diff --git a/drivers/include/net/netdev.h b/drivers/include/net/netdev.h
index 202dc8402a..929b00ed50 100644
--- a/drivers/include/net/netdev.h
+++ b/drivers/include/net/netdev.h
@@ -237,9 +237,29 @@ typedef enum {
     NETDEV_EVENT_RX_COMPLETE,               /**< finished receiving a frame */
     NETDEV_EVENT_TX_STARTED,                /**< started to transfer a frame */
     NETDEV_EVENT_TX_COMPLETE,               /**< transfer frame complete */
-    NETDEV_EVENT_TX_COMPLETE_DATA_PENDING,  /**< transfer frame complete and data pending flag */
-    NETDEV_EVENT_TX_NOACK,                  /**< ACK requested but not received */
-    NETDEV_EVENT_TX_MEDIUM_BUSY,            /**< couldn't transfer frame */
+    /**
+     * @brief   transfer frame complete and data pending flag
+     *
+     * @deprecated  Issue an NETDEV_EVENT_TX_COMPLETE event instead and pass
+     *              the data pending info in netdev_driver_t::confirm_send
+     *              via the `info` parameter
+     */
+    NETDEV_EVENT_TX_COMPLETE_DATA_PENDING,
+    /**
+     * @brief   ACK requested but not received
+     *
+     * @deprecated  Issue an NETDEV_EVENT_TX_COMPLETE event instead and return
+     *              `-ECOMM` in netdev_driver_t::confirm_send. Via the `info`
+     *              parameter additional details about the error can be passed
+     */
+    NETDEV_EVENT_TX_NOACK,
+    /**
+     * @brief   couldn't transfer frame
+     *
+     * @deprecated  Issue an NETDEV_EVENT_TX_COMPLETE event instead and return
+     *              `-EBUSY` in netdev_driver_t::confirm_send.
+     */
+    NETDEV_EVENT_TX_MEDIUM_BUSY,
     NETDEV_EVENT_LINK_UP,                   /**< link established */
     NETDEV_EVENT_LINK_DOWN,                 /**< link gone */
     NETDEV_EVENT_TX_TIMEOUT,                /**< timeout when sending */
@@ -357,22 +377,66 @@ static inline void netdev_register(struct netdev *dev, netdev_type_t type, uint8
  */
 typedef struct netdev_driver {
     /**
-     * @brief   Send frame
+     * @brief   Start transmission of the given frame and return directly
      *
      * @pre     `(dev != NULL) && (iolist != NULL)`
      *
      * @param[in]   dev     Network device descriptor. Must not be NULL.
      * @param[in]   iolist  IO vector list to send. Elements of this list may
-     *                      have iolist_t::iol_data == NULL or
-     *                      iolist_t::iol_size == 0. However, unless otherwise
-     *                      specified by the device, the *first* element
-     *                      must contain data.
+     *                      have iolist_t::iol_size == 0 and (in this case only)
+     *                      iolist_t::iol_data == 0.
      *
-     * @return negative errno on error
-     * @return number of bytes sent
+     * @retval  -EBUSY      Driver is temporarily unable to send, e.g. because
+     *                      an incoming frame on a half-duplex medium is
+     *                      received
+     * @retval  -ENETDOWN   Device is powered down
+     * @retval  <0          Other error
+     * @retval  0           Transmission successfully started
+     * @retval  >0          Number of bytes transmitted (deprecated!)
+     *
+     * This function will cause the driver to start the transmission in an
+     * async fashion. The driver will "own" the `iolist` until a subsequent
+     * call to @ref netdev_driver_t::confirm_send returns something different
+     * than `-EAGAIN`. The driver must signal completion using the
+     * NETDEV_EVENT_TX_COMPLETE event, regardless of success or failure.
+     *
+     * Old drivers might not be ported to the new API and have
+     * netdev_driver_t::confirm_send set to `NULL`. In that case the driver
+     * will return the number of bytes transmitted on success (instead of `0`)
+     * and will likely block until completion.
      */
     int (*send)(netdev_t *dev, const iolist_t *iolist);
 
+    /**
+     * @brief   Fetch the status of a transmission and perform any potential
+     *          cleanup
+     *
+     * @param[in]   dev     Network device descriptor. Must not be NULL.
+     * @param[out]  info    Device class specific type to fetch transmission
+     *                      info. May be `NULL` if not needed by upper layer.
+     *                      May be ignored by driver.
+     *
+     * @return  Number of bytes transmitted. (The size of the transmitted
+     *          frame including all overhead, such as frame check sequence,
+     *          bit stuffing, escaping, headers, trailers, preambles, start of
+     *          frame delimiters, etc. May be an estimate for performance
+     *          reasons.)
+     * @retval  -EAGAIN     Transmission still ongoing. (Call later again!)
+     * @retval  -ECOMM      Any kind of transmission error, such as collision
+     *                      detected, layer 2 ACK timeout, etc.
+     *                      Use @p info for more details
+     * @retval  -EBUSY      Medium is busy. (E.g. Auto-CCA failed / timed out)
+     * @retval  <0          Other error. (Please use a negative errno code.)
+     *
+     * @warning After netdev_driver_t::send was called and returned zero, this
+     *          function must be called until it returns anything other than
+     *          `-EAGAIN`.
+     * @note    The driver will signal completion using the
+     *          NETDEV_EVENT_TX_COMPLETE event. This function must not return
+     *          `-EAGAIN` after that event was received.
+     */
+    int (*confirm_send)(netdev_t *dev, void *info);
+
     /**
      * @brief   Drop a received frame, **OR** get the length of a received
      *          frame, **OR** get a received frame.