diff --git a/src/eth/rtl/taxi_axis_baser_tx_32.sv b/src/eth/rtl/taxi_axis_baser_tx_32.sv
index 0111027..90b5a8c 100644
--- a/src/eth/rtl/taxi_axis_baser_tx_32.sv
+++ b/src/eth/rtl/taxi_axis_baser_tx_32.sv
@@ -462,7 +462,7 @@ always_comb begin
                 // idle state - wait for data
                 frame_error_next = 1'b0;
                 frame_oversize_next = 1'b0;
-                frame_min_count_next = MIN_LEN_W'(MIN_FRAME_LEN-4-KEEP_W);
+                frame_min_count_next = MIN_LEN_W'(MIN_FRAME_LEN-4);
                 hdr_ptr_next = 0;
                 frame_len_next = 0;
                 {frame_len_lim_cyc_next, frame_len_lim_last_next} = cfg_tx_max_pkt_len-1;
diff --git a/src/eth/rtl/taxi_axis_xgmii_tx_32.sv b/src/eth/rtl/taxi_axis_xgmii_tx_32.sv
index 5192ee8..0d73b83 100644
--- a/src/eth/rtl/taxi_axis_xgmii_tx_32.sv
+++ b/src/eth/rtl/taxi_axis_xgmii_tx_32.sv
@@ -413,7 +413,7 @@ always_comb begin
                 // idle state - wait for data
                 frame_error_next = 1'b0;
                 frame_oversize_next = 1'b0;
-                frame_min_count_next = MIN_LEN_W'(MIN_FRAME_LEN-4-CTRL_W);
+                frame_min_count_next = MIN_LEN_W'(MIN_FRAME_LEN-4);
                 hdr_ptr_next = 0;
                 frame_len_next = 0;
                 {frame_len_lim_cyc_next, frame_len_lim_last_next} = cfg_tx_max_pkt_len-1;
diff --git a/src/eth/tb/taxi_axis_baser_tx_32/test_taxi_axis_baser_tx_32.py b/src/eth/tb/taxi_axis_baser_tx_32/test_taxi_axis_baser_tx_32.py
index 5496bc2..7e6e1be 100644
--- a/src/eth/tb/taxi_axis_baser_tx_32/test_taxi_axis_baser_tx_32.py
+++ b/src/eth/tb/taxi_axis_baser_tx_32/test_taxi_axis_baser_tx_32.py
@@ -151,7 +151,7 @@ async def run_test(dut, gbx_cfg=None, payload_lengths=None, payload_data=None, i
         tb.log.info("RX frame SFD sim time: %f ns", rx_frame_sfd_ns)
         tb.log.info("Difference: %f ns", abs(rx_frame_sfd_ns - ptp_ts_ns))
 
-        assert rx_frame.get_payload() == test_data
+        assert rx_frame.get_payload() == test_data.ljust(60, b'\x00')
         assert rx_frame.check_fcs()
         assert rx_frame.ctrl is None
         if gbx_cfg is None:
@@ -384,7 +384,7 @@ async def run_test_oversize(dut, gbx_cfg=None, ifg=12):
 
 
 def size_list():
-    return list(range(60, 128)) + [512, 1514, 9214] + [60]*10 + [i for i in range(64, 73) for k in range(8)]
+    return list(range(16, 128)) + [512, 1514, 9214] + [60]*10 + [i for i in range(64, 73) for k in range(8)]
 
 
 def incrementing_payload(length):
diff --git a/src/eth/tb/taxi_axis_baser_tx_64/test_taxi_axis_baser_tx_64.py b/src/eth/tb/taxi_axis_baser_tx_64/test_taxi_axis_baser_tx_64.py
index 574fb9d..92d2ba3 100644
--- a/src/eth/tb/taxi_axis_baser_tx_64/test_taxi_axis_baser_tx_64.py
+++ b/src/eth/tb/taxi_axis_baser_tx_64/test_taxi_axis_baser_tx_64.py
@@ -151,7 +151,7 @@ async def run_test(dut, gbx_cfg=None, payload_lengths=None, payload_data=None, i
         tb.log.info("RX frame SFD sim time: %f ns", rx_frame_sfd_ns)
         tb.log.info("Difference: %f ns", abs(rx_frame_sfd_ns - ptp_ts_ns))
 
