diff --git a/drivers/net/r6040.c b/drivers/net/r6040.c
index 5eb057d37200..9061ec1aa4f7 100644
--- a/drivers/net/r6040.c
+++ b/drivers/net/r6040.c
@@ -175,7 +175,7 @@ struct r6040_private {
 	struct r6040_descriptor *tx_ring;
 	dma_addr_t rx_ring_dma;
 	dma_addr_t tx_ring_dma;
-	u16	tx_free_desc, rx_free_desc, phy_addr, phy_mode;
+	u16	tx_free_desc, phy_addr, phy_mode;
 	u16	mcr0, mcr1;
 	u16	switch_sig;
 	struct net_device *dev;
@@ -291,27 +291,6 @@ static void r6040_init_ring_desc(struct r6040_descriptor *desc_ring,
 	desc->vndescp = desc_ring;
 }
 
-/* Allocate skb buffer for rx descriptor */
-static void r6040_rx_buf_alloc(struct r6040_private *lp, struct net_device *dev)
-{
-	struct r6040_descriptor *descptr;
-
-	descptr = lp->rx_insert_ptr;
-	while (lp->rx_free_desc < RX_DCNT) {
-		descptr->skb_ptr = netdev_alloc_skb(dev, MAX_BUF_SIZE);
-
-		if (!descptr->skb_ptr)
-			break;
-		descptr->buf = cpu_to_le32(pci_map_single(lp->pdev,
-			descptr->skb_ptr->data,
-			MAX_BUF_SIZE, PCI_DMA_FROMDEVICE));
-		descptr->status = 0x8000;
-		descptr = descptr->vndescp;
-		lp->rx_free_desc++;
-	}
-	lp->rx_insert_ptr = descptr;
-}
-
 static void r6040_init_txbufs(struct net_device *dev)
 {
 	struct r6040_private *lp = netdev_priv(dev);
@@ -556,71 +535,72 @@ static int r6040_ioctl(struct net_device *dev, struct ifreq *rq, int cmd)
 static int r6040_rx(struct net_device *dev, int limit)
 {
 	struct r6040_private *priv = netdev_priv(dev);
-	int count;
-	void __iomem *ioaddr = priv->base;
+	struct r6040_descriptor *descptr = priv->rx_remove_ptr;
+	struct sk_buff *skb_ptr, *new_skb;
+	int count = 0;
 	u16 err;
 
-	for (count = 0; count < limit; ++count) {
-		struct r6040_descriptor *descptr = priv->rx_remove_ptr;
-		struct sk_buff *skb_ptr;
-
-		descptr = priv->rx_remove_ptr;
-
-		/* Check for errors */
-		err = ioread16(ioaddr + MLSR);
-		if (err & 0x0400)
-			dev->stats.rx_errors++;
-		/* RX FIFO over-run */
-		if (err & 0x8000)
-			dev->stats.rx_fifo_errors++;
-		/* RX descriptor unavailable */
-		if (err & 0x0080)
-			dev->stats.rx_frame_errors++;
-		/* Received packet with length over buffer lenght */
-		if (err & 0x0020)
-			dev->stats.rx_over_errors++;
-		/* Received packet with too long or short */
-		if (err & (0x0010 | 0x0008))
-			dev->stats.rx_length_errors++;
-		/* Received packet with CRC errors */
-		if (err & 0x0004) {
-			spin_lock(&priv->lock);
-			dev->stats.rx_crc_errors++;
-			spin_unlock(&priv->lock);
-		}
-
-		while (priv->rx_free_desc) {
-			/* No RX packet */
-			if (descptr->status & 0x8000)
-				break;
-			skb_ptr = descptr->skb_ptr;
-			if (!skb_ptr) {
-				printk(KERN_ERR "%s: Inconsistent RX"
-					"descriptor chain\n",
-					dev->name);
-				break;
+	/* Limit not reached and the descriptor belongs to the CPU */
+	while (count < limit && !(descptr->status & 0x8000)) {
+		/* Read the descriptor status */
+		err = descptr->status;
+		/* Global error status set */
+		if (err & 0x0800) {
+			/* RX dribble */
+			if (err & 0x0400)
+				dev->stats.rx_frame_errors++;
+			/* Buffer lenght exceeded */
+			if (err & 0x0200)
+				dev->stats.rx_length_errors++;
+			/* Packet too long */
+			if (err & 0x0100)
+				dev->stats.rx_length_errors++;
+			/* Packet < 64 bytes */
+			if (err & 0x0080)
+				dev->stats.rx_length_errors++;
+			/* CRC error */
+			if (err & 0x0040) {
+				spin_lock(&priv->lock);
+				dev->stats.rx_crc_errors++;
+				spin_unlock(&priv->lock);
 			}
-			descptr->skb_ptr = NULL;
-			skb_ptr->dev = priv->dev;
-			/* Do not count the CRC */
-			skb_put(skb_ptr, descptr->len - 4);
-			pci_unmap_single(priv->pdev, le32_to_cpu(descptr->buf),
-				MAX_BUF_SIZE, PCI_DMA_FROMDEVICE);
-			skb_ptr->protocol = eth_type_trans(skb_ptr, priv->dev);
-			/* Send to upper layer */
-			netif_receive_skb(skb_ptr);
-			dev->last_rx = jiffies;
-			dev->stats.rx_packets++;
-			dev->stats.rx_bytes += descptr->len;
-			/* To next descriptor */
-			descptr = descptr->vndescp;
-			priv->rx_free_desc--;
+			goto next_descr;
 		}
-		priv->rx_remove_ptr = descptr;
+		
+		/* Packet successfully received */
+		new_skb = netdev_alloc_skb(dev, MAX_BUF_SIZE);
+		if (!new_skb) {
+			dev->stats.rx_dropped++;
+			goto next_descr;
+		}
+		skb_ptr = descptr->skb_ptr;
+		skb_ptr->dev = priv->dev;
+		
+		/* Do not count the CRC */
+		skb_put(skb_ptr, descptr->len - 4);
+		pci_unmap_single(priv->pdev, le32_to_cpu(descptr->buf),
+					MAX_BUF_SIZE, PCI_DMA_FROMDEVICE);
+		skb_ptr->protocol = eth_type_trans(skb_ptr, priv->dev);
+		
+		/* Send to upper layer */
+		netif_receive_skb(skb_ptr);
+		dev->last_rx = jiffies;
+		dev->stats.rx_packets++;
+		dev->stats.rx_bytes += descptr->len - 4;
+
+		/* put new skb into descriptor */
+		descptr->skb_ptr = new_skb;
+		descptr->buf = cpu_to_le32(pci_map_single(priv->pdev,
+						descptr->skb_ptr->data,
+					MAX_BUF_SIZE, PCI_DMA_FROMDEVICE));
+
+next_descr:
+		/* put the descriptor back to the MAC */
+		descptr->status = 0x8000;
+		descptr = descptr->vndescp;
+		count++;
 	}
-	/* Allocate new RX buffer */
-	if (priv->rx_free_desc < RX_DCNT)
-		r6040_rx_buf_alloc(priv, priv->dev);
+	priv->rx_remove_ptr = descptr;
 
 	return count;
 }