diff --git a/drivers/stmpe811/stmpe811.c b/drivers/stmpe811/stmpe811.c
index a04a2b0810..14c639da7e 100644
--- a/drivers/stmpe811/stmpe811.c
+++ b/drivers/stmpe811/stmpe811.c
@@ -162,7 +162,7 @@ int stmpe811_init(stmpe811_t *dev, const stmpe811_params_t * params, touch_event
 
     if ((dev->params.int_pin != GPIO_UNDEF) && cb) {
         DEBUG("[stmpe811] init: configuring touchscreen interrupt\n");
-        gpio_init_int(dev->params.int_pin, GPIO_IN, GPIO_RISING, cb, arg);
+        gpio_init_int(dev->params.int_pin, GPIO_IN, GPIO_FALLING, cb, arg);
 
         /* Enable touchscreen interrupt */
         ret += i2c_write_reg(STMPE811_DEV_I2C, STMPE811_DEV_ADDR,
@@ -170,7 +170,7 @@ int stmpe811_init(stmpe811_t *dev, const stmpe811_params_t * params, touch_event
 
         /* Enable global interrupt */
         ret += i2c_write_reg(STMPE811_DEV_I2C, STMPE811_DEV_ADDR,
-                             STMPE811_INT_CTRL, STMPE811_INT_CTRL_GLOBAL_INT, 0);
+                             STMPE811_INT_CTRL, STMPE811_INT_CTRL_GLOBAL_INT | STMPE811_INT_CTRL_INT_TYPE, 0);
     }
 
     if (ret < 0) {
@@ -194,6 +194,13 @@ int stmpe811_read_touch_position(stmpe811_t *dev, stmpe811_touch_position_t *pos
     /* Acquire I2C device */
     i2c_acquire(STMPE811_DEV_I2C);
 
+    /* Ensure there's a least one position measured in the FIFO */
+    uint8_t fifo_size = 0;
+    do {
+        i2c_read_reg(STMPE811_DEV_I2C, STMPE811_DEV_ADDR,
+                     STMPE811_FIFO_SIZE, &fifo_size, 0);
+    } while (!fifo_size);
+
     uint8_t  xyz[4];
     uint32_t xyz_ul;
 
@@ -203,7 +210,6 @@ int stmpe811_read_touch_position(stmpe811_t *dev, stmpe811_touch_position_t *pos
         i2c_release(STMPE811_DEV_I2C);
         return -STMPE811_ERR_I2C;
     }
-    _reset_fifo(dev);
 
     /* Release I2C device */
     i2c_release(STMPE811_DEV_I2C);
@@ -262,8 +268,9 @@ int stmpe811_read_touch_state(const stmpe811_t *dev, stmpe811_touch_state_t *sta
         return -STMPE811_ERR_I2C;
     }
 
+    _clear_interrupt_status(dev);
+
     if ((val & STMPE811_TSC_CTRL_STA)) {
-        _clear_interrupt_status(dev);
         *state = STMPE811_TOUCH_STATE_PRESSED;
     }
     else {
diff --git a/tests/driver_stmpe811/Makefile b/tests/driver_stmpe811/Makefile
index ae5eeb40eb..5261b86335 100644
--- a/tests/driver_stmpe811/Makefile
+++ b/tests/driver_stmpe811/Makefile
@@ -2,7 +2,6 @@ BOARD ?= stm32f429i-disc1
 
 include ../Makefile.tests_common
 
-USEMODULE += xtimer
 USEMODULE += stmpe811
 
 include $(RIOTBASE)/Makefile.include
diff --git a/tests/driver_stmpe811/README.md b/tests/driver_stmpe811/README.md
index 96d2bfbf77..0144f9ca5d 100644
--- a/tests/driver_stmpe811/README.md
+++ b/tests/driver_stmpe811/README.md
@@ -13,21 +13,17 @@ make -C tests/driver_stmpe811 flash term
 ## Expected output
 
 The application initializes the STMPE811 and displays "Pressed!" when a touch
-event is detected.
-Current touch positions are printed in terminal while holding the screen
-pressed.
+event is detected. The position of the touch event is also displayed.
 "Released" is displayed when the screen is released.
 
 ```
-2020-02-10 10:20:17,647 # Pressed!
-2020-02-10 10:20:17,653 # X: 167, Y:81
-2020-02-10 10:20:17,659 # X: 165, Y:75
-2020-02-10 10:20:17,671 # X: 165, Y:69
-2020-02-10 10:20:17,689 # X: 166, Y:68
-2020-02-10 10:20:17,701 # X: 167, Y:68
-2020-02-10 10:20:17,713 # X: 169, Y:69
-2020-02-10 10:20:17,725 # X: 170, Y:69
-2020-02-10 10:20:17,737 # X: 170, Y:70
-2020-02-10 10:20:17,755 # X: 173, Y:69
-2020-02-10 10:20:17,761 # Released!
+2020-07-21 21:24:49,286 # Pressed!
+2020-07-21 21:24:49,293 # X: 132, Y:138
+2020-07-21 21:24:49,826 # Released!
+2020-07-21 21:24:51,218 # Pressed!
+2020-07-21 21:24:51,219 # X: 42, Y:16
+2020-07-21 21:24:51,614 # Released!
+2020-07-21 21:24:53,385 # Pressed!
+2020-07-21 21:24:53,385 # X: 197, Y:64
+2020-07-21 21:24:53,588 # Released!
 ```
diff --git a/tests/driver_stmpe811/main.c b/tests/driver_stmpe811/main.c
index e29361558a..a99740f985 100644
--- a/tests/driver_stmpe811/main.c
+++ b/tests/driver_stmpe811/main.c
@@ -20,25 +20,25 @@
 
 #include <stdio.h>
 
-#include "xtimer.h"
+#include "mutex.h"
 
 #include "stmpe811.h"
 #include "stmpe811_params.h"
 
 static void _touch_event_cb(void *arg)
 {
-    (void)arg;
-    puts("Pressed!");
+    mutex_unlock(arg);
 }
 
 int main(void)
 {
+    mutex_t lock = MUTEX_INIT_LOCKED;
     stmpe811_t dev;
 
     puts("STMPE811 test application\n");
 
     printf("+------------Initializing------------+\n");
-    int ret = stmpe811_init(&dev, &stmpe811_params[0], _touch_event_cb, NULL);
+    int ret = stmpe811_init(&dev, &stmpe811_params[0], _touch_event_cb, &lock);
     if (ret != STMPE811_OK) {
         puts("[Error] Initialization failed");
         return 1;
@@ -51,8 +51,16 @@ int main(void)
     stmpe811_touch_state_t last_touch_state = current_touch_state;
 
     while (1) {
+
+        /* wait for touch event */
+        mutex_lock(&lock);
+
         stmpe811_read_touch_state(&dev, &current_touch_state);
+
         if (current_touch_state != last_touch_state) {
+            if (current_touch_state == STMPE811_TOUCH_STATE_PRESSED) {
+                puts("Pressed!");
+            }
             if (current_touch_state == STMPE811_TOUCH_STATE_RELEASED) {
                 puts("Released!");
             }
@@ -65,8 +73,6 @@ int main(void)
             stmpe811_read_touch_position(&dev, &position);
             printf("X: %i, Y:%i\n", position.x, position.y);
         }
-
-        xtimer_usleep(10 * US_PER_MS);
     }
 
     return 0;