-        assert rx_frame.get_payload() == test_data
+        assert rx_frame.get_payload() == test_data.ljust(60, b'\x00')
         assert rx_frame.check_fcs()
         assert rx_frame.ctrl is None
         if gbx_cfg is None:
@@ -497,7 +497,7 @@ async def run_test_oversize(dut, gbx_cfg=None, ifg=12):
 
 
 def size_list():
-    return list(range(60, 128)) + [512, 1514, 9214] + [60]*10 + [i for i in range(64, 73) for k in range(8)]
+    return list(range(16, 128)) + [512, 1514, 9214] + [60]*10 + [i for i in range(64, 73) for k in range(8)]
 
 
 def incrementing_payload(length):
diff --git a/src/eth/tb/taxi_axis_gmii_tx/test_taxi_axis_gmii_tx.py b/src/eth/tb/taxi_axis_gmii_tx/test_taxi_axis_gmii_tx.py
index 7d0b304..c93c59d 100644
--- a/src/eth/tb/taxi_axis_gmii_tx/test_taxi_axis_gmii_tx.py
+++ b/src/eth/tb/taxi_axis_gmii_tx/test_taxi_axis_gmii_tx.py
@@ -144,7 +144,7 @@ async def run_test(dut, payload_lengths=None, payload_data=None, ifg=12, enable_
         tb.log.info("RX frame SFD sim time: %f ns", rx_frame_sfd_ns)
         tb.log.info("Difference: %f ns", abs(rx_frame_sfd_ns - ptp_ts_ns))
 
-        assert rx_frame.get_payload() == test_data
+        assert rx_frame.get_payload() == test_data.ljust(60, b'\x00')
         assert rx_frame.check_fcs()
         assert rx_frame.error is None
         assert abs(rx_frame_sfd_ns - ptp_ts_ns - (32 if enable_gen else 8)) < 0.01
@@ -383,7 +383,7 @@ async def run_test_oversize(dut, ifg=12, enable_gen=None, mii_sel=False):
 
 
 def size_list():
-    return list(range(60, 128)) + [512, 1514] + [60]*10
+    return list(range(4, 128)) + [512, 1514] + [60]*10
 
 
 def incrementing_payload(length):
diff --git a/src/eth/tb/taxi_axis_xgmii_tx_32/test_taxi_axis_xgmii_tx_32.py b/src/eth/tb/taxi_axis_xgmii_tx_32/test_taxi_axis_xgmii_tx_32.py
index 187b791..41ffed4 100644
--- a/src/eth/tb/taxi_axis_xgmii_tx_32/test_taxi_axis_xgmii_tx_32.py
+++ b/src/eth/tb/taxi_axis_xgmii_tx_32/test_taxi_axis_xgmii_tx_32.py
@@ -117,7 +117,7 @@ async def run_test(dut, payload_lengths=None, payload_data=None, ifg=12):
         tb.log.info("RX frame SFD sim time: %f ns", rx_frame_sfd_ns)
         tb.log.info("Difference: %f ns", abs(rx_frame_sfd_ns - ptp_ts_ns))
 
-        assert rx_frame.get_payload() == test_data
+        assert rx_frame.get_payload() == test_data.ljust(60, b'\x00')
         assert rx_frame.check_fcs()
         assert rx_frame.ctrl is None
         assert abs(rx_frame_sfd_ns - ptp_ts_ns - 3.2) < 0.01
@@ -446,7 +446,7 @@ async def run_test_oversize(dut, ifg=12):
 
 
 def size_list():
-    return list(range(60, 128)) + [512, 1514, 9214] + [60]*10 + [i for i in range(64, 73) for k in range(8)]
+    return list(range(16, 128)) + [512, 1514, 9214] + [60]*10 + [i for i in range(64, 73) for k in range(8)]
 
 
 def incrementing_payload(length):
diff --git a/src/eth/tb/taxi_axis_xgmii_tx_64/test_taxi_axis_xgmii_tx_64.py b/src/eth/tb/taxi_axis_xgmii_tx_64/test_taxi_axis_xgmii_tx_64.py
index 75f4c6c..63033dc 100644
--- a/src/eth/tb/taxi_axis_xgmii_tx_64/test_taxi_axis_xgmii_tx_64.py
+++ b/src/eth/tb/taxi_axis_xgmii_tx_64/test_taxi_axis_xgmii_tx_64.py
@@ -120,7 +120,7 @@ async def run_test(dut, payload_lengths=None, payload_data=None, ifg=12):
         tb.log.info("RX frame SFD sim time: %f ns", rx_frame_sfd_ns)
         tb.log.info("Difference: %f ns", abs(rx_frame_sfd_ns - ptp_ts_ns))
 
-        assert rx_frame.get_payload() == test_data
+        assert rx_frame.get_payload() == test_data.ljust(60, b'\x00')
         assert rx_frame.check_fcs()
         assert rx_frame.ctrl is None
         assert abs(rx_frame_sfd_ns - ptp_ts_ns - 6.4) < 0.01
@@ -448,7 +448,7 @@ async def run_test_oversize(dut, ifg=12):
 
 
 def size_list():
-    return list(range(60, 128)) + [512, 1514, 9214] + [60]*10 + [i for i in range(64, 73) for k in range(8)]
+    return list(range(16, 128)) + [512, 1514, 9214] + [60]*10 + [i for i in range(64, 73) for k in range(8)]
 
 
 def incrementing_payload(length):