diff --git a/src/core/config/mac.h b/src/core/config/mac.h
index e24442589..f4821a0c6 100644
--- a/src/core/config/mac.h
+++ b/src/core/config/mac.h
@@ -85,6 +85,40 @@
 #define OPENTHREAD_CONFIG_MAC_DEFAULT_MAX_FRAME_RETRIES_INDIRECT 0
 #endif
 
+/**
+ * @def OPENTHREAD_CONFIG_MAC_ADD_DELAY_ON_NO_ACK_ERROR_BEFORE_RETRY
+ *
+ * Define as 1 to add random backoff delay in between frame transmission retries when the previous attempt resulted in
+ * no-ack error.
+ *
+ */
+#ifndef OPENTHREAD_CONFIG_MAC_ADD_DELAY_ON_NO_ACK_ERROR_BEFORE_RETRY
+#define OPENTHREAD_CONFIG_MAC_ADD_DELAY_ON_NO_ACK_ERROR_BEFORE_RETRY 1
+#endif
+
+/**
+ * @def OPENTHREAD_CONFIG_MAC_RETX_DELAY_MIN_BACKOFF_EXPONENT
+ *
+ * Specifies the minimum backoff exponent to start with when adding random delay in between frame transmission
+ * retries on no-ack error. It is applicable only when `OPENTHREAD_CONFIG_MAC_ADD_DELAY_ON_NO_ACK_ERROR_BEFORE_RETRY`
+ * is enabled.
+ *
+ */
+#ifndef OPENTHREAD_CONFIG_MAC_RETX_DELAY_MIN_BACKOFF_EXPONENT
+#define OPENTHREAD_CONFIG_MAC_RETX_DELAY_MIN_BACKOFF_EXPONENT 0
+#endif
+
+/**
+ * @def OPENTHREAD_CONFIG_MAC_RETX_DELAY_MAX_BACKOFF_EXPONENT
+ *
+ * Specifies the maximum backoff exponent when adding random delay in between frame transmission retries on no-ack
+ * error. It is applicable only when `OPENTHREAD_CONFIG_MAC_ADD_DELAY_ON_NO_ACK_ERROR_BEFORE_RETRY` is enabled.
+ *
+ */
+#ifndef OPENTHREAD_CONFIG_MAC_RETX_DELAY_MAX_BACKOFF_EXPONENT
+#define OPENTHREAD_CONFIG_MAC_RETX_DELAY_MAX_BACKOFF_EXPONENT 5
+#endif
+
 /**
  * @def OPENTHREAD_CONFIG_MAC_RETRY_SUCCESS_HISTOGRAM_ENABLE
  *
diff --git a/src/core/mac/sub_mac.cpp b/src/core/mac/sub_mac.cpp
index 73e9ae53a..a09a5378b 100644
--- a/src/core/mac/sub_mac.cpp
+++ b/src/core/mac/sub_mac.cpp
@@ -78,6 +78,9 @@ void SubMac::Init(void)
     mRxOnWhenBackoff   = true;
     mEnergyScanMaxRssi = kInvalidRssiValue;
     mEnergyScanEndTime = Time{0};
+#if OPENTHREAD_CONFIG_MAC_ADD_DELAY_ON_NO_ACK_ERROR_BEFORE_RETRY
+    mRetxDelayBackOffExponent = kRetxDelayMinBackoffExponent;
+#endif
 
 #if OPENTHREAD_CONFIG_MAC_FILTER_ENABLE
     mRadioFilterEnabled = false;
@@ -342,6 +345,9 @@ Error SubMac::Send(void)
     case kStateCslTransmit:
 #endif
     case kStateTransmit:
+#if OPENTHREAD_CONFIG_MAC_ADD_DELAY_ON_NO_ACK_ERROR_BEFORE_RETRY
+    case kStateDelayBeforeRetx:
+#endif
     case kStateEnergyScan:
         ExitNow(error = kErrorInvalidState);
         OT_UNREACHABLE_CODE(break);
@@ -363,8 +369,14 @@ Error SubMac::Send(void)
 #endif
 
