diff --git a/tests/nexus/platform/nexus_core.cpp b/tests/nexus/platform/nexus_core.cpp
index d046f43c3..115ec8265 100644
--- a/tests/nexus/platform/nexus_core.cpp
+++ b/tests/nexus/platform/nexus_core.cpp
@@ -330,6 +330,9 @@ Node &Core::CreateNode(void)
 
     node->mInfraIf.Init(*node);
     node->mMdns.Init(*node);
+#if OPENTHREAD_CONFIG_RADIO_LINK_TREL_ENABLE
+    node->mTrel.Init(*node);
+#endif
 
     mNodes.Push(*node);
 
@@ -409,9 +412,6 @@ void Core::Process(Node &aNode)
 
     ProcessRadio(aNode);
     ProcessInfraIf(aNode);
-#if OPENTHREAD_CONFIG_RADIO_LINK_TREL_ENABLE
-    ProcessTrel(aNode);
-#endif
 
     if (aNode.mAlarmMilli.mScheduled && (GetNow() >= aNode.mAlarmMilli.mAlarmTime))
     {
@@ -665,34 +665,6 @@ Node *Core::FindNodeByInfraIfAddress(const Ip6::Address &aAddress)
     return matchedNode;
 }
 
-#if OPENTHREAD_CONFIG_RADIO_LINK_TREL_ENABLE
-
-void Core::ProcessTrel(Node &aNode)
-{
-    Ip6::SockAddr senderSockAddr;
-    Ip6::SockAddr rxNodeSockAddr;
-
-    aNode.GetTrelSockAddr(senderSockAddr);
-
-    for (Trel::PendingTx &pendingTx : aNode.mTrel.mPendingTxList)
-    {
-        for (Node &rxNode : mNodes)
-        {
-            rxNode.GetTrelSockAddr(rxNodeSockAddr);
-
-            if (pendingTx.mDestSockAddr == rxNodeSockAddr)
-            {
-                rxNode.mTrel.Receive(rxNode.GetInstance(), pendingTx.mPayloadData, senderSockAddr);
-                break;
-            }
-        }
-    }
-
-    aNode.mTrel.mPendingTxList.Free();
-}
-
-#endif // OPENTHREAD_CONFIG_RADIO_LINK_TREL_ENABLE
-
 //---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
 
 Core::IcmpEchoResponseContext::IcmpEchoResponseContext(Node &aNode, uint16_t aIdentifier)
diff --git a/tests/nexus/platform/nexus_core.hpp b/tests/nexus/platform/nexus_core.hpp
index 4db442582..ebfa82d72 100644
--- a/tests/nexus/platform/nexus_core.hpp
+++ b/tests/nexus/platform/nexus_core.hpp
@@ -109,9 +109,6 @@ private:
     void Process(Node &aNode);
     void ProcessRadio(Node &aNode);
     void ProcessInfraIf(Node &aNode);
-#if OPENTHREAD_CONFIG_RADIO_LINK_TREL_ENABLE
-    void ProcessTrel(Node &aNode);
-#endif
 
     Node *FindNodeByInfraIfAddress(const Ip6::Address &aAddress);
 
diff --git a/tests/nexus/platform/nexus_infra_if.cpp b/tests/nexus/platform/nexus_infra_if.cpp
index 9b503f7d8..e6f660740 100644
--- a/tests/nexus/platform/nexus_infra_if.cpp
+++ b/tests/nexus/platform/nexus_infra_if.cpp
@@ -482,6 +482,26 @@ void InfraIf::Receive(Message &aMessage)
         ExitNow();
     }
 
+#if OPENTHREAD_CONFIG_RADIO_LINK_TREL_ENABLE
+    if (headers.IsUdp() && headers.GetDestinationPort() == node.mTrel.mUdpPort && node.mTrel.mEnabled)
+    {
+        if (headers.GetDestinationAddress().IsMulticast() || node.mInfraIf.HasAddress(headers.GetDestinationAddress()))
+        {
+            Ip6::SockAddr senderAddr;
+            Heap::Data    payload;
+            uint16_t      offset = sizeof(Ip6::Header) + sizeof(Ip6::Udp::Header);
+
+            senderAddr.SetAddress(headers.GetSourceAddress());
+            senderAddr.SetPort(headers.GetSourcePort());
+
+            SuccessOrQuit(
+                payload.SetFrom(aMessage, offset, headers.GetUdpHeader().GetLength() - sizeof(Ip6::Udp::Header)));
+            node.mTrel.Receive(node.GetInstance(), payload, senderAddr);
+        }
+        ExitNow();
+    }
+#endif
+
     {
         // We also deliver generic IPv6 packets to the stack if they are NOT ICMPv6 ND packets.
         // (ND packets were already delivered via otPlatInfraIfRecvIcmp6Nd above).
diff --git a/tests/nexus/platform/nexus_trel.cpp b/tests/nexus/platform/nexus_trel.cpp
index 92cd285eb..a21054e86 100644
--- a/tests/nexus/platform/nexus_trel.cpp
+++ b/tests/nexus/platform/nexus_trel.cpp
@@ -74,17 +74,19 @@ void otPlatTrelResetCounters(otInstance *aInstance) { AsNode(aInstance).mTrel.Re
 uint16_t Trel::sLastUsedUdpPort = kUdpPortStart;
 
