FAR struct rptun_priv_s *priv,
   leave_critical_section(flags);
 }
 
+static inline void rptun_update_rx(FAR struct rptun_priv_s *priv)
+{
+  FAR struct rpmsg_virtio_device *rvdev = &priv->rvdev;
+  FAR struct virtqueue *rvq = rvdev->rvq;
+
+  if (rpmsg_virtio_get_role(rvdev) == RPMSG_HOST)
+    {
+      priv->headrx = rvq->vq_ring.used->idx;
+    }
+  else
+    {
+      priv->headrx = rvq->vq_ring.avail->idx;
+    }
+}
+
+static inline bool rptun_available_rx(FAR struct rptun_priv_s *priv)
+{
+  FAR struct rpmsg_virtio_device *rvdev = &priv->rvdev;
+  FAR struct virtqueue *rvq = rvdev->rvq;
+
+  if (rpmsg_virtio_get_role(rvdev) == RPMSG_HOST)
+    {
+      return priv->headrx != rvq->vq_used_cons_idx;
+    }
+  else
+    {
+      return priv->headrx != rvq->vq_available_idx;
+    }
+}
+
 #else
 #  define rptun_pm_action(priv, stay)
+#  define rptun_update_rx(priv)
+#  define rptun_available_rx(priv) true
 #endif
 
 static void rptun_start_worker(FAR void *arg)
@@ -240,7 +273,10 @@ static void rptun_worker(FAR void *arg)
 {
   FAR struct rptun_priv_s *priv = arg;
 
-  remoteproc_get_notification(&priv->rproc, RPTUN_NOTIFY_ALL);
+  if (rptun_available_rx(priv))
+    {
+      remoteproc_get_notification(&priv->rproc, RPTUN_NOTIFY_ALL);
+    }
 }
 
 static int rptun_thread(int argc, FAR char *argv[])
@@ -291,10 +327,8 @@ static int rptun_callback(FAR void *arg, uint32_t vqid)
   if (vqid == RPTUN_NOTIFY_ALL ||
       vqid == vdev->vrings_info[rvq->vq_queue_index].notifyid)
     {
-      if (rptun_buffer_nused(&priv->rvdev, true))
-        {
-          rptun_wakeup_rx(priv);
-        }
+      rptun_update_rx(priv);
+      rptun_wakeup_rx(priv);
     }
 
   if (vqid == RPTUN_NOTIFY_ALL ||
@@ -811,6 +845,8 @@ static int rptun_dev_start(FAR struct remoteproc *rproc)
   /* Register callback to mbox for receiving remote message */
 
   RPTUN_REGISTER_CALLBACK(priv->dev, rptun_callback, priv);
+
+  rptun_update_rx(priv);
   rptun_wakeup_rx(priv);
 
   /* Broadcast device_created to all registers */