diff --git a/arch/sim/src/sim/sim_canchar.c b/arch/sim/src/sim/sim_canchar.c
index 37c927f51e5..572922a0cba 100644
--- a/arch/sim/src/sim/sim_canchar.c
+++ b/arch/sim/src/sim/sim_canchar.c
@@ -292,7 +292,11 @@ static void sim_can_work(void *arg)
   struct can_hdr_s      hdr;
   int                   ret;
 
-  if (host_can_avail(&priv->host))
+  /* Drain all frames queued on the host socket, otherwise only one frame
+   * is delivered per work period and the RX path lags behind the bus.
+   */
+
+  while (host_can_avail(&priv->host))
     {
       /* Wait for data from host stack */
 
diff --git a/arch/sim/src/sim/sim_cansock.c b/arch/sim/src/sim/sim_cansock.c
index b89ae67e11a..f7e2375f0b1 100644
--- a/arch/sim/src/sim/sim_cansock.c
+++ b/arch/sim/src/sim/sim_cansock.c
@@ -174,7 +174,11 @@ static void sim_can_work(void *arg)
   struct canfd_frame    hframe;
   int                   ret;
 
-  if (host_can_avail(&priv->host))
+  /* Drain all frames queued on the host socket, otherwise only one frame
+   * is delivered per work period and the RX path lags behind the bus.
+   */
+
+  while (host_can_avail(&priv->host))
     {
       /* Wait for data from host stack */