 Trel::Trel(void)
-    : mEnabled(false)
+    : mNode(nullptr)
+    , mEnabled(false)
     , mUdpPort(sLastUsedUdpPort++)
 {
     ClearAllBytes(mCounters);
 }
 
+void Trel::Init(Node &aNode) { mNode = &aNode; }
+
 void Trel::Reset(void)
 {
     mEnabled = false;
     ClearAllBytes(mCounters);
-    mPendingTxList.Free();
 }
 
 void Trel::Enable(uint16_t &aUdpPort)
@@ -93,21 +95,20 @@ void Trel::Enable(uint16_t &aUdpPort)
     aUdpPort = mUdpPort;
 }
 
-void Trel::Disable(void)
-{
-    mEnabled = false;
-    mPendingTxList.Free();
-}
+void Trel::Disable(void) { mEnabled = false; }
 
 void Trel::Send(const uint8_t *aUdpPayload, uint16_t aUdpPayloadLen, const Ip6::SockAddr &aDestSockAddr)
 {
-    PendingTx *pendingTx = PendingTx::Allocate();
+    Message *message;
 
-    VerifyOrQuit(pendingTx != nullptr);
-    SuccessOrQuit(pendingTx->mPayloadData.SetFrom(aUdpPayload, aUdpPayloadLen));
-    pendingTx->mDestSockAddr = aDestSockAddr;
+    VerifyOrQuit(mNode != nullptr);
 
-    mPendingTxList.PushAfterTail(*pendingTx);
+    message = mNode->Get<MessagePool>().Allocate(Message::kTypeIp6);
+    VerifyOrQuit(message != nullptr);
+    SuccessOrQuit(message->AppendBytes(aUdpPayload, aUdpPayloadLen));
+
+    mNode->mInfraIf.SendUdp(mNode->mInfraIf.GetLinkLocalAddress(), aDestSockAddr.GetAddress(), mUdpPort,
+                            aDestSockAddr.GetPort(), *message);
 
     mCounters.mTxPackets++;
     mCounters.mTxBytes += aUdpPayloadLen;
diff --git a/tests/nexus/platform/nexus_trel.hpp b/tests/nexus/platform/nexus_trel.hpp
index df25bdf53..a6c77778b 100644
--- a/tests/nexus/platform/nexus_trel.hpp
+++ b/tests/nexus/platform/nexus_trel.hpp
@@ -36,6 +36,8 @@
 namespace ot {
 namespace Nexus {
 
+class Node;
+
 struct Trel
 {
     static constexpr uint16_t kUdpPortStart = 49152;
@@ -43,6 +45,7 @@ struct Trel
     typedef otPlatTrelCounters Counters;
 
     Trel(void);
+    void Init(Node &aNode);
     void Reset(void);
     void Enable(uint16_t &aUdpPort);
     void Disable(void);
@@ -50,19 +53,12 @@ struct Trel
     void ResetCounters(void) { ClearAllBytes(mCounters); }
     void Receive(Instance &aInstance, Heap::Data &aPayloadData, const Ip6::SockAddr &aSenderAddr);
 
-    struct PendingTx : public Heap::Allocatable<PendingTx>, public LinkedListEntry<PendingTx>
-    {
-        PendingTx    *mNext;
-        Heap::Data    mPayloadData;
-        Ip6::SockAddr mDestSockAddr;
-    };
-
     static uint16_t sLastUsedUdpPort;
 
-    bool                  mEnabled;
-    uint16_t              mUdpPort;
-    OwningList<PendingTx> mPendingTxList;
-    Counters              mCounters;
+    Node    *mNode;
+    bool     mEnabled;
+    uint16_t mUdpPort;
+    Counters mCounters;
 };
 
 } // namespace Nexus