diff --git a/drivers/at86rf2xx/at86rf2xx.c b/drivers/at86rf2xx/at86rf2xx.c
index 987765249a..866877938d 100644
--- a/drivers/at86rf2xx/at86rf2xx.c
+++ b/drivers/at86rf2xx/at86rf2xx.c
@@ -169,6 +169,7 @@ static void at86rf2xx_enable_smart_idle(at86rf2xx_t *dev)
 
 void at86rf2xx_reset(at86rf2xx_t *dev)
 {
+    uint8_t tmp;
     netdev_ieee802154_reset(&dev->netdev);
 
     /* Reset state machine to ensure a known state */
@@ -204,7 +205,7 @@ void at86rf2xx_reset(at86rf2xx_t *dev)
 
 #if !defined(MODULE_AT86RFA1) && !defined(MODULE_AT86RFR2)
     /* don't populate masked interrupt flags to IRQ_STATUS register */
-    uint8_t tmp = at86rf2xx_reg_read(dev, AT86RF2XX_REG__TRX_CTRL_1);
+    tmp = at86rf2xx_reg_read(dev, AT86RF2XX_REG__TRX_CTRL_1);
     tmp &= ~(AT86RF2XX_TRX_CTRL_1_MASK__IRQ_MASK_MODE);
     at86rf2xx_reg_write(dev, AT86RF2XX_REG__TRX_CTRL_1, tmp);
 #endif
@@ -243,6 +244,11 @@ void at86rf2xx_reset(at86rf2xx_t *dev)
     /* go into RX state */
     at86rf2xx_set_state(dev, AT86RF2XX_PHY_STATE_RX);
 
+    /* Enable RX start IRQ */
+    tmp = at86rf2xx_reg_read(dev, AT86RF2XX_REG__IRQ_MASK);
+    tmp |= AT86RF2XX_IRQ_STATUS_MASK__RX_START;
+    at86rf2xx_reg_write(dev, AT86RF2XX_REG__IRQ_MASK, tmp);
+
     DEBUG("at86rf2xx_reset(): reset complete.\n");
 }
 
@@ -292,8 +298,7 @@ void at86rf2xx_tx_exec(at86rf2xx_t *dev)
     /* trigger sending of pre-loaded frame */
     at86rf2xx_reg_write(dev, AT86RF2XX_REG__TRX_STATE,
                         AT86RF2XX_TRX_STATE__TX_START);
-    if (netdev->event_callback &&
-        (dev->flags & AT86RF2XX_OPT_TELL_TX_START)) {
+    if (netdev->event_callback) {
         netdev->event_callback(netdev, NETDEV_EVENT_TX_STARTED);
     }
 }
diff --git a/drivers/at86rf2xx/at86rf2xx_getset.c b/drivers/at86rf2xx/at86rf2xx_getset.c
index 91e491b541..126e1619e4 100644
--- a/drivers/at86rf2xx/at86rf2xx_getset.c
+++ b/drivers/at86rf2xx/at86rf2xx_getset.c
@@ -446,14 +446,6 @@ void at86rf2xx_set_option(at86rf2xx_t *dev, uint16_t option, bool state)
                           : (tmp |  AT86RF2XX_CSMA_SEED_1__AACK_DIS_ACK);
             at86rf2xx_reg_write(dev, AT86RF2XX_REG__CSMA_SEED_1, tmp);
             break;
-        case AT86RF2XX_OPT_TELL_RX_START:
-            DEBUG("[at86rf2xx] opt: %s SFD IRQ\n",
-                  (state ? "enable" : "disable"));
-            tmp = at86rf2xx_reg_read(dev, AT86RF2XX_REG__IRQ_MASK);
-            tmp = (state) ? (tmp |  AT86RF2XX_IRQ_STATUS_MASK__RX_START)
-                          : (tmp & ~AT86RF2XX_IRQ_STATUS_MASK__RX_START);
-            at86rf2xx_reg_write(dev, AT86RF2XX_REG__IRQ_MASK, tmp);
-            break;
         case AT86RF2XX_OPT_ACK_PENDING:
             DEBUG("[at86rf2xx] opt: enabling pending ACKs\n");
             tmp = at86rf2xx_reg_read(dev, AT86RF2XX_REG__CSMA_SEED_1);
diff --git a/drivers/at86rf2xx/at86rf2xx_netdev.c b/drivers/at86rf2xx/at86rf2xx_netdev.c
index 29a1b7ad52..6988dfbcfe 100644
--- a/drivers/at86rf2xx/at86rf2xx_netdev.c
+++ b/drivers/at86rf2xx/at86rf2xx_netdev.c
@@ -346,23 +346,10 @@ static int _get(netdev_t *netdev, netopt_t opt, void *val, size_t max_len)
             break;
 
         case NETOPT_RX_START_IRQ:
-            *((netopt_enable_t *)val) =
-                !!(dev->flags & AT86RF2XX_OPT_TELL_RX_START);
-            return sizeof(netopt_enable_t);
-
         case NETOPT_RX_END_IRQ:
-            *((netopt_enable_t *)val) =
-                !!(dev->flags & AT86RF2XX_OPT_TELL_RX_END);
-            return sizeof(netopt_enable_t);
-
         case NETOPT_TX_START_IRQ:
-            *((netopt_enable_t *)val) =
-                !!(dev->flags & AT86RF2XX_OPT_TELL_TX_START);
-            return sizeof(netopt_enable_t);
-
         case NETOPT_TX_END_IRQ:
-            *((netopt_enable_t *)val) =
-                !!(dev->flags & AT86RF2XX_OPT_TELL_TX_END);
+            *((netopt_enable_t *)val) = NETOPT_ENABLE;
             return sizeof(netopt_enable_t);
 
         case NETOPT_CSMA:
@@ -601,30 +588,6 @@ static int _set(netdev_t *netdev, netopt_t opt, const void *val, size_t len)
             }
             break;
 
