diff --git a/drivers/net/rtl8139.c b/drivers/net/rtl8139.c
index 7562a1ac..de5774e4 100644
--- a/drivers/net/rtl8139.c
+++ b/drivers/net/rtl8139.c
@@ -40,6 +40,17 @@
 #define TX_BUF_LEN	4096
 #define MIN(a, b)	(a) < (b) ? (a) : (b)
 
+/*
+ * To set the RTL8139 to accept only the Transmit OK (TOK) and Receive OK (ROK)
+ * interrupts, we would have the TOK and ROK bits of the IMR high and leave the
+ * rest low. That way when a TOK or ROK IRQ happens, it actually will go through
+ * and fire up an IRQ.
+ */
+#define INT_MASK	(ISR_ROK|ISR_TOK|ISR_RXOVW|ISR_TER|ISR_RER)
+
+// Beside Receive OK (ROK) interrupt, this mask enable all other interrupts
+#define INT_MASK_NO_ROK	(ISR_TOK|ISR_RXOVW|ISR_TER|ISR_RER)
+
 board_t board_tbl[] = 
 {
 	{"RealTek", "RealTek RTL8139", 0x10ec, 0x8139},
@@ -134,7 +145,7 @@ static void rtl8139if_input(struct netif* netif, struct pbuf* p)
 #endif /* PPPOE_SUPPORT */
 		/*
 		 * This function is called in the context of the tcpip thread.
-		 * Therefore, we are able to call directly the input functions
+		 * Therefore, we are able to call directly the input functions.
 		 */
 		err = ethernet_input(p, netif);
 		if (err != ERR_OK) {
@@ -207,6 +218,10 @@ static void rtl_rx_inthandler(struct netif* netif)
 
 		cmd = inportb(rtl8139if->iobase + CR);
 	}
+
+	rtl8139if->polling = 0;
+	// enable all known interrupts
+	outportw(rtl8139if->iobase + IMR, INT_MASK);
 }
 
 static void rtl_tx_inthandler(struct netif* netif)
@@ -244,9 +259,7 @@ static void rtl_tx_inthandler(struct netif* netif)
 /* this function is called in the context of the tcpip thread */
 static void rtl8139if_poll(void* ctx)
 {
-	//uint32_t flag = irq_nested_disable();
 	rtl_rx_inthandler(mynetif);
-	//irq_nested_enable(flag);
 }
 
 static void rtl8139if_handler(struct state* s)
@@ -254,38 +267,44 @@ static void rtl8139if_handler(struct state* s)
 	rtl1839if_t* rtl8139if = mynetif->state;
 	uint16_t isr_contents;
 
+	// disable all interrupts
+	outportw(rtl8139if->iobase + IMR, 0x00);
+
 	while (1) {
 		isr_contents = inportw(rtl8139if->iobase + ISR);
 		if (isr_contents == 0)
 			break;
 
-		if (isr_contents & ISR_ROK) {
-			if (tcpip_callback_with_block(rtl8139if_poll, NULL, 0) != ERR_OK) {
-				//LWIP_DEBUGF(NETIF_DEBUG, ("rtl8139if_handler: unable to send a poll request to the tcpip thread\n"));
+		if ((isr_contents & ISR_ROK) && !rtl8139if->polling) {
+			if (tcpip_callback_with_block(rtl8139if_poll, NULL, 0) == ERR_OK) {
+				rtl8139if->polling = 1;
+			} else {
+				LWIP_DEBUGF(NETIF_DEBUG, ("rtl8139if_handler: unable to send a poll request to the tcpip thread\n"));
 			}
-			outportw(rtl8139if->iobase + ISR, ISR_ROK);
  		}
 
