diff --git a/RFM69.cpp b/RFM69.cpp
index ddba02c..aac4530 100644
--- a/RFM69.cpp
+++ b/RFM69.cpp
@@ -307,7 +307,12 @@ void RFM69::send(uint16_t toAddress, const void* buffer, uint8_t bufferSize, boo
 {
   writeReg(REG_PACKETCONFIG2, (readReg(REG_PACKETCONFIG2) & 0xFB) | RF_PACKET2_RXRESTART); // avoid RX deadlocks
   uint32_t now = millis();
-  while (!canSend() && millis() - now < RF69_CSMA_LIMIT_MS) receiveDone();
+  while (!canSend() && millis() - now < RF69_CSMA_LIMIT_MS){
+      receiveDone();
+#ifdef ESP8266
+      delay(1); // Give esp8266-based boards to handle background tasks. Seems to work better than yield();
+#endif
+  }
   sendFrame(toAddress, buffer, bufferSize, requestACK, false);
 }
 
@@ -350,7 +355,12 @@ void RFM69::sendACK(const void* buffer, uint8_t bufferSize) {
   int16_t _RSSI = RSSI; // save payload received RSSI value
   writeReg(REG_PACKETCONFIG2, (readReg(REG_PACKETCONFIG2) & 0xFB) | RF_PACKET2_RXRESTART); // avoid RX deadlocks
   uint32_t now = millis();
-  while (!canSend() && millis() - now < RF69_CSMA_LIMIT_MS) receiveDone();
+  while (!canSend() && millis() - now < RF69_CSMA_LIMIT_MS){
+      receiveDone();
+#ifdef ESP8266
+      delay(1); // Give esp8266-based boards to handle background tasks. Seems to work better than yield().
+#endif
+  }
   SENDERID = sender;    // TWS: Restore SenderID after it gets wiped out by receiveDone()
   sendFrame(sender, buffer, bufferSize, false, true);
   RSSI = _RSSI; // restore payload RSSI