diff --git a/elasticsearch/_async/helpers.py b/elasticsearch/_async/helpers.py
index 061ba2414..93da6220e 100644
--- a/elasticsearch/_async/helpers.py
+++ b/elasticsearch/_async/helpers.py
@@ -97,8 +97,7 @@ async def _chunk_actions(
     data: _TYPE_BULK_ACTION_BODY
     if not flush_after_seconds:
         async for action, data in actions:
-            ret = chunker.feed(action, data)
-            if ret:
+            for ret in chunker.feed(action, data):
                 yield ret
     else:
         sender, receiver = create_memory_object_stream[
@@ -128,8 +127,7 @@ async def get_items() -> None:
 
                 if action is BulkMeta.done:
                     break
-                ret = chunker.feed(action, data)
-                if ret:
+                for ret in chunker.feed(action, data):
                     yield ret
 
     ret = chunker.flush()
diff --git a/elasticsearch/helpers/actions.py b/elasticsearch/helpers/actions.py
index 22d4ebe22..320253f1b 100644
--- a/elasticsearch/helpers/actions.py
+++ b/elasticsearch/helpers/actions.py
@@ -158,7 +158,7 @@ def feed(
         self,
         action: _TYPE_BULK_ACTION_HEADER_WITH_META,
         data: _TYPE_BULK_ACTION_BODY,
-    ) -> Optional[
+    ) -> List[
         Tuple[
             List[
                 Union[
@@ -169,43 +169,42 @@ def feed(
             List[bytes],
         ]
     ]:
-        ret = None
-        action_bytes = b""
-        data_bytes: Optional[bytes] = None
-        cur_size = 0
-        if not isinstance(action, BulkMeta):
-            action_bytes = to_bytes(self.serializer.dumps(action), "utf-8")
-            # +1 to account for the trailing new line character
-            cur_size = len(action_bytes) + 1
-
-            if data is not None:
-                data_bytes = to_bytes(self.serializer.dumps(data), "utf-8")
-                cur_size += len(data_bytes) + 1
-            else:
-                data_bytes = None
+        if action is BulkMeta.flush and self.bulk_actions:
+            return [self.flush()]
+        elif isinstance(action, BulkMeta):
+            return []
+
+        action_bytes = to_bytes(self.serializer.dumps(action), "utf-8")
+        # +1 to account for the trailing new line character
+        cur_size = len(action_bytes) + 1
+        if data is not None:
+            data_bytes = to_bytes(self.serializer.dumps(data), "utf-8")
+            cur_size += len(data_bytes) + 1
+        else:
+            data_bytes = None
 
-        # full chunk, send it and start a new one
-        if self.bulk_actions and (
-            self.size + cur_size > self.max_chunk_bytes
-            or self.action_count == self.chunk_size
-            or (action == BulkMeta.flush and self.bulk_actions)
-        ):
-            ret = (self.bulk_data, self.bulk_actions)
-            self.bulk_actions = []
-            self.bulk_data = []
-            self.size = 0
-            self.action_count = 0
-
-        if not isinstance(action, BulkMeta):
-            self.bulk_actions.append(action_bytes)
-            if data_bytes is not None:
-                self.bulk_actions.append(data_bytes)
-                self.bulk_data.append((action, data))
-            else:
-                self.bulk_data.append((action,))
+        ret = []
+
+        # FORWARD CHECK: if the currently incoming action doesn't fit in the
+        # active chunk, flush it and hold the action for the next chunk.
+        if self.bulk_actions and self.size + cur_size > self.max_chunk_bytes:
+            ret.append(self.flush())
+
+        self.bulk_actions.append(action_bytes)
+        if data_bytes is not None:
+            self.bulk_actions.append(data_bytes)
+            self.bulk_data.append((action, data))
+        else:
+            self.bulk_data.append((action,))
+        self.size += cur_size
+        self.action_count += 1
+
+        # PRESENT CHECK: the active chunk must not exceed slots nor size limits
+        # Note: it could be that incoming action+data's byte size could exceed
+        # max_chunk_bytes all alone, hence we need to check using >=
+        if self.action_count == self.chunk_size or self.size >= self.max_chunk_bytes:
+            ret.append(self.flush())
 
-            self.size += cur_size
-            self.action_count += 1
         return ret
 
     def flush(
@@ -221,11 +220,14 @@ def flush(
             List[bytes],
         ]
     ]:
-        ret = None
-        if self.bulk_actions:
-            ret = (self.bulk_data, self.bulk_actions)
-            self.bulk_actions = []
-            self.bulk_data = []
+        if not self.bulk_actions:
+            return None
+
+        ret = (self.bulk_data, self.bulk_actions)
+        self.bulk_actions = []
+        self.bulk_data = []
+        self.size = 0
+        self.action_count = 0
         return ret
 
 
@@ -256,8 +258,7 @@ def _chunk_actions(
 
     if not flush_after_seconds:
         for action, data in actions:
-            ret = chunker.feed(action, data)
-            if ret:
+            for ret in chunker.feed(action, data):
                 yield ret
     else:
         item_queue: queue.Queue[_TYPE_BULK_ACTION_HEADER_WITH_META_AND_BODY] = (
@@ -284,8 +285,7 @@ def get_items() -> None:
 
                 if action is BulkMeta.done:
                     break
-                ret = chunker.feed(action, data)
-                if ret:
+                for ret in chunker.feed(action, data):
                     yield ret
 
     ret = chunker.flush()