diff --git a/cpu/cc2538/radio/cc2538_rf.c b/cpu/cc2538/radio/cc2538_rf.c
index e72dd782af..cd3ab3785f 100644
--- a/cpu/cc2538/radio/cc2538_rf.c
+++ b/cpu/cc2538/radio/cc2538_rf.c
@@ -65,9 +65,11 @@ static const init_pair_t init_table[] = {
     {&RFCORE_XREG_FRMCTRL1,  0x00                     },
     {&RFCORE_XREG_SRCMATCH,  0x00                     },
     {&RFCORE_XREG_FIFOPCTRL, CC2538_RF_MAX_DATA_LEN   },
-    {&RFCORE_XREG_RFIRQM0,   FIFOP | RXPKTDONE        },
 #if IS_USED(MODULE_IEEE802154_RADIO_HAL)
-    {&RFCORE_XREG_RFIRQM1,   TXDONE | CSP_STOP        },
+    {&RFCORE_XREG_RFIRQM0,   FIFOP | RXPKTDONE | SFD  },
+    {&RFCORE_XREG_RFIRQM1,   TXDONE | CSP_STOP | TXACKDONE  },
+#else
+    {&RFCORE_XREG_RFIRQM0,   FIFOP | RXPKTDONE        },
 #endif
     {&RFCORE_XREG_RFERRM,    STROBE_ERR | TXUNDERF | TXOVERF | RXUNDERF | RXOVERF | NLOCK},
     {NULL, 0},
diff --git a/cpu/cc2538/radio/cc2538_rf_radio_ops.c b/cpu/cc2538/radio/cc2538_rf_radio_ops.c
index 36863ea493..c232b5421e 100644
--- a/cpu/cc2538/radio/cc2538_rf_radio_ops.c
+++ b/cpu/cc2538/radio/cc2538_rf_radio_ops.c
@@ -43,6 +43,8 @@ static bool cc2538_cca_status;  /**< status of the last CCA request */
 static bool cc2538_cca;         /**< used to check whether the last CCA result
                                      corresponds to a CCA request or send with
                                      CSMA-CA */
+static bool cc2538_sfd_listen;  /**< used to check whether we should ignore
+                                     the SFD flag */
 
 static int _write(ieee802154_dev_t *dev, const iolist_t *iolist)
 {
@@ -314,22 +316,45 @@ void cc2538_irq_handler(void)
     RFCORE_SFR_RFIRQF0 = 0;
     RFCORE_SFR_RFIRQF1 = 0;
 
+    if ((flags_f0 & SFD) && cc2538_sfd_listen) {
+        if (RFCORE->XREG_FSMSTAT1bits.TX_ACTIVE) {
+            cc2538_rf_dev.cb(&cc2538_rf_dev, IEEE802154_RADIO_INDICATION_TX_START);
+        }
+    }
+
     if (flags_f1 & TXDONE) {
         cc2538_rf_dev.cb(&cc2538_rf_dev, IEEE802154_RADIO_CONFIRM_TX_DONE);
     }
 
+    if ((flags_f0 & SFD) && cc2538_sfd_listen) {
+        if (RFCORE->XREG_FSMSTAT1bits.RX_ACTIVE) {
+            cc2538_rf_dev.cb(&cc2538_rf_dev, IEEE802154_RADIO_INDICATION_RX_START);
+        }
+    }
+
     if (flags_f0 & RXPKTDONE) {
         /* CRC check */
         uint8_t pkt_len = rfcore_peek_rx_fifo(0);
         if (rfcore_peek_rx_fifo(pkt_len) & CC2538_CRC_BIT_MASK) {
-            RFCORE_XREG_RFIRQM0 &= RXPKTDONE;
+            /* Disable RX while the frame has not been processed */
+            RFCORE_XREG_RXMASKCLR = 0xFF;
+            /* If AUTOACK is enabled and the ACK request bit is set */
+            if (RFCORE->XREG_FRMCTRL0bits.AUTOACK &&
+                (rfcore_peek_rx_fifo(1) & IEEE802154_FCF_ACK_REQ)) {
+                /* The next SFD will be the ACK's, ignore it */
+                cc2538_sfd_listen = false;
+            }
             cc2538_rf_dev.cb(&cc2538_rf_dev, IEEE802154_RADIO_INDICATION_RX_DONE);
         }
         else {
             /* CRC failed; discard packet */
             RFCORE_SFR_RFST = ISFLUSHRX;
         }
+    }
 
+    /* Re-Enable SFD ISR after ACK is received */
+    if (flags_f1 & TXACKDONE) {
+        cc2538_sfd_listen = true;
     }
 
     /* Check if the interrupt was triggered because the CSP finished its routine
@@ -367,6 +392,8 @@ static bool _get_cap(ieee802154_dev_t *dev, ieee802154_rf_caps_t cap)
         case IEEE802154_CAP_24_GHZ:
         case IEEE802154_CAP_IRQ_TX_DONE:
         case IEEE802154_CAP_IRQ_CCA_DONE:
+        case IEEE802154_CAP_IRQ_RX_START:
+        case IEEE802154_CAP_IRQ_TX_START:
         case IEEE802154_CAP_AUTO_CSMA:
             return true;
         default:
@@ -413,6 +440,8 @@ static int _request_on(ieee802154_dev_t *dev)
 {
     (void) dev;
     /* TODO */
+    /* when turned on listen for SFD interrupts */
+    cc2538_sfd_listen = true;
     return 0;
 }