diff --git a/artiq/gateware/drtio/rt_controller.py b/artiq/gateware/drtio/rt_controller.py
index ff58385ee..ffb8d96e5 100644
--- a/artiq/gateware/drtio/rt_controller.py
+++ b/artiq/gateware/drtio/rt_controller.py
@@ -139,8 +139,6 @@ class RTController(Module):
         cond_sequence_error = self.cri.o_timestamp < last_timestamps.dat_r
         cond_underflow = ((self.cri.o_timestamp[fine_ts_width:]
                            - self.csrs.underflow_margin.storage[fine_ts_width:]) < self.counter.value_sys)
-        cond_fifo_emptied = ((last_timestamps.dat_r[fine_ts_width:] < self.counter.value_sys)
-                             & (last_timestamps.dat_r != 0))
 
         fsm.act("IDLE",
             If(self.cri.cmd == cri.commands["write"],
@@ -161,13 +159,9 @@ class RTController(Module):
             rt_packets.write_stb.eq(1),
             If(rt_packets.write_ack,
                 fifo_spaces.we.eq(1),
-                If(cond_fifo_emptied,
-                    fifo_spaces.dat_w.eq(1),
-                ).Else(
-                    fifo_spaces.dat_w.eq(fifo_spaces.dat_r - 1)
-                ),
+                fifo_spaces.dat_w.eq(fifo_spaces.dat_r - 1),
                 last_timestamps.we.eq(1),
-                If(~cond_fifo_emptied & (fifo_spaces.dat_r <= 1),
+                If(fifo_spaces.dat_r <= 1,
                     NextState("GET_FIFO_SPACE")
                 ).Else(
                     NextState("IDLE")
@@ -189,7 +183,7 @@ class RTController(Module):
             fifo_spaces.we.eq(1),
             rt_packets.fifo_space_not_ack.eq(1),
             If(rt_packets.fifo_space_not,
-                If(rt_packets.fifo_space > 0,
+                If(rt_packets.fifo_space != 0,
                     NextState("IDLE")
                 ).Else(
                     NextState("GET_FIFO_SPACE")
diff --git a/artiq/test/gateware/drtio/test_full_stack.py b/artiq/test/gateware/drtio/test_full_stack.py
index 1d758c5e8..a6af30daf 100644
--- a/artiq/test/gateware/drtio/test_full_stack.py
+++ b/artiq/test/gateware/drtio/test_full_stack.py
@@ -174,15 +174,6 @@ class TestFullStack(unittest.TestCase):
             # check that some writes caused FIFO space requests
             self.assertGreater(max_wlen, 5)
 
-        def test_fifo_emptied():
-            # wait for all TTL events to execute
-            while len(ttl_changes) < len(correct_ttl_changes):
-                yield
-            # check "last timestamp passed" FIFO empty condition
-            delay(1000*8)
-            wlen = yield from write(0, 1)
-            self.assertEqual(wlen, 2)
-
         def test_tsc_error():
             err_present = yield from mgr.packet_err_present.read()
             self.assertEqual(err_present, 0)
@@ -203,6 +194,10 @@ class TestFullStack(unittest.TestCase):
             err_present = yield from mgr.packet_err_present.read()
             self.assertEqual(err_present, 0)
 
+        def wait_ttl_events():
+            while len(ttl_changes) < len(correct_ttl_changes):
+                yield
+
         def test():
             while not (yield from dut.master.link_layer.link_status.read()):
                 yield
@@ -213,8 +208,8 @@ class TestFullStack(unittest.TestCase):
             yield from test_sequence_error()
             yield from test_fifo_space()
             yield from test_large_data()
-            yield from test_fifo_emptied()
             yield from test_tsc_error()
+            yield from wait_ttl_events()
 
         @passive
         def check_ttls():