     ProcessTransmitSecurity();
+
     mCsmaBackoffs    = 0;
     mTransmitRetries = 0;
+
+#if OPENTHREAD_CONFIG_MAC_ADD_DELAY_ON_NO_ACK_ERROR_BEFORE_RETRY
+    mRetxDelayBackOffExponent = kRetxDelayMinBackoffExponent;
+#endif
+
     StartCsmaBackoff();
 
 exit:
@@ -414,8 +426,7 @@ exit:
 
 void SubMac::StartCsmaBackoff(void)
 {
-    uint32_t backoff;
-    uint32_t backoffExponent = kCsmaMinBe + mTransmitRetries + mCsmaBackoffs;
+    uint8_t backoffExponent = kCsmaMinBe + mCsmaBackoffs;
 
 #if !OPENTHREAD_MTD && OPENTHREAD_CONFIG_MAC_CSL_TRANSMITTER_ENABLE
     if (mTransmitFrame.mInfo.mTxInfo.mTxDelay != 0)
@@ -444,6 +455,7 @@ void SubMac::StartCsmaBackoff(void)
         ExitNow();
     }
 #endif // !OPENTHREAD_MTD && OPENTHREAD_CONFIG_MAC_CSL_TRANSMITTER_ENABLE
+
     SetState(kStateCsmaBackoff);
 
     VerifyOrExit(ShouldHandleCsmaBackOff(), BeginTransmit());
@@ -453,8 +465,18 @@ void SubMac::StartCsmaBackoff(void)
         backoffExponent = kCsmaMaxBe;
     }
 
-    backoff = Random::NonCrypto::GetUint32InRange(0, static_cast<uint32_t>(1UL << backoffExponent));
-    backoff *= (kUnitBackoffPeriod * OT_RADIO_SYMBOL_TIME);
+    StartTimerForBackoff(backoffExponent);
+
+exit:
+    return;
+}
+
+void SubMac::StartTimerForBackoff(uint8_t aBackoffExponent)
+{
+    uint32_t backoff;
+
+    backoff = Random::NonCrypto::GetUint32InRange(0, static_cast<uint32_t>(1UL << aBackoffExponent));
+    backoff *= (kUnitBackoffPeriod * Radio::kSymbolTime);
 
     if (mRxOnWhenBackoff)
     {
@@ -471,8 +493,12 @@ void SubMac::StartCsmaBackoff(void)
     mTimer.Start(backoff / 1000UL);
 #endif
 
-exit:
-    return;
+#if OPENTHREAD_CONFIG_MAC_ADD_DELAY_ON_NO_ACK_ERROR_BEFORE_RETRY
+    if (mState == kStateDelayBeforeRetx)
+    {
+        LogDebg("Delaying retx for %u usec (be=%d)", backoff, aBackoffExponent);
+    }
+#endif
 }
 
 void SubMac::BeginTransmit(void)
@@ -593,6 +619,17 @@ void SubMac::HandleTransmitDone(TxFrame &aFrame, RxFrame *aAckFrame, Error aErro
     {
         mTransmitRetries++;
         aFrame.SetIsARetransmission(true);
+
+#if OPENTHREAD_CONFIG_MAC_ADD_DELAY_ON_NO_ACK_ERROR_BEFORE_RETRY
+        if (aError == kErrorNoAck)
+        {
+            SetState(kStateDelayBeforeRetx);
+            StartTimerForBackoff(mRetxDelayBackOffExponent);
+            mRetxDelayBackOffExponent = OT_MIN(mRetxDelayBackOffExponent + 1, kRetxDelayMaxBackoffExponent);
+            ExitNow();
+        }
+#endif
+
         StartCsmaBackoff();
         ExitNow();
     }
@@ -672,6 +709,9 @@ Error SubMac::EnergyScan(uint8_t aScanChannel, uint16_t aScanDuration)
     case kStateTransmit:
 #if !OPENTHREAD_MTD && OPENTHREAD_CONFIG_MAC_CSL_TRANSMITTER_ENABLE
     case kStateCslTransmit:
+#endif
+#if OPENTHREAD_CONFIG_MAC_ADD_DELAY_ON_NO_ACK_ERROR_BEFORE_RETRY
+    case kStateDelayBeforeRetx:
 #endif
     case kStateEnergyScan:
         ExitNow(error = kErrorInvalidState);
@@ -769,6 +809,12 @@ void SubMac::HandleTimer(void)
         HandleTransmitDone(mTransmitFrame, nullptr, kErrorNoAck);
         break;
 