-        case NETOPT_RX_START_IRQ:
-            at86rf2xx_set_option(dev, AT86RF2XX_OPT_TELL_RX_START,
-                                 ((const bool *)val)[0]);
-            res = sizeof(netopt_enable_t);
-            break;
-
-        case NETOPT_RX_END_IRQ:
-            at86rf2xx_set_option(dev, AT86RF2XX_OPT_TELL_RX_END,
-                                 ((const bool *)val)[0]);
-            res = sizeof(netopt_enable_t);
-            break;
-
-        case NETOPT_TX_START_IRQ:
-            at86rf2xx_set_option(dev, AT86RF2XX_OPT_TELL_TX_START,
-                                 ((const bool *)val)[0]);
-            res = sizeof(netopt_enable_t);
-            break;
-
-        case NETOPT_TX_END_IRQ:
-            at86rf2xx_set_option(dev, AT86RF2XX_OPT_TELL_TX_END,
-                                 ((const bool *)val)[0]);
-            res = sizeof(netopt_enable_t);
-            break;
-
         case NETOPT_CSMA:
             if (!IS_ACTIVE(AT86RF2XX_BASIC_MODE)) {
                 at86rf2xx_set_option(dev, AT86RF2XX_OPT_CSMA,
@@ -716,7 +679,7 @@ static void _isr_send_complete(at86rf2xx_t *dev, uint8_t trac_status)
 
     DEBUG("[at86rf2xx] EVT - TX_END\n");
 
-    if (netdev->event_callback && (dev->flags & AT86RF2XX_OPT_TELL_TX_END)) {
+    if (netdev->event_callback) {
         switch (trac_status) {
 #ifdef MODULE_OPENTHREAD
             case AT86RF2XX_TRX_STATE__TRAC_SUCCESS:
@@ -751,7 +714,10 @@ static void _isr_send_complete(at86rf2xx_t *dev, uint8_t trac_status)
 
 static inline void _isr_recv_complete(netdev_t *netdev)
 {
-    at86rf2xx_t *dev = (at86rf2xx_t *) netdev;
+    at86rf2xx_t *dev = (at86rf2xx_t *)netdev;
+    if (!netdev->event_callback) {
+        return;
+    }
     if (IS_ACTIVE(AT86RF2XX_BASIC_MODE)) {
         uint8_t phy_status = at86rf2xx_reg_read(dev, AT86RF2XX_REG__PHY_RSSI);
         bool crc_ok = phy_status & AT86RF2XX_PHY_RSSI_MASK__RX_CRC_VALID;
@@ -803,9 +769,6 @@ static void _isr(netdev_t *netdev)
         if ((state == AT86RF2XX_PHY_STATE_RX)
             || (state == AT86RF2XX_PHY_STATE_RX_BUSY)) {
             DEBUG("[at86rf2xx] EVT - RX_END\n");
-            if (!(dev->flags & AT86RF2XX_OPT_TELL_RX_END)) {
-                return;
-            }
 
             _isr_recv_complete(netdev);
 
diff --git a/drivers/include/at86rf2xx.h b/drivers/include/at86rf2xx.h
index 04afb884f8..d9a20e5eec 100644
--- a/drivers/include/at86rf2xx.h
+++ b/drivers/include/at86rf2xx.h
@@ -177,21 +177,11 @@ extern "C" {
  * @name    Internal device option flags
  * @{
  */
-#define AT86RF2XX_OPT_TELL_TX_START  (0x0001)       /**< notify MAC layer on TX
-                                                     *   start */
-#define AT86RF2XX_OPT_TELL_TX_END    (0x0002)       /**< notify MAC layer on TX
-                                                     *   finished */
-#define AT86RF2XX_OPT_TELL_RX_START  (0x0004)       /**< notify MAC layer on RX
-                                                     *   start */
-#define AT86RF2XX_OPT_TELL_RX_END    (0x0008)       /**< notify MAC layer on RX
-                                                     *   finished */
 #define AT86RF2XX_OPT_CSMA           (0x0010)       /**< CSMA active */
-#define AT86RF2XX_OPT_PROMISCUOUS    (0x0020)       /**< promiscuous mode
-                                                     *   active */
+#define AT86RF2XX_OPT_PROMISCUOUS    (0x0020)       /**< promiscuous mode active */
 #define AT86RF2XX_OPT_PRELOADING     (0x0040)       /**< preloading enabled */
 #define AT86RF2XX_OPT_AUTOACK        (0x0080)       /**< Auto ACK active */
-#define AT86RF2XX_OPT_ACK_PENDING    (0x0100)       /**< ACK frames with data
-                                                     *   pending */
+#define AT86RF2XX_OPT_ACK_PENDING    (0x0100)       /**< ACK frames with data pending */
 
 /** @} */