struct sk_buff *skb, *next_skb;
        dma_addr_t next_skb_addr;
        struct ath5k_softc *sc = (void *)data;
-       struct ath5k_buf *bf, *bf_last;
+       struct ath5k_buf *bf;
        struct ath5k_desc *ds;
        int ret;
        int hdrlen;
                ATH5K_WARN(sc, "empty rx buf pool\n");
                goto unlock;
        }
-       bf_last = list_entry(sc->rxbuf.prev, struct ath5k_buf, list);
        do {
                rxs.flag = 0;
 
                skb = bf->skb;
                ds = bf->desc;
 
-               /*
-                * last buffer must not be freed to ensure proper hardware
-                * function. When the hardware finishes also a packet next to
-                * it, we are sure, it doesn't use it anymore and we can go on.
-                */
-               if (bf_last == bf)
-                       bf->flags |= 1;
-               if (bf->flags) {
-                       struct ath5k_buf *bf_next = list_entry(bf->list.next,
-                                       struct ath5k_buf, list);
-                       ret = sc->ah->ah_proc_rx_desc(sc->ah, bf_next->desc,
-                                       &rs);
-                       if (ret)
-                               break;
-                       bf->flags &= ~1;
-                       /* skip the overwritten one (even status is martian) */
-                       goto next;
-               }
+               /* bail if HW is still using self-linked descriptor */
+               if (ath5k_hw_get_rxdp(sc->ah) == bf->daddr)
+                       break;
 
                ret = sc->ah->ah_proc_rx_desc(sc->ah, ds, &rs);
                if (unlikely(ret == -EINPROGRESS))
 
 
 struct ath5k_buf {
        struct list_head        list;
-       unsigned int            flags;  /* rx descriptor flags */
        struct ath5k_desc       *desc;  /* virtual addr of desc */
        dma_addr_t              daddr;  /* physical addr of desc */
        struct sk_buff          *skb;   /* skbuff for buf */