diff --git a/drivers/net/ethernet/xilinx/xilinx_axienet_main.c b/drivers/net/ethernet/xilinx/xilinx_axienet_main.c
index f869d61e3b86..62c10eb4f0ad 100644
--- a/drivers/net/ethernet/xilinx/xilinx_axienet_main.c
+++ b/drivers/net/ethernet/xilinx/xilinx_axienet_main.c
@@ -652,15 +652,15 @@ static int axienet_device_reset(struct net_device *ndev)
  *
  * Would either be called after a successful transmit operation, or after
  * there was an error when setting up the chain.
- * Returns the number of descriptors handled.
+ * Returns the number of packets handled.
  */
 static int axienet_free_tx_chain(struct axienet_local *lp, u32 first_bd,
 				 int nr_bds, bool force, u32 *sizep, int budget)
 {
 	struct axidma_bd *cur_p;
 	unsigned int status;
+	int i, packets = 0;
 	dma_addr_t phys;
-	int i;
 
 	for (i = 0; i < nr_bds; i++) {
 		cur_p = &lp->tx_bd_v[(first_bd + i) % lp->tx_bd_num];
@@ -679,8 +679,10 @@ static int axienet_free_tx_chain(struct axienet_local *lp, u32 first_bd,
 				 (cur_p->cntrl & XAXIDMA_BD_CTRL_LENGTH_MASK),
 				 DMA_TO_DEVICE);
 
-		if (cur_p->skb && (status & XAXIDMA_BD_STS_COMPLETE_MASK))
+		if (cur_p->skb && (status & XAXIDMA_BD_STS_COMPLETE_MASK)) {
 			napi_consume_skb(cur_p->skb, budget);
+			packets++;
+		}
 
 		cur_p->app0 = 0;
 		cur_p->app1 = 0;
@@ -696,7 +698,13 @@ static int axienet_free_tx_chain(struct axienet_local *lp, u32 first_bd,
 			*sizep += status & XAXIDMA_BD_STS_ACTUAL_LEN_MASK;
 	}
 
-	return i;
+	if (!force) {
+		lp->tx_bd_ci += i;
+		if (lp->tx_bd_ci >= lp->tx_bd_num)
+			lp->tx_bd_ci %= lp->tx_bd_num;
+	}
+
+	return packets;
 }
 
 /**
@@ -747,13 +755,10 @@ static int axienet_tx_poll(struct napi_struct *napi, int budget)
 	u32 size = 0;
 	int packets;
 
-	packets = axienet_free_tx_chain(lp, lp->tx_bd_ci, budget, false, &size, budget);
+	packets = axienet_free_tx_chain(lp, lp->tx_bd_ci, lp->tx_bd_num, false,
+					&size, budget);
 
 	if (packets) {
-		lp->tx_bd_ci += packets;
-		if (lp->tx_bd_ci >= lp->tx_bd_num)
-			lp->tx_bd_ci %= lp->tx_bd_num;
-
 		u64_stats_update_begin(&lp->tx_stat_sync);
 		u64_stats_add(&lp->tx_packets, packets);
 		u64_stats_add(&lp->tx_bytes, size);