diff --git a/drivers/at86rf215/at86rf215_netdev.c b/drivers/at86rf215/at86rf215_netdev.c
index dddbb8280d..74eb08b65e 100644
--- a/drivers/at86rf215/at86rf215_netdev.c
+++ b/drivers/at86rf215/at86rf215_netdev.c
@@ -325,7 +325,6 @@ static int _get(netdev_t *netdev, netopt_t opt, void *val, size_t max_len)
 
         case NETOPT_RX_START_IRQ:
         case NETOPT_TX_START_IRQ:
-        case NETOPT_TX_END_IRQ:
             *((netopt_enable_t *)val) = NETOPT_ENABLE;
             return sizeof(netopt_enable_t);
 
@@ -859,7 +858,7 @@ static void _enable_tx2rx(at86rf215_t *dev)
     at86rf215_reg_write(dev, dev->BBC->RG_AMCS, amcs);
 }
 
-static void _tx_end(at86rf215_t *dev, netdev_event_t event)
+static void _tx_end(at86rf215_t *dev)
 {
     netdev_t *netdev = &dev->netdev.netdev;
 
@@ -871,11 +870,6 @@ static void _tx_end(at86rf215_t *dev, netdev_event_t event)
 
     at86rf215_tx_done(dev);
 
-    if (event == NETDEV_EVENT_TX_NOACK) {
-        /* signal error to confirm_send */
-        dev->tx_frame_len = (int16_t)-EIO;
-    }
-
     if (netdev->event_callback) {
         netdev->event_callback(netdev, NETDEV_EVENT_TX_COMPLETE);
     }
@@ -884,6 +878,14 @@ static void _tx_end(at86rf215_t *dev, netdev_event_t event)
     dev->state = AT86RF215_STATE_IDLE;
 }
 
+static void __tx_end_timeout(at86rf215_t *dev)
+{
+    /* signal error to confirm_send */
+    dev->tx_frame_len = (int16_t)-EHOSTUNREACH;
+
+    _tx_end(dev);
+}
+
 static void _ack_timeout_cb(void* arg) {
     at86rf215_t *dev = arg;
     netdev_t *netdev = &dev->netdev.netdev;
@@ -975,7 +977,7 @@ static void _handle_ack_timeout(at86rf215_t *dev)
         at86rf215_rf_cmd(dev, CMD_RF_TXPREP);
     } else {
         /* no retransmissions left */
-        _tx_end(dev, NETDEV_EVENT_TX_NOACK);
+        __tx_end_timeout(dev);
     }
 }
 
@@ -1234,7 +1236,7 @@ static void _isr(netdev_t *netdev)
             dev->state = AT86RF215_STATE_TX_WAIT_ACK;
             _start_ack_timer(dev);
         } else {
-            _tx_end(dev, NETDEV_EVENT_TX_COMPLETE);
+            _tx_end(dev);
         }
         break;
 
@@ -1255,7 +1257,7 @@ static void _isr(netdev_t *netdev)
         if (_ack_frame_received(dev)) {
             timeout = 0;
             xtimer_remove(&dev->timer);
-            _tx_end(dev, NETDEV_EVENT_TX_COMPLETE);
+            _tx_end(dev);
             at86rf215_rf_cmd(dev, CMD_RF_RX);
             break;
         }
diff --git a/drivers/include/net/netdev.h b/drivers/include/net/netdev.h
index 53362e59bb..66ebc37c65 100644
--- a/drivers/include/net/netdev.h
+++ b/drivers/include/net/netdev.h
@@ -238,6 +238,7 @@ 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 */
+#if IS_USED(MODULE_NETDEV_LEGACY_API) || DOXYGEN
     /**
      * @brief   transfer frame complete and data pending flag
      *
@@ -261,6 +262,7 @@ typedef enum {
      *              `-EBUSY` in netdev_driver_t::confirm_send.
      */
     NETDEV_EVENT_TX_MEDIUM_BUSY,
+#endif
     NETDEV_EVENT_LINK_UP,                   /**< link established */
     NETDEV_EVENT_LINK_DOWN,                 /**< link gone */
     NETDEV_EVENT_TX_TIMEOUT,                /**< timeout when sending */
diff --git a/sys/net/gnrc/netif/gnrc_netif.c b/sys/net/gnrc/netif/gnrc_netif.c
index eacc79b676..541de5cf29 100644
--- a/sys/net/gnrc/netif/gnrc_netif.c
+++ b/sys/net/gnrc/netif/gnrc_netif.c
@@ -51,7 +51,7 @@
 #include "debug.h"
 
 static void _update_l2addr_from_dev(gnrc_netif_t *netif);
-static void _check_netdev_capabilities(netdev_t *dev);
+static void _check_netdev_capabilities(netdev_t *dev, bool legacy);
 static void *_gnrc_netif_thread(void *args);
 static void _event_cb(netdev_t *dev, netdev_event_t event);
 
@@ -1491,11 +1491,15 @@ static void _init_from_device(gnrc_netif_t *netif)
     _update_l2addr_from_dev(netif);
 }
 
-static void _check_netdev_capabilities(netdev_t *dev)
+static void _check_netdev_capabilities(netdev_t *dev, bool legacy)
 {
     /* Check whether RX- and TX-complete interrupts are supported by the driver */
     if (IS_ACTIVE(DEVELHELP)) {
         if (IS_USED(MODULE_NETSTATS_L2) || IS_USED(MODULE_GNRC_NETIF_PKTQ)) {
+            if (!legacy) {
+                /* new API implies TX end event */
+                return;
+            }
             netopt_enable_t enable = NETOPT_ENABLE;
             int res = dev->driver->get(dev, NETOPT_TX_END_IRQ, &enable, sizeof(enable));
             if ((res != sizeof(enable)) || (enable != NETOPT_ENABLE)) {
@@ -1640,7 +1644,7 @@ int gnrc_netif_default_init(gnrc_netif_t *netif)
         return res;
     }
     netif_register(&netif->netif);
-    _check_netdev_capabilities(dev);
+    _check_netdev_capabilities(dev, gnrc_netif_netdev_legacy_api(netif));
     _init_from_device(netif);
 #ifdef DEVELHELP
     _test_options(netif);
diff --git a/sys/test_utils/netdev_ieee802154_minimal/netdev_ieee802154_minimal.c b/sys/test_utils/netdev_ieee802154_minimal/netdev_ieee802154_minimal.c
index f4e80509c8..20a78accaf 100644
--- a/sys/test_utils/netdev_ieee802154_minimal/netdev_ieee802154_minimal.c
+++ b/sys/test_utils/netdev_ieee802154_minimal/netdev_ieee802154_minimal.c
@@ -177,6 +177,7 @@ static void _event_cb(netdev_t *dev, netdev_event_t event)
         puts("Tx complete");
         break;
 
+#if IS_USED(MODULE_NETDEV_LEGACY_API)
     case NETDEV_EVENT_TX_COMPLETE_DATA_PENDING:
         puts("Tx complete (with pending data)");
         break;
@@ -188,7 +189,7 @@ static void _event_cb(netdev_t *dev, netdev_event_t event)
     case NETDEV_EVENT_TX_NOACK:
         puts("No ACK");
         break;
-
+#endif
     default:
         printf("Event: %d\n", event);
         break;