diff --git a/drivers/ipm/ipm_esp32.c b/drivers/ipm/ipm_esp32.c
index 3eee994d1dc1c..32d619cd378a7 100644
--- a/drivers/ipm/ipm_esp32.c
+++ b/drivers/ipm/ipm_esp32.c
@@ -121,18 +121,14 @@ static int esp32_ipm_send(const struct device *dev, int wait, uint32_t id,
 	while (!atomic_cas(&dev_data->control->lock,
 		ESP32_IPM_LOCK_FREE_VAL,
 		dev_data->this_core_id)) {
+		/* Do not wait for availability */
+		if (wait == 0) {
+			irq_unlock(key);
 
-		k_busy_wait(1);
-
-		if ((wait != -1) && (wait > 0)) {
-			/* lock could not be held this time, return */
-			wait--;
-			if (wait == 0)  {
-				irq_unlock(key);
-
-				return -ETIMEDOUT;
-			}
+			return -EBUSY;
 		}
+
+		k_busy_wait(1);
 	}
 
 	/* Only the lower 16bits of id are used */