diff --git a/src/core/common/message.cpp b/src/core/common/message.cpp
index c191c1191..65cabe99d 100644
--- a/src/core/common/message.cpp
+++ b/src/core/common/message.cpp
@@ -37,6 +37,7 @@
 
 #include "message.hpp"
 
+#include "openthread-instance.h"
 #include "common/code_utils.hpp"
 #include "common/debug.hpp"
 #include "common/logging.hpp"
@@ -70,6 +71,8 @@ Message *MessagePool::New(uint8_t aType, uint16_t aReserved)
 {
     Message *message = NULL;
 
+    SuccessOrExit(ReclaimBuffers(1));
+
     VerifyOrExit((message = static_cast<Message *>(NewBuffer())) != NULL);
 
     memset(message, 0, sizeof(*message));
@@ -146,18 +149,18 @@ void MessagePool::FreeBuffers(Buffer *aBuffer)
 
 otError MessagePool::ReclaimBuffers(int aNumBuffers)
 {
-    uint16_t numFreeBuffers;
+    while (aNumBuffers > GetFreeBufferCount())
+    {
+        MeshForwarder &meshForwarder = GetInstance().mThreadNetif.GetMeshForwarder();
+        SuccessOrExit(meshForwarder.EvictIndirectMessage());
+    }
 
-#if OPENTHREAD_CONFIG_PLATFORM_MESSAGE_MANAGEMENT
-    numFreeBuffers = otPlatMessagePoolNumFreeBuffers(&GetInstance());
-#else
-    numFreeBuffers = mNumFreeBuffers;
-#endif
+exit:
 
-    //First comparison is to get around issues with comparing
-    //signed and unsigned numbers, if aNumBuffers is negative then
-    //the second comparison wont be attempted.
-    if (aNumBuffers < 0 || aNumBuffers <= numFreeBuffers)
+    // First comparison is to get around issues with comparing
+    // signed and unsigned numbers, if aNumBuffers is negative then
+    // the second comparison wont be attempted.
+    if (aNumBuffers < 0 || aNumBuffers <= GetFreeBufferCount())
     {
         return OT_ERROR_NONE;
     }
diff --git a/src/core/thread/mesh_forwarder.cpp b/src/core/thread/mesh_forwarder.cpp
index 066f54a11..deafbc2bf 100644
--- a/src/core/thread/mesh_forwarder.cpp
+++ b/src/core/thread/mesh_forwarder.cpp
@@ -237,6 +237,55 @@ void MeshForwarder::UpdateIndirectMessages(void)
     }
 }
 
+otError MeshForwarder::EvictIndirectMessage(void)
+{
+    otError error = OT_ERROR_NOT_FOUND;
+
+    for (Message *message = mSendQueue.GetHead(); message; message = message->GetNext())
+    {
+        if (!message->IsChildPending())
+        {
+            continue;
+        }
+
+        RemoveMessage(*message);
+        ExitNow(error = OT_ERROR_NONE);
+    }
+
+exit:
+    return error;
+}
+
+void MeshForwarder::RemoveMessage(Message &aMessage)
+{
+    Child *children;
+    uint8_t numChildren;
+
+    children = GetNetif().GetMle().GetChildren(&numChildren);
+
+    for (uint8_t i = 0; i < numChildren; i++)
+    {
+        if (aMessage.GetChildMask(i))
+        {
+            aMessage.ClearChildMask(i);
+            mSourceMatchController.DecrementMessageCount(children[i]);
+
+            if (children[i].GetIndirectMessage() == &aMessage)
+            {
+                children[i].SetIndirectMessage(NULL);
+            }
+        }
+    }
+
+    if (mSendMessage == &aMessage)
+    {
+        mSendMessage = NULL;
+    }
+
+    mSendQueue.Dequeue(aMessage);
+    aMessage.Free();
+}
+
 void MeshForwarder::RemoveMessages(Child &aChild, uint8_t aSubType)
 {
     ThreadNetif &netif = GetNetif();
diff --git a/src/core/thread/mesh_forwarder.hpp b/src/core/thread/mesh_forwarder.hpp
index 76585a517..545fe4acc 100644
--- a/src/core/thread/mesh_forwarder.hpp
+++ b/src/core/thread/mesh_forwarder.hpp
@@ -173,6 +173,15 @@ public:
      */
     void RemoveMessages(Child &aChild, uint8_t aSubType);
 
+    /**
+     * This method evicts the first indirect message in the indirect send queue.
+     *
+     * @retval OT_ERROR_NONE       Successfully evicted an indirect message.
+     * @retval OT_ERROR_NOT_FOUND  No indirect messages available to evict.
+     *
+     */
+    otError EvictIndirectMessage(void);
+
     /**
      * This method returns a reference to the send queue.
      *
@@ -281,6 +290,7 @@ private:
     otError HandleDatagram(Message &aMessage, const otThreadLinkInfo &aLinkInfo,
                            const Mac::Address &aMacSource);
     void ClearReassemblyList(void);
+    void RemoveMessage(Message &aMessage);
 
     static void HandleReceivedFrame(Mac::Receiver &aReceiver, Mac::Frame &aFrame);
     void HandleReceivedFrame(Mac::Frame &aFrame);