diff --git a/tx.c b/tx.c
index dc60a966..4507fd15 100644
--- a/tx.c
+++ b/tx.c
@@ -591,10 +591,22 @@ mt76_txq_schedule_list(struct mt76_phy *phy, enum mt76_txq_id qid)
 			if (!mt76_txq_stopped(q))
 				n_frames = mt76_txq_send_burst(phy, q, mtxq, wcid);
 
-			ieee80211_return_txq(phy->hw, txq, false);
-
 			if (unlikely(n_frames < 0))
 				return n_frames;
+
+			/*
+			 * Keep the station in the airtime scheduler only while it
+			 * makes progress or the shared queue is stopped. A PS
+			 * station that cannot be drained consumes no airtime, so
+			 * its DRR deficit never goes negative and returning it here
+			 * would pin it at the head of the device-wide active_txqs
+			 * list, starving all other stations on every band. Leave it
+			 * unscheduled instead and let mt76_tx_complete_skb() re-arm
+			 * it once a buffered frame completes.
+			 */
+			if (n_frames > 0 || mt76_txq_stopped(q))
+				ieee80211_return_txq(phy->hw, txq, false);
+
 			ret += n_frames;
 			continue;
 		}