diff --git a/components/esp_netif/Kconfig b/components/esp_netif/Kconfig
index 005ea75687..97c39546bc 100644
--- a/components/esp_netif/Kconfig
+++ b/components/esp_netif/Kconfig
@@ -31,6 +31,14 @@ menu "ESP NETIF Adapter"
 
     endchoice
 
+    config ESP_NETIF_RECEIVE_REPORT_ERRORS
+        bool "Use esp_err_t to report errors from esp_netif_receive"
+        default n
+        help
+            Enable if esp_netif_receive() should return error code. This is useful to inform upper layers
+            that packet input to TCP/IP stack failed, so the upper layers could implement flow control.
+            This option is disabled by default due to backward compatibility and will be enabled in v6.0 (IDF-7194)
+
     config ESP_NETIF_L2_TAP
         bool "Enable netif L2 TAP support"
         select ETH_TRANSMIT_MUTEX
diff --git a/components/esp_netif/include/lwip/esp_netif_net_stack.h b/components/esp_netif/include/lwip/esp_netif_net_stack.h
index 2aca595d02..a3a2b7770e 100644
--- a/components/esp_netif/include/lwip/esp_netif_net_stack.h
+++ b/components/esp_netif/include/lwip/esp_netif_net_stack.h
@@ -1,5 +1,5 @@
 /*
- * SPDX-FileCopyrightText: 2022 Espressif Systems (Shanghai) CO LTD
+ * SPDX-FileCopyrightText: 2022-2023 Espressif Systems (Shanghai) CO LTD
  *
  * SPDX-License-Identifier: Apache-2.0
  */
@@ -12,8 +12,16 @@
 
 #if defined(CONFIG_ESP_NETIF_TCPIP_LWIP)
 
+#ifdef CONFIG_ESP_NETIF_RECEIVE_REPORT_ERRORS
+typedef esp_err_t esp_netif_recv_ret_t;
+#define ESP_NETIF_OPTIONAL_RETURN_CODE(expr) expr
+#else
+typedef void esp_netif_recv_ret_t;
+#define ESP_NETIF_OPTIONAL_RETURN_CODE(expr)
+#endif // CONFIG_ESP_NETIF_RECEIVE_REPORT_ERRORS
+
 typedef err_t (*init_fn_t)(struct netif*);
-typedef esp_err_t (*input_fn_t)(void *netif, void *buffer, size_t len, void *eb);
+typedef esp_netif_recv_ret_t (*input_fn_t)(void *netif, void *buffer, size_t len, void *eb);
 
 struct esp_netif_netstack_lwip_vanilla_config {
     init_fn_t init_fn;
@@ -47,7 +55,7 @@ err_t ethernetif_init(struct netif *netif);
  * @param len Input buffer size
  * @param l2_buff External buffer pointer (to be passed to custom input-buffer free)
  */
-esp_err_t ethernetif_input(void *h, void *buffer, size_t len, void *l2_buff);
+esp_netif_recv_ret_t ethernetif_input(void *h, void *buffer, size_t len, void *l2_buff);
 
 /**
  * @brief   LWIP's network stack init function for WiFi (AP)
@@ -70,6 +78,6 @@ err_t wlanif_init_sta(struct netif *netif);
  * @param len Input buffer size
  * @param l2_buff External buffer pointer (to be passed to custom input-buffer free)
  */
-esp_err_t wlanif_input(void *h, void *buffer, size_t len, void* l2_buff);
+esp_netif_recv_ret_t wlanif_input(void *h, void *buffer, size_t len, void* l2_buff);
 
 #endif // CONFIG_ESP_NETIF_TCPIP_LWIP
diff --git a/components/esp_netif/lwip/esp_netif_lwip.c b/components/esp_netif/lwip/esp_netif_lwip.c
index d946112ffa..71253e14fb 100644
--- a/components/esp_netif/lwip/esp_netif_lwip.c
+++ b/components/esp_netif/lwip/esp_netif_lwip.c
@@ -9,8 +9,8 @@
 #include <lwip/sockets.h>
 
