diff --git a/drivers/net/ethernet/sfc/ef10.c b/drivers/net/ethernet/sfc/ef10.c
index 208e0048709b82723d839f98a560936a921bd00c..f6e29a975e4e844db85b1ad052ef37b8fada02c4 100644
--- a/drivers/net/ethernet/sfc/ef10.c
+++ b/drivers/net/ethernet/sfc/ef10.c
@@ -2358,7 +2358,11 @@ static void efx_ef10_tx_write(struct efx_tx_queue *tx_queue)
 		/* Create TX descriptor ring entry */
 		if (buffer->flags & EFX_TX_BUF_OPTION) {
 			*txd = buffer->option;
+			if (EFX_QWORD_FIELD(*txd, ESF_DZ_TX_OPTION_TYPE) == 1)
+				/* PIO descriptor */
+				tx_queue->packet_write_count = tx_queue->write_count;
 		} else {
+			tx_queue->packet_write_count = tx_queue->write_count;
 			BUILD_BUG_ON(EFX_TX_BUF_CONT != 1);
 			EFX_POPULATE_QWORD_3(
 				*txd,
@@ -5796,6 +5800,7 @@ const struct efx_nic_type efx_hunt_a0_nic_type = {
 	.rx_ts_offset = ES_DZ_RX_PREFIX_TSTAMP_OFST,
 	.can_rx_scatter = true,
 	.always_rx_scatter = true,
+	.option_descriptors = true,
 	.max_interrupt_mode = EFX_INT_MODE_MSIX,
 	.timer_period_max = 1 << ERF_DD_EVQ_IND_TIMER_VAL_WIDTH,
 	.offload_features = EF10_OFFLOAD_FEATURES,
diff --git a/drivers/net/ethernet/sfc/net_driver.h b/drivers/net/ethernet/sfc/net_driver.h
index 49db9e833c961862c8833dc1590a1f9574040b76..b20fe437265f38495fba26ae602c274817ebe671 100644
--- a/drivers/net/ethernet/sfc/net_driver.h
+++ b/drivers/net/ethernet/sfc/net_driver.h
@@ -208,6 +208,12 @@ struct efx_tx_buffer {
  * @write_count: Current write pointer
  *	This is the number of buffers that have been added to the
  *	hardware ring.
+ * @packet_write_count: Completable write pointer
+ *	This is the write pointer of the last packet written.
+ *	Normally this will equal @write_count, but as option descriptors
+ *	don't produce completion events, they won't update this.
+ *	Filled in iff @efx->type->option_descriptors; only used for PIO.
+ *	Thus, this is written and used on EF10, and neither on farch.
  * @old_read_count: The value of read_count when last checked.
  *	This is here for performance reasons.  The xmit path will
  *	only get the up-to-date value of read_count if this
@@ -255,6 +261,7 @@ struct efx_tx_queue {
 	/* Members used only on the xmit path */
 	unsigned int insert_count ____cacheline_aligned_in_smp;
 	unsigned int write_count;
+	unsigned int packet_write_count;
 	unsigned int old_read_count;
 	unsigned int tso_bursts;
 	unsigned int tso_long_headers;
@@ -1237,6 +1244,7 @@ struct efx_mtd_partition {
  * @rx_buffer_padding: Size of padding at end of RX packet
  * @can_rx_scatter: NIC is able to scatter packets to multiple buffers
  * @always_rx_scatter: NIC will always scatter packets to multiple buffers
+ * @option_descriptors: NIC supports TX option descriptors
  * @max_interrupt_mode: Highest capability interrupt mode supported
  *	from &enum efx_init_mode.
  * @timer_period_max: Maximum period of interrupt timer (in ticks)
@@ -1395,6 +1403,7 @@ struct efx_nic_type {
 	unsigned int rx_buffer_padding;
 	bool can_rx_scatter;
 	bool always_rx_scatter;
+	bool option_descriptors;
 	unsigned int max_interrupt_mode;
 	unsigned int timer_period_max;
 	netdev_features_t offload_features;
diff --git a/drivers/net/ethernet/sfc/nic.h b/drivers/net/ethernet/sfc/nic.h
index 223774635cbabf23a439cb90a983427b0f0fef38..6a69aa3b01291ee97c99dc78dd3c05d33e6d0127 100644
--- a/drivers/net/ethernet/sfc/nic.h
+++ b/drivers/net/ethernet/sfc/nic.h
@@ -85,6 +85,17 @@ static inline bool __efx_nic_tx_is_empty(struct efx_tx_queue *tx_queue,
 	return ((empty_read_count ^ write_count) & ~EFX_EMPTY_COUNT_VALID) == 0;
 }
 