-		if (isr_contents & ISR_TOK) {
+		if (isr_contents & ISR_TOK)
 			rtl_tx_inthandler(mynetif);
-			outportw(rtl8139if->iobase + ISR, ISR_TOK);
-		}
 
 		if (isr_contents & ISR_RER) {
 			LWIP_DEBUGF(NETIF_DEBUG, ("rtl8139if_handler: RX error detected!\n"));
-			outportw(rtl8139if->iobase + ISR, ISR_RER);
 		}
 
 		if (isr_contents & ISR_TER) {
 			LWIP_DEBUGF(NETIF_DEBUG, ("rtl8139if_handler: TX error detected!\n"));
-			outportw(rtl8139if->iobase + ISR, ISR_TER);
 		}
 
 		if (isr_contents & ISR_RXOVW) {
 			LWIP_DEBUGF(NETIF_DEBUG, ("rtl8139if_handler: RX overflow detected!\n"));
-			outportw(rtl8139if->iobase + ISR, ISR_RXOVW);
 		}
+
+		outportw(rtl8139if->iobase + ISR, isr_contents & (ISR_RXOVW|ISR_TER|ISR_RER|ISR_TOK|ISR_ROK));
 	}
+
+	if (rtl8139if->polling) // now, the tcpip thread will check for incoming messages
+		outportw(rtl8139if->iobase + IMR, INT_MASK_NO_ROK);
+	else
+		outportw(rtl8139if->iobase + IMR, INT_MASK); // enable interrupts
 }
 
 err_t rtl8139if_init(struct netif* netif)
@@ -304,7 +323,7 @@ err_t rtl8139if_init(struct netif* netif)
 		LWIP_DEBUGF(NETIF_DEBUG, ("rtl8139if_init: out of memory\n"));
 		return ERR_MEM;
 	}
-	memset(rtl8139if, 0, sizeof(rtl1839if_t));
+	memset(rtl8139if, 0x00, sizeof(rtl1839if_t));
 
 	/* allocate the receive buffer */
 	rtl8139if->rx_buffer = mem_allocation(RX_BUF_LEN + 16 /* header size */, MAP_KERNEL_SPACE|MAP_NO_CACHE);
@@ -421,13 +440,8 @@ err_t rtl8139if_init(struct netif* netif)
 	outportl(rtl8139if->iobase + TSAD2, virt_to_phys((size_t) rtl8139if->tx_buffer[2]));
 	outportl(rtl8139if->iobase + TSAD3, virt_to_phys((size_t) rtl8139if->tx_buffer[3]));
 
-	/*
-	 * To set the RTL8139 to accept only the Transmit OK (TOK) and Receive OK (ROK)
-	 * interrupts, we would have the TOK and ROK bits of the IMR high and leave the 
-	 * rest low. That way when a TOK or ROK IRQ happens, it actually will go through 
-	 * and fire up an IRQ.
-	 */
-	outportw(rtl8139if->iobase + IMR, ISR_ROK|ISR_TOK|ISR_RXOVW|ISR_TER|ISR_RER);
+	// Enable all known interrupts by setting the interrupt mask.
+	outportw(rtl8139if->iobase + IMR, INT_MASK);
 
 	outportw(rtl8139if->iobase + BMCR, BMCR_ANE);
 	tmp16 = inportw(rtl8139if->iobase + BMCR);
diff --git a/drivers/net/rtl8139.h b/drivers/net/rtl8139.h
index 962f5232..d45966bc 100644
--- a/drivers/net/rtl8139.h
+++ b/drivers/net/rtl8139.h
@@ -148,8 +148,8 @@
 // Bits in ISR indicate the status of the card
 #define ISR_SERR        0x8000	// System error interrupt
 #define ISR_TUN         0x4000	// time out interrupt
-#define ISR__SWInt      0x100	// Software interrupt
-#define ISR__TDU        0x80	// Tx Descriptor unavailable
+#define ISR_SWInt       0x100	// Software interrupt
+#define ISR_TDU         0x80	// Tx Descriptor unavailable
 #define ISR_FIFOOVW     0x40	// Rx Fifo overflow
 #define ISR_PUN         0x20	// Packet underrun/link change
 #define ISR_RXOVW       0x10	// Rx overflow/Rx Descriptor unavailable
@@ -227,6 +227,7 @@ typedef struct rtl1839if {
 	uint32_t	tx_complete;
 	uint16_t	rx_pos;
 	uint8_t		tx_inuse[4];
+	volatile uint8_t polling;
 } rtl1839if_t;
 
 /*