diff --git a/src/core/thread/mesh_forwarder.cpp b/src/core/thread/mesh_forwarder.cpp
index d4e61cf08..413321c28 100644
--- a/src/core/thread/mesh_forwarder.cpp
+++ b/src/core/thread/mesh_forwarder.cpp
@@ -1320,8 +1320,10 @@ exit:
     mScheduleTransmissionTask.Post();
 }
 
-void MeshForwarder::RemoveMessageIfNoPendingTx(Message &aMessage)
+bool MeshForwarder::RemoveMessageIfNoPendingTx(Message &aMessage)
 {
+    bool didRemove = false;
+
 #if OPENTHREAD_FTD
     VerifyOrExit(!aMessage.IsDirectTransmission() && !aMessage.IsChildPending());
 #else
@@ -1335,9 +1337,10 @@ void MeshForwarder::RemoveMessageIfNoPendingTx(Message &aMessage)
     }
 
     mSendQueue.DequeueAndFree(aMessage);
+    didRemove = true;
 
 exit:
-    return;
+    return didRemove;
 }
 
 void MeshForwarder::HandleReceivedFrame(Mac::RxFrame &aFrame)
diff --git a/src/core/thread/mesh_forwarder.hpp b/src/core/thread/mesh_forwarder.hpp
index ffa8af2c4..dfdc749fd 100644
--- a/src/core/thread/mesh_forwarder.hpp
+++ b/src/core/thread/mesh_forwarder.hpp
@@ -567,7 +567,7 @@ private:
     void UpdateNeighborLinkFailures(Neighbor &aNeighbor, Error aError, bool aAllowNeighborRemove, uint8_t aFailLimit);
     void HandleSentFrame(Mac::TxFrame &aFrame, Error aError);
     void UpdateSendMessage(Error aFrameTxError, Mac::Address &aMacDest, Neighbor *aNeighbor);
-    void RemoveMessageIfNoPendingTx(Message &aMessage);
+    bool RemoveMessageIfNoPendingTx(Message &aMessage);
 
     void HandleTimeTick(void);
     void ScheduleTransmissionTask(void);
diff --git a/src/core/thread/mesh_forwarder_ftd.cpp b/src/core/thread/mesh_forwarder_ftd.cpp
index 5e84f4c0e..16eea50bc 100644
--- a/src/core/thread/mesh_forwarder_ftd.cpp
+++ b/src/core/thread/mesh_forwarder_ftd.cpp
@@ -135,12 +135,21 @@ Error MeshForwarder::SendMessage(Message &aMessage)
         break;
     }
 
+    // Ensure that the message is marked for direct tx and/or for indirect tx
+    // to a sleepy child. Otherwise, remove the message.
+
+    if (RemoveMessageIfNoPendingTx(aMessage))
+    {
+        ExitNow();
+    }
+
 #if (OPENTHREAD_CONFIG_MAX_FRAMES_IN_DIRECT_TX_QUEUE > 0)
     ApplyDirectTxQueueLimit(aMessage);
 #endif
 
     mScheduleTransmissionTask.Post();
 
+exit:
     return error;
 }