diff --git a/sys/include/net/gnrc/lorawan.h b/sys/include/net/gnrc/lorawan.h
index d6f7ee38f5..1571b3153c 100644
--- a/sys/include/net/gnrc/lorawan.h
+++ b/sys/include/net/gnrc/lorawan.h
@@ -237,8 +237,9 @@ void gnrc_lorawan_mcps_request(gnrc_lorawan_t *mac,
  *        To be called on radio RX done event.
  *
  * @param[in] mac pointer to the MAC descriptor
- * @param[in] data pointer to the psdu. Pass NULL if the packet was wrong (or
- * allocation failed)
+ * @param[in] data pointer to the psdu. Must not be NULL. Use
+ *            @ref gnrc_lorawan_radio_rx_error_cb instead if the reception was
+ *            not successful.
  * @param[in] size size of the PSDU
  */
 void gnrc_lorawan_radio_rx_done_cb(gnrc_lorawan_t *mac, uint8_t *data,
diff --git a/sys/net/gnrc/link_layer/lorawan/gnrc_lorawan.c b/sys/net/gnrc/link_layer/lorawan/gnrc_lorawan.c
index efeab23dd7..3a3cfa1ff8 100644
--- a/sys/net/gnrc/link_layer/lorawan/gnrc_lorawan.c
+++ b/sys/net/gnrc/link_layer/lorawan/gnrc_lorawan.c
@@ -242,10 +242,8 @@ void gnrc_lorawan_send_pkt(gnrc_lorawan_t *mac, iolist_t *psdu, uint8_t dr)
 void gnrc_lorawan_radio_rx_done_cb(gnrc_lorawan_t *mac, uint8_t *psdu,
                                    size_t size)
 {
+    assert(psdu);
     _sleep_radio(mac);
-    if (psdu == NULL) {
-        return;
-    }
     mac->state = LORAWAN_STATE_IDLE;
     gnrc_lorawan_remove_timer(mac);