 #include "esp_check.h"
-#include "esp_netif_lwip_internal.h"
 #include "lwip/esp_netif_net_stack.h"
+#include "esp_netif_lwip_internal.h"
 
 
 #include "esp_netif.h"
@@ -1170,7 +1170,12 @@ esp_err_t esp_netif_transmit_wrap(esp_netif_t *esp_netif, void *data, size_t len
 
 esp_err_t esp_netif_receive(esp_netif_t *esp_netif, void *buffer, size_t len, void *eb)
 {
+#ifdef CONFIG_ESP_NETIF_RECEIVE_REPORT_ERRORS
     return esp_netif->lwip_input_fn(esp_netif->netif_handle, buffer, len, eb);
+#else
+    esp_netif->lwip_input_fn(esp_netif->netif_handle, buffer, len, eb);
+    return ESP_OK;
+#endif
 }
 
 static esp_err_t esp_netif_start_ip_lost_timer(esp_netif_t *esp_netif);
diff --git a/components/esp_netif/lwip/esp_netif_lwip_defaults.c b/components/esp_netif/lwip/esp_netif_lwip_defaults.c
index 97009d3d57..716e6f0e74 100644
--- a/components/esp_netif/lwip/esp_netif_lwip_defaults.c
+++ b/components/esp_netif/lwip/esp_netif_lwip_defaults.c
@@ -5,8 +5,8 @@
  */
 
 #include "esp_netif.h"
-#include "esp_netif_lwip_internal.h"
 #include "lwip/esp_netif_net_stack.h"
+#include "esp_netif_lwip_internal.h"
 #if defined(CONFIG_PPP_SUPPORT)
 #include "esp_netif_lwip_ppp.h"
 #endif
diff --git a/components/esp_netif/lwip/esp_netif_lwip_internal.h b/components/esp_netif/lwip/esp_netif_lwip_internal.h
index 5f37d729bf..5b154d4c8d 100644
--- a/components/esp_netif/lwip/esp_netif_lwip_internal.h
+++ b/components/esp_netif/lwip/esp_netif_lwip_internal.h
@@ -76,7 +76,7 @@ struct esp_netif_obj {
     // lwip netif related
     struct netif *lwip_netif;
     err_t (*lwip_init_fn)(struct netif*);
-    esp_err_t (*lwip_input_fn)(void *input_netif_handle, void *buffer, size_t len, void *eb);
+    esp_netif_recv_ret_t (*lwip_input_fn)(void *input_netif_handle, void *buffer, size_t len, void *eb);
     void * netif_handle;    // netif impl context (either vanilla lwip-netif or ppp_pcb)
     netif_related_data_t *related_data; // holds additional data for specific netifs
 #if ESP_DHCPS
diff --git a/components/esp_netif/lwip/esp_netif_lwip_ppp.c b/components/esp_netif/lwip/esp_netif_lwip_ppp.c
index b9cf7a089e..4e018c8ade 100644
--- a/components/esp_netif/lwip/esp_netif_lwip_ppp.c
+++ b/components/esp_netif/lwip/esp_netif_lwip_ppp.c
@@ -271,15 +271,15 @@ esp_err_t esp_netif_start_ppp(esp_netif_t *esp_netif)
     return ESP_OK;
 }
 
-esp_err_t esp_netif_lwip_ppp_input(void *ppp_ctx, void *buffer, size_t len, void *eb)
+esp_netif_recv_ret_t esp_netif_lwip_ppp_input(void *ppp_ctx, void *buffer, size_t len, void *eb)
 {
     struct lwip_peer2peer_ctx * obj = ppp_ctx;
     err_t ret = pppos_input_tcpip(obj->ppp, buffer, len);
     if (ret != ERR_OK) {
         ESP_LOGE(TAG, "pppos_input_tcpip failed with %d", ret);
-        return ESP_FAIL;
+        return ESP_NETIF_OPTIONAL_RETURN_CODE(ESP_FAIL);
     }
-    return ESP_OK;
+    return ESP_NETIF_OPTIONAL_RETURN_CODE(ESP_OK);
 }
 
