diff --git a/impl/src/layer2/connection.c b/impl/src/layer2/connection.c
index 3464eed..afa371e 100644
--- a/impl/src/layer2/connection.c
+++ b/impl/src/layer2/connection.c
@@ -115,7 +115,7 @@ result_t connection_handle_packet(connection_ctx_t *ctx, const uint8_t *buf, siz
 		case L2_MSG_TYPE_EMPTY:
 			LOG(LVL_DEBUG, "Empty packet: accepted ACK for %u.", ctx->last_acked_seq);
 			// handle the acknowledgement internally
-			connection_handle_ack(ctx, header.rx_seq_nr);
+			connection_handle_ack(ctx, header.rx_seq_nr, false);
 			return OK; // do not ACK and call back
 
 		case L2_MSG_TYPE_CONN_MGMT:
@@ -142,7 +142,7 @@ result_t connection_handle_packet(connection_ctx_t *ctx, const uint8_t *buf, siz
 	LOG(LVL_INFO, "Received ACK for seq_nr %u in packet seq_nr %u.", header.rx_seq_nr, header.tx_seq_nr);
 
 	// handle the acknowledgement internally
-	connection_handle_ack(ctx, header.rx_seq_nr);
+	connection_handle_ack(ctx, header.rx_seq_nr, true);
 
 	size_t header_size = layer2_get_encoded_header_size(&header);
 
@@ -332,7 +332,7 @@ void connection_tx_clean_empty_packet(connection_ctx_t *ctx)
 }
 
 
-void connection_handle_ack(connection_ctx_t *ctx, uint8_t acked_seq)
+void connection_handle_ack(connection_ctx_t *ctx, uint8_t acked_seq, bool do_ack)
 {
 	// check the connection state
 	switch(ctx->conn_state) {
@@ -369,7 +369,7 @@ void connection_handle_ack(connection_ctx_t *ctx, uint8_t acked_seq)
 
 	LOG(LVL_DEBUG, "handling ack for seq_nr %u, removing %zu packets, %zu packets remaining.", acked_seq, packets_to_remove, packets_available);
 
-	if(packets_available == 0) {
+	if(do_ack && packets_available == 0) {
 		// no packets left in queue, but an acknowledgement must be
 		// transmitted. Add an empty packet to do that.
 		result_t res = connection_add_empty_packet(ctx, false);
diff --git a/impl/src/layer2/connection.h b/impl/src/layer2/connection.h
index a10e627..0d7669f 100644
--- a/impl/src/layer2/connection.h
+++ b/impl/src/layer2/connection.h
@@ -123,7 +123,7 @@ void connection_tx_clean_empty_packet(connection_ctx_t *ctx);
  * \param acked_seq The acknowledged (= next expected) sequence number.
  * \param do_ack    Whether an empty packet shall be generated if the queue is empty.
  */
-void connection_handle_ack(connection_ctx_t *ctx, uint8_t acked_seq);
+void connection_handle_ack(connection_ctx_t *ctx, uint8_t acked_seq, bool do_ack);
 
 /*!\brief Check if there are packets queued for transmission.
  */