diff --git a/net/bluetooth/conn.c b/net/bluetooth/conn.c
index 3fcf130e5a9..dfc6631bf1b 100644
--- a/net/bluetooth/conn.c
+++ b/net/bluetooth/conn.c
@@ -317,6 +317,8 @@ static void conn_tx_fiber(int arg1, int arg2)
 		BT_DBG("passing buf %p len %u to driver\n", buf, buf->len);
 		bt_dev.drv->send(buf);
 		bt_buf_put(buf);
+
+		conn->pending_pkts++;
 	}
 
 	BT_DBG("handle %u disconnected - cleaning up\n", conn->handle);
@@ -326,6 +328,13 @@ static void conn_tx_fiber(int arg1, int arg2)
 		bt_buf_put(buf);
 	}
 
+	/* Return any unacknowledged packets */
+	if (conn->pending_pkts) {
+		while (conn->pending_pkts--) {
+			nano_fiber_sem_give(&bt_dev.le_pkts_sem);
+		}
+	}
+
 	bt_conn_reset_rx_state(conn);
 
 	BT_DBG("handle %u exiting\n", conn->handle);
diff --git a/net/bluetooth/conn_internal.h b/net/bluetooth/conn_internal.h
index 1863a62b70a..ec047cdee8e 100644
--- a/net/bluetooth/conn_internal.h
+++ b/net/bluetooth/conn_internal.h
@@ -60,6 +60,8 @@ struct bt_conn {
 	bt_addr_le_t		init_addr;
 	bt_addr_le_t		resp_addr;
 
+	uint8_t			pending_pkts;
+
 	uint8_t			encrypt;
 	bt_security_t		sec_level;
 	bt_security_t		required_sec_level;
diff --git a/net/bluetooth/hci_core.c b/net/bluetooth/hci_core.c
index 89b4359a9dd..06cd6758c0f 100644
--- a/net/bluetooth/hci_core.c
+++ b/net/bluetooth/hci_core.c
@@ -473,14 +473,30 @@ static void hci_num_completed_packets(struct bt_buf *buf)
 
 	for (i = 0; i < num_handles; i++) {
 		uint16_t handle, count;
+		struct bt_conn *conn;
 
 		handle = sys_le16_to_cpu(evt->h[i].handle);
 		count = sys_le16_to_cpu(evt->h[i].count);
 
 		BT_DBG("handle %u count %u\n", handle, count);
 
-		while (count--)
+		conn = bt_conn_lookup_handle(handle);
+		if (conn) {
+			if (conn->pending_pkts >= count) {
+				conn->pending_pkts -= count;
+			} else {
+				BT_ERR("completed packets mismatch: %u > %u\n",
+				       count, conn->pending_pkts);
+				conn->pending_pkts = 0;
+			}
+			bt_conn_put(conn);
+		} else {
+			BT_ERR("No matching connection for handle %u", handle);
+		}
+
+		while (count--) {
 			nano_fiber_sem_give(&bt_dev.le_pkts_sem);
+		}
 	}
 }