 esp_err_t esp_netif_stop_ppp(netif_related_data_t *netif_related)
diff --git a/components/esp_netif/lwip/esp_netif_lwip_ppp.h b/components/esp_netif/lwip/esp_netif_lwip_ppp.h
index 54ed1f5ae4..9fb2be025d 100644
--- a/components/esp_netif/lwip/esp_netif_lwip_ppp.h
+++ b/components/esp_netif/lwip/esp_netif_lwip_ppp.h
@@ -40,7 +40,7 @@ esp_err_t esp_netif_start_ppp(esp_netif_t *esp_netif);
  * @return
  *         - ESP_OK on success
  */
-esp_err_t esp_netif_lwip_ppp_input(void *ppp, void *buffer, size_t len, void *eb);
+esp_netif_recv_ret_t esp_netif_lwip_ppp_input(void *ppp, void *buffer, size_t len, void *eb);
 
 /**
  * @brief   Destroys the ppp netif object
diff --git a/components/esp_netif/lwip/netif/ethernetif.c b/components/esp_netif/lwip/netif/ethernetif.c
index 18ecf1d217..c6d1b96ec6 100644
--- a/components/esp_netif/lwip/netif/ethernetif.c
+++ b/components/esp_netif/lwip/netif/ethernetif.c
@@ -18,9 +18,10 @@
 #include "lwip/ethip6.h"
 #include "netif/etharp.h"
 
+#include "esp_compiler.h"
 #include "esp_netif.h"
 #include "esp_netif_net_stack.h"
-#include "esp_compiler.h"
+#include "lwip/esp_netif_net_stack.h"
 #include "lwip/esp_pbuf_ref.h"
 
 /* Define those to better describe your network interface. */
@@ -115,7 +116,7 @@ static err_t ethernet_low_level_output(struct netif *netif, struct pbuf *p)
  * @param len length of buffer
  * @param l2_buff Placeholder for a separate L2 buffer. Unused for ethernet interface
  */
-esp_err_t ethernetif_input(void *h, void *buffer, size_t len, void *l2_buff)
+esp_netif_recv_ret_t ethernetif_input(void *h, void *buffer, size_t len, void *l2_buff)
 {
     struct netif *netif = h;
     esp_netif_t *esp_netif = esp_netif_get_handle_from_netif_impl(netif);
@@ -125,23 +126,23 @@ esp_err_t ethernetif_input(void *h, void *buffer, size_t len, void *l2_buff)
         if (buffer) {
             esp_netif_free_rx_buffer(esp_netif, buffer);
         }
-        return ESP_FAIL;
+        return ESP_NETIF_OPTIONAL_RETURN_CODE(ESP_FAIL);
     }
 
     /* allocate custom pbuf to hold  */
     p = esp_pbuf_allocate(esp_netif, buffer, len, buffer);
     if (p == NULL) {
         esp_netif_free_rx_buffer(esp_netif, buffer);
-        return ESP_ERR_NO_MEM;
+        return ESP_NETIF_OPTIONAL_RETURN_CODE(ESP_ERR_NO_MEM);
     }
     /* full packet send to tcpip_thread to process */
     if (unlikely(netif->input(p, netif) != ERR_OK)) {
         LWIP_DEBUGF(NETIF_DEBUG, ("ethernetif_input: IP input error\n"));
         pbuf_free(p);
-        return ESP_FAIL;
+        return ESP_NETIF_OPTIONAL_RETURN_CODE(ESP_FAIL);
     }
     /* the pbuf will be free in upper layer, eg: ethernet_input */
-    return ESP_OK;
+    return ESP_NETIF_OPTIONAL_RETURN_CODE(ESP_OK);
 }
 
