diff --git a/hw/net/e1000e_core.c b/hw/net/e1000e_core.c
index c99e2fbd625d29aeba04796890fe4c44fcf85021..28c5be1506563d62f0afa7608bfcd854c76e9269 100644
--- a/hw/net/e1000e_core.c
+++ b/hw/net/e1000e_core.c
@@ -806,7 +806,8 @@ typedef struct E1000E_RingInfo_st {
 static inline bool
 e1000e_ring_empty(E1000ECore *core, const E1000E_RingInfo *r)
 {
-    return core->mac[r->dh] == core->mac[r->dt];
+    return core->mac[r->dh] == core->mac[r->dt] ||
+                core->mac[r->dt] >= core->mac[r->dlen] / E1000_RING_DESC_LEN;
 }
 
 static inline uint64_t
@@ -1522,6 +1523,10 @@ e1000e_write_packet_to_guest(E1000ECore *core, struct NetRxPkt *pkt,
             desc_size = core->rx_desc_buf_size;
         }
 
+        if (e1000e_ring_empty(core, rxi)) {
+            return;
+        }
+
         base = e1000e_ring_head_descr(core, rxi);
 
         pci_dma_read(d, base, &desc, core->rx_desc_len);