diff --git a/cpu/native/socket_zep/socket_zep.c b/cpu/native/socket_zep/socket_zep.c
index 6e2a846abc..22b49aee2b 100644
--- a/cpu/native/socket_zep/socket_zep.c
+++ b/cpu/native/socket_zep/socket_zep.c
@@ -244,7 +244,7 @@ static void _socket_isr(int fd, void *arg)
     } else {
         /* discard frame */
         uint8_t tmp;
-        real_read(fd, &tmp, sizeof(tmp));
+        real_recv(fd, &tmp, sizeof(tmp), 0);
         _continue_reading(zepdev);
     }
 }
@@ -445,23 +445,25 @@ static int _confirm_transmit(ieee802154_dev_t *dev, ieee802154_tx_info_t *info)
 
 int _len(ieee802154_dev_t *dev)
 {
-    size_t size;
     socket_zep_t *zepdev = dev->priv;
 
-    int res = real_ioctl(zepdev->sock_fd, FIONREAD, &size);
+    zep_v2_data_hdr_t hdr;
+
+    int res = real_recv(zepdev->sock_fd, &hdr, sizeof(hdr), MSG_TRUNC | MSG_PEEK);
     if (res < 0) {
         DEBUG("socket_zep::len: error reading FIONREAD: %s", strerror(errno));
         return 0;
     }
 
-    DEBUG("socket_zep::len %zu bytes on %d\n", size, zepdev->sock_fd);
-
-    if (size < sizeof(zep_v2_data_hdr_t)) {
+    if (res < (int)sizeof(zep_v2_data_hdr_t)) {
+        DEBUG("socket_zep::len discard short frame (%zu bytes)\n", res);
         return 0;
     }
 
+    DEBUG("socket_zep::len %u bytes on %d\n", hdr.length, zepdev->sock_fd);
+
     /* report size without ZEP header and checksum */
-    return size - (sizeof(zep_v2_data_hdr_t) + 2);
+    return hdr.length - 2;
 }
 
 static void _send_ack(socket_zep_t *zepdev, const void *frame)
@@ -495,18 +497,23 @@ static int _read(ieee802154_dev_t *dev, void *buf, size_t max_size,
 {
     int res;
     socket_zep_t *zepdev = dev->priv;
+    size_t frame_len = max_size + sizeof(zep_v2_data_hdr_t) + 2;
 
     DEBUG("socket_zep::read: reading up to %u bytes into %p\n", max_size, buf);
 
-    if (max_size + sizeof(zep_v2_data_hdr_t) > sizeof(zepdev->rcv_buf)) {
-        return 0;
+    if (frame_len > sizeof(zepdev->rcv_buf)) {
+        DEBUG("socket_zep::read: frame size (%zu) exceeds RX  buffer (%zu bytes)\n",
+              frame_len, sizeof(zepdev->rcv_buf));
+        res = -ENOBUFS;
+        goto out;
     }
 
-    res = real_read(zepdev->sock_fd, zepdev->rcv_buf, max_size + sizeof(zep_v2_data_hdr_t));
+    res = real_recv(zepdev->sock_fd, zepdev->rcv_buf, frame_len, MSG_TRUNC);
 
-    DEBUG("socket_zep::read: got %d bytes\n", res);
+    DEBUG("socket_zep::read: got %d/%zu bytes\n", res, frame_len);
 
-    if (res <= (int)sizeof(zep_v2_data_hdr_t)) {
+    if (res <= (int)sizeof(zep_v2_data_hdr_t) || res > (int)frame_len) {
+        DEBUG("socket_zep::read: %s\n", strerror(errno));
         res = 0;
         goto out;
     }