 /**
diff --git a/components/esp_netif/lwip/netif/wlanif.c b/components/esp_netif/lwip/netif/wlanif.c
index 9093446120..fa91880dcd 100644
--- a/components/esp_netif/lwip/netif/wlanif.c
+++ b/components/esp_netif/lwip/netif/wlanif.c
@@ -126,7 +126,7 @@ static err_t low_level_output(struct netif *netif, struct pbuf *p)
  * @param len length of buffer
  * @param l2_buff wlan's L2 buffer pointer
  */
-esp_err_t wlanif_input(void *h, void *buffer, size_t len, void* l2_buff)
+esp_netif_recv_ret_t wlanif_input(void *h, void *buffer, size_t len, void* l2_buff)
 {
     struct netif * netif = h;
     esp_netif_t *esp_netif = netif->state;
@@ -136,14 +136,14 @@ esp_err_t wlanif_input(void *h, void *buffer, size_t len, void* l2_buff)
         if (l2_buff) {
             esp_netif_free_rx_buffer(esp_netif, l2_buff);
         }
-        return ESP_FAIL;
+        return ESP_NETIF_OPTIONAL_RETURN_CODE(ESP_FAIL);
     }
 
 #ifdef CONFIG_LWIP_L2_TO_L3_COPY
     p = pbuf_alloc(PBUF_RAW, len, PBUF_RAM);
     if (p == NULL) {
         esp_netif_free_rx_buffer(esp_netif, l2_buff);
-        return ESP_ERR_NO_MEM;
+        return ESP_NETIF_OPTIONAL_RETURN_CODE(ESP_ERR_NO_MEM);
     }
     memcpy(p->payload, buffer, len);
     esp_netif_free_rx_buffer(esp_netif, l2_buff);
@@ -151,7 +151,7 @@ esp_err_t wlanif_input(void *h, void *buffer, size_t len, void* l2_buff)
     p = esp_pbuf_allocate(esp_netif, buffer, len, l2_buff);
     if (p == NULL) {
         esp_netif_free_rx_buffer(esp_netif, l2_buff);
-        return ESP_ERR_NO_MEM;
+        return ESP_NETIF_OPTIONAL_RETURN_CODE(ESP_ERR_NO_MEM);
     }
 
 #endif
@@ -160,9 +160,9 @@ esp_err_t wlanif_input(void *h, void *buffer, size_t len, void* l2_buff)
     if (unlikely(netif->input(p, netif) != ERR_OK)) {
         LWIP_DEBUGF(NETIF_DEBUG, ("wlanif_input: IP input error\n"));
         pbuf_free(p);
-        return ESP_FAIL;
+        return ESP_NETIF_OPTIONAL_RETURN_CODE(ESP_FAIL);
     }
-    return ESP_OK;
+    return ESP_NETIF_OPTIONAL_RETURN_CODE(ESP_OK);
 }
 
 /**
diff --git a/tools/test_apps/protocols/mqtt/publish_connect_test/sdkconfig.ci.default b/tools/test_apps/protocols/mqtt/publish_connect_test/sdkconfig.ci.default
index 25a7c80ea9..cfc39a451b 100644
--- a/tools/test_apps/protocols/mqtt/publish_connect_test/sdkconfig.ci.default
+++ b/tools/test_apps/protocols/mqtt/publish_connect_test/sdkconfig.ci.default
@@ -10,6 +10,7 @@ CONFIG_ESP_TLS_INSECURE=y
 CONFIG_ESP_TLS_SKIP_SERVER_CERT_VERIFY=y
 CONFIG_EXAMPLE_CONNECT_ETHERNET=y
 CONFIG_EXAMPLE_CONNECT_WIFI=n
+CONFIG_ESP_NETIF_RECEIVE_REPORT_ERRORS=y
 CONFIG_EXAMPLE_USE_INTERNAL_ETHERNET=y
 CONFIG_EXAMPLE_ETH_PHY_IP101=y
 CONFIG_EXAMPLE_ETH_MDC_GPIO=23