diff --git a/src/core/net/ip6.cpp b/src/core/net/ip6.cpp
index 75485a505..d2db236b0 100644
--- a/src/core/net/ip6.cpp
+++ b/src/core/net/ip6.cpp
@@ -646,8 +646,6 @@ otError Ip6::FragmentDatagram(Message &aMessage, uint8_t aIpProto)
         FragmentHeader::MakeDivisibleByEight(kMinimalMtu - aMessage.GetOffset() - sizeof(fragmentHeader));
     uint16_t payloadLeft = aMessage.GetLength() - aMessage.GetOffset();
 
-    VerifyOrExit(aMessage.GetLength() <= kMaxAssembledDatagramLength, error = OT_ERROR_NO_BUFS);
-
     VerifyOrExit(aMessage.Read(0, sizeof(header), &header) == sizeof(header), error = OT_ERROR_PARSE);
     header.SetNextHeader(kProtoFragment);
 
@@ -699,6 +697,7 @@ otError Ip6::FragmentDatagram(Message &aMessage, uint8_t aIpProto)
 
         otLogInfoIp6("Fragment %d with %d bytes sent", fragmentCnt, payloadFragment);
     }
+
     aMessage.Free();
 
 exit:
@@ -757,6 +756,15 @@ otError Ip6::HandleFragment(Message &aMessage, Netif *aNetif, MessageInfo &aMess
     offset          = FragmentHeader::FragmentOffsetToBytes(fragmentHeader.GetOffset());
     payloadFragment = aMessage.GetLength() - aMessage.GetOffset() - sizeof(fragmentHeader);
 
+    otLogInfoIp6("Fragment with id %d received > %d bytes, offset %d", fragmentHeader.GetIdentification(),
+                 payloadFragment, offset);
+
+    if (offset + payloadFragment + aMessage.GetOffset() > kMaxAssembledDatagramLength)
+    {
+        otLogWarnIp6("Packet too large for fragment buffer");
+        ExitNow(error = OT_ERROR_NO_BUFS);
+    }
+
     if (message == NULL)
     {
         VerifyOrExit((message = NewMessage(0)) != NULL, error = OT_ERROR_NO_BUFS);
@@ -780,15 +788,6 @@ otError Ip6::HandleFragment(Message &aMessage, Netif *aNetif, MessageInfo &aMess
         otLogDebgIp6("start reassembly.");
     }
 
-    otLogInfoIp6("Fragment with id %d received > %d bytes, offset %d", message->GetDatagramTag(), payloadFragment,
-                 offset);
-
-    if (offset + payloadFragment + aMessage.GetOffset() > kMaxAssembledDatagramLength)
-    {
-        otLogWarnIp6("Package too large for fragment buffer");
-        ExitNow(error = OT_ERROR_NO_BUFS);
-    }
-
     // increase message buffer if necessary
     if (message->GetLength() < offset + payloadFragment + aMessage.GetOffset())
     {
@@ -833,6 +832,7 @@ exit:
         }
         otLogWarnIp6("Reassembly failed: %s", otThreadErrorToString(error));
     }
+
     if (isFragmented)
     {
         // drop all fragments, the payload is stored in the fragment buffer
@@ -970,6 +970,9 @@ otError Ip6::HandleExtensionHeaders(Message &    aMessage,
             break;
 
         case kProtoFragment:
+            // Always forward IPv6 fragments to the Host.
+            IgnoreError(ProcessReceiveCallback(aMessage, aMessageInfo, aNextHeader, aFromNcpHost));
+
             SuccessOrExit(error = HandleFragment(aMessage, aNetif, aMessageInfo, aFromNcpHost));
             break;
 
diff --git a/tests/scripts/thread-cert/test_ipv6_fragmentation.py b/tests/scripts/thread-cert/test_ipv6_fragmentation.py
index f669e528d..00506d205 100755
--- a/tests/scripts/thread-cert/test_ipv6_fragmentation.py
+++ b/tests/scripts/thread-cert/test_ipv6_fragmentation.py
@@ -77,9 +77,6 @@ class TestIPv6Fragmentation(thread_cert.TestCase):
         self.simulator.go(5)
         self.nodes[LEADER].udp_check_rx(1831)
 
-        self.nodes[ROUTER].udp_send(1953, mleid_leader, common.UDP_TEST_PORT,
-                                    False)
-
         self.nodes[ROUTER].udp_stop()
         self.nodes[LEADER].udp_stop()