+#if OPENTHREAD_CONFIG_MAC_ADD_DELAY_ON_NO_ACK_ERROR_BEFORE_RETRY
+    case kStateDelayBeforeRetx:
+        StartCsmaBackoff();
+        break;
+#endif
+
     case kStateEnergyScan:
         SampleRssi();
         break;
@@ -968,11 +1014,14 @@ const char *SubMac::StateToString(State aState)
         "CsmaBackoff", // (3) kStateCsmaBackoff
         "Transmit",    // (4) kStateTransmit
         "EnergyScan",  // (5) kStateEnergyScan
+#if OPENTHREAD_CONFIG_MAC_ADD_DELAY_ON_NO_ACK_ERROR_BEFORE_RETRY
+        "DelayBeforeRetx", // (6) kStateDelayBeforeRetx
+#endif
 #if !OPENTHREAD_MTD && OPENTHREAD_CONFIG_MAC_CSL_TRANSMITTER_ENABLE
-        "CslTransmit", // (6) kStateCslTransmit
+        "CslTransmit", // (7) kStateCslTransmit
 #endif
 #if OPENTHREAD_CONFIG_MAC_CSL_RECEIVER_ENABLE
-        "CslSample", // (7) kStateCslSample
+        "CslSample", // (8) kStateCslSample
 #endif
     };
 
@@ -982,15 +1031,25 @@ const char *SubMac::StateToString(State aState)
     static_assert(kStateCsmaBackoff == 3, "kStateCsmaBackoff value is not correct");
     static_assert(kStateTransmit == 4, "kStateTransmit value is not correct");
     static_assert(kStateEnergyScan == 5, "kStateEnergyScan value is not correct");
+
+#if OPENTHREAD_CONFIG_MAC_ADD_DELAY_ON_NO_ACK_ERROR_BEFORE_RETRY
+    static_assert(kStateDelayBeforeRetx == 6, "kStateDelayBeforeRetx value is not correct");
 #if !OPENTHREAD_MTD && OPENTHREAD_CONFIG_MAC_CSL_TRANSMITTER_ENABLE
+    static_assert(kStateCslTransmit == 7, "kStateCslTransmit value is not correct");
+#if OPENTHREAD_CONFIG_MAC_CSL_RECEIVER_ENABLE
+    static_assert(kStateCslSample == 8, "kStateCslSample value is not correct");
+#endif
+#elif OPENTHREAD_CONFIG_MAC_CSL_RECEIVER_ENABLE
+    static_assert(kStateCslSample == 7, "kStateCslSample value is not correct");
+#endif
+
+#elif !OPENTHREAD_MTD && OPENTHREAD_CONFIG_MAC_CSL_TRANSMITTER_ENABLE
     static_assert(kStateCslTransmit == 6, "kStateCslTransmit value is not correct");
 #if OPENTHREAD_CONFIG_MAC_CSL_RECEIVER_ENABLE
     static_assert(kStateCslSample == 7, "kStateCslSample value is not correct");
 #endif
-#else
-#if OPENTHREAD_CONFIG_MAC_CSL_RECEIVER_ENABLE
+#elif OPENTHREAD_CONFIG_MAC_CSL_RECEIVER_ENABLE
     static_assert(kStateCslSample == 6, "kStateCslSample value is not correct");
-#endif
 #endif
 
