diff --git a/hw/virtio-net.c b/hw/virtio-net.c
index b1998b27d3..6490743290 100644
--- a/hw/virtio-net.c
+++ b/hw/virtio-net.c
@@ -447,10 +447,6 @@ static void virtio_net_handle_rx(VirtIODevice *vdev, VirtQueue *vq)
     VirtIONet *n = to_virtio_net(vdev);
 
     qemu_flush_queued_packets(&n->nic->nc);
-
-    /* We now have RX buffers, signal to the IO thread to break out of the
-     * select to re-poll the tap file descriptor */
-    qemu_notify_event();
 }
 
 static int virtio_net_can_receive(NetClientState *nc)
diff --git a/net.c b/net.c
index e5d25d4b6d..d9ba1e5b74 100644
--- a/net.c
+++ b/net.c
@@ -357,7 +357,12 @@ void qemu_flush_queued_packets(NetClientState *nc)
 {
     nc->receive_disabled = 0;
 
-    qemu_net_queue_flush(nc->send_queue);
+    if (qemu_net_queue_flush(nc->send_queue)) {
+        /* We emptied the queue successfully, signal to the IO thread to repoll
+         * the file descriptor (for tap, for example).
+         */
+        qemu_notify_event();
+    }
 }
 
 static ssize_t qemu_send_packet_async_with_flags(NetClientState *sender,
diff --git a/net/queue.c b/net/queue.c
index e8030aafe4..6e64091463 100644
--- a/net/queue.c
+++ b/net/queue.c
@@ -228,7 +228,7 @@ void qemu_net_queue_purge(NetQueue *queue, NetClientState *from)
     }
 }
 
-void qemu_net_queue_flush(NetQueue *queue)
+bool qemu_net_queue_flush(NetQueue *queue)
 {
     while (!QTAILQ_EMPTY(&queue->packets)) {
         NetPacket *packet;
@@ -244,7 +244,7 @@ void qemu_net_queue_flush(NetQueue *queue)
                                      packet->size);
         if (ret == 0) {
             QTAILQ_INSERT_HEAD(&queue->packets, packet, entry);
-            break;
+            return false;
         }
 
         if (packet->sent_cb) {
@@ -253,4 +253,5 @@ void qemu_net_queue_flush(NetQueue *queue)
 
         g_free(packet);
     }
+    return true;
 }
diff --git a/net/queue.h b/net/queue.h
index 9d44a9b3b8..fc02b33915 100644
--- a/net/queue.h
+++ b/net/queue.h
@@ -53,6 +53,6 @@ ssize_t qemu_net_queue_send_iov(NetQueue *queue,
                                 NetPacketSent *sent_cb);
 
 void qemu_net_queue_purge(NetQueue *queue, NetClientState *from);
-void qemu_net_queue_flush(NetQueue *queue);
+bool qemu_net_queue_flush(NetQueue *queue);
 
 #endif /* QEMU_NET_QUEUE_H */