+/* Report whether the NIC considers this TX queue empty, using
+ * packet_write_count (the write count recorded for the last completable
+ * doorbell push).  May return false negative.  EF10 only, which is OK
+ * because only EF10 supports PIO.
+ */
+static inline bool efx_nic_tx_is_empty(struct efx_tx_queue *tx_queue)
+{
+	EFX_WARN_ON_ONCE_PARANOID(!tx_queue->efx->type->option_descriptors);
+	return __efx_nic_tx_is_empty(tx_queue, tx_queue->packet_write_count);
+}
+
 /* Decide whether we can use TX PIO, ie. write packet data directly into
  * a buffer on the device.  This can reduce latency at the expense of
  * throughput, so we only do this if both hardware and software TX rings
@@ -94,9 +105,9 @@ static inline bool __efx_nic_tx_is_empty(struct efx_tx_queue *tx_queue,
 static inline bool efx_nic_may_tx_pio(struct efx_tx_queue *tx_queue)
 {
 	struct efx_tx_queue *partner = efx_tx_queue_partner(tx_queue);
-	return tx_queue->piobuf &&
-	       __efx_nic_tx_is_empty(tx_queue, tx_queue->insert_count) &&
-	       __efx_nic_tx_is_empty(partner, partner->insert_count);
+
+	return tx_queue->piobuf && efx_nic_tx_is_empty(tx_queue) &&
+	       efx_nic_tx_is_empty(partner);
 }
 
 /* Decide whether to push a TX descriptor to the NIC vs merely writing
diff --git a/drivers/net/ethernet/sfc/siena.c b/drivers/net/ethernet/sfc/siena.c
index 4e54e5dc9fcb49bf03667843d47a4a2cf1aa978b..118ff56017562edc7400a06e341b71b30aed84b7 100644
--- a/drivers/net/ethernet/sfc/siena.c
+++ b/drivers/net/ethernet/sfc/siena.c
@@ -1044,6 +1044,7 @@ const struct efx_nic_type siena_a0_nic_type = {
 	.rx_hash_offset = FS_BZ_RX_PREFIX_HASH_OFST,
 	.rx_buffer_padding = 0,
 	.can_rx_scatter = true,
+	.option_descriptors = false,
 	.max_interrupt_mode = EFX_INT_MODE_MSIX,
 	.timer_period_max = 1 << FRF_CZ_TC_TIMER_VAL_WIDTH,
 	.offload_features = (NETIF_F_IP_CSUM | NETIF_F_IPV6_CSUM |
diff --git a/drivers/net/ethernet/sfc/tx.c b/drivers/net/ethernet/sfc/tx.c
index 3c0151424d125d611d7d6f09b604bb5cfbb33519..beaf98080a0b6d3d1b0ce216b70376bdb7b912cc 100644
--- a/drivers/net/ethernet/sfc/tx.c
+++ b/drivers/net/ethernet/sfc/tx.c
@@ -817,6 +817,7 @@ void efx_init_tx_queue(struct efx_tx_queue *tx_queue)
 
 	tx_queue->insert_count = 0;
 	tx_queue->write_count = 0;
+	tx_queue->packet_write_count = 0;
 	tx_queue->old_write_count = 0;
 	tx_queue->read_count = 0;
 	tx_queue->old_read_count = 0;