     return kStateStrings[aState];
diff --git a/src/core/mac/sub_mac.hpp b/src/core/mac/sub_mac.hpp
index 7155fa13c..4e243e97b 100644
--- a/src/core/mac/sub_mac.hpp
+++ b/src/core/mac/sub_mac.hpp
@@ -584,6 +584,11 @@ private:
     static constexpr uint32_t kAckTimeout        = 16;  // Timeout for waiting on an ACK (in msec).
     static constexpr uint32_t kCcaSampleInterval = 128; // CCA sample interval, 128 usec.
 
+#if OPENTHREAD_CONFIG_MAC_ADD_DELAY_ON_NO_ACK_ERROR_BEFORE_RETRY
+    static constexpr uint8_t kRetxDelayMinBackoffExponent = OPENTHREAD_CONFIG_MAC_RETX_DELAY_MIN_BACKOFF_EXPONENT;
+    static constexpr uint8_t kRetxDelayMaxBackoffExponent = OPENTHREAD_CONFIG_MAC_RETX_DELAY_MAX_BACKOFF_EXPONENT;
+#endif
+
 #if OPENTHREAD_CONFIG_PLATFORM_USEC_TIMER_ENABLE
     static constexpr uint32_t kEnergyScanRssiSampleInterval = 128; // RSSI sample interval for energy scan, 128 usec
 #else
@@ -598,6 +603,9 @@ private:
         kStateCsmaBackoff, // CSMA backoff before transmission.
         kStateTransmit,    // Radio is transmitting.
         kStateEnergyScan,  // Energy scan.
+#if OPENTHREAD_CONFIG_MAC_ADD_DELAY_ON_NO_ACK_ERROR_BEFORE_RETRY
+        kStateDelayBeforeRetx, // Delay before retx
+#endif
 #if !OPENTHREAD_MTD && OPENTHREAD_CONFIG_MAC_CSL_TRANSMITTER_ENABLE
         kStateCslTransmit, // CSL transmission.
 #endif
@@ -650,6 +658,7 @@ private:
     void ProcessTransmitSecurity(void);
     void SignalFrameCounterUsed(uint32_t aFrameCounter);
     void StartCsmaBackoff(void);
+    void StartTimerForBackoff(uint8_t aBackoffExponent);
     void BeginTransmit(void);
     void SampleRssi(void);
 
@@ -689,6 +698,9 @@ private:
     KeyMaterial        mNextKey;
     uint32_t           mFrameCounter;
     uint8_t            mKeyId;
+#if OPENTHREAD_CONFIG_MAC_ADD_DELAY_ON_NO_ACK_ERROR_BEFORE_RETRY
+    uint8_t mRetxDelayBackOffExponent;
+#endif
 #if OPENTHREAD_CONFIG_PLATFORM_USEC_TIMER_ENABLE
     TimerMicro mTimer;
 #else
diff --git a/src/core/radio/radio.hpp b/src/core/radio/radio.hpp
index 7947ae086..fd8e56143 100644
--- a/src/core/radio/radio.hpp
+++ b/src/core/radio/radio.hpp
@@ -81,6 +81,7 @@ class Radio : public InstanceLocator, private NonCopyable
     friend class Instance;
 
 public:
+    static constexpr uint32_t kSymbolTime = OT_RADIO_SYMBOL_TIME;
 #if (OPENTHREAD_CONFIG_RADIO_2P4GHZ_OQPSK_SUPPORT && OPENTHREAD_CONFIG_RADIO_915MHZ_OQPSK_SUPPORT)
     static constexpr uint16_t kNumChannelPages = 2;
     static constexpr uint32_t kSupportedChannels =