diff --git a/src/core/thread/mesh_forwarder.cpp b/src/core/thread/mesh_forwarder.cpp
index a6367e42e..ebc93ac9a 100644
--- a/src/core/thread/mesh_forwarder.cpp
+++ b/src/core/thread/mesh_forwarder.cpp
@@ -929,7 +929,9 @@ Mac::TxFrame *MeshForwarder::PrepareFrame(Mac::TxFrames &aTxFrames)
 #if OPENTHREAD_FTD
 
     case Message::kType6lowpan:
-        mMessageNextOffset = Get<MessageFramer>().PrepareMeshFrame(*frame, *mSendMessage, mMacAddrs);
+        mMessageNextOffset = mSendMessage->GetLength();
+        VerifyOrExit(Get<MessageFramer>().PrepareMeshFrame(*frame, *mSendMessage, mMacAddrs) == kErrorNone,
+                     frame = nullptr);
         break;
 
     case Message::kTypeSupervision:
diff --git a/src/core/thread/message_framer.cpp b/src/core/thread/message_framer.cpp
index 53a8e031f..a991b18c7 100644
--- a/src/core/thread/message_framer.cpp
+++ b/src/core/thread/message_framer.cpp
@@ -356,8 +356,9 @@ start:
 
 #if OPENTHREAD_FTD
 
-uint16_t MessageFramer::PrepareMeshFrame(Mac::TxFrame &aFrame, Message &aMessage, const Mac::Addresses &aMacAddrs)
+Error MessageFramer::PrepareMeshFrame(Mac::TxFrame &aFrame, Message &aMessage, const Mac::Addresses &aMacAddrs)
 {
+    Error                        error;
     Mac::TxFrame::BuildInfo      buildInfo;
     Mac::TxFrame::PayloadBuilder frameBuilder;
 
@@ -369,10 +370,11 @@ uint16_t MessageFramer::PrepareMeshFrame(Mac::TxFrame &aFrame, Message &aMessage
 
     PrepareMacHeaders(aFrame, buildInfo, frameBuilder, &aMessage);
 
-    SuccessOrAssert(frameBuilder.AppendBytesFromMessage(aMessage, 0, aMessage.GetLength()));
+    SuccessOrExit(error = frameBuilder.AppendBytesFromMessage(aMessage, 0, aMessage.GetLength()));
     aFrame.FinishPayload(frameBuilder);
 
-    return aMessage.GetLength();
+exit:
+    return error;
 }
 
 #endif // OPENTHREAD_FTD
diff --git a/src/core/thread/message_framer.hpp b/src/core/thread/message_framer.hpp
index be94ea6c1..2440cea2b 100644
--- a/src/core/thread/message_framer.hpp
+++ b/src/core/thread/message_framer.hpp
@@ -115,9 +115,11 @@ public:
      * @param[in]  aMessage          The 6LoWPAN Mesh message.
      * @param[in]  aMacAddrs         The MAC source and destination addresses.
      *
-     * @returns The next offset into @p aMessage after the prepared frame.
+     * @retval kErrorNone    Successfully prepared the frame.
+     * @retval kErrorNoBufs  The message does not fit in the frame.
+     * @retval kErrorParse   Failed to read payload from @p aMessage.
      */
-    uint16_t PrepareMeshFrame(Mac::TxFrame &aFrame, Message &aMessage, const Mac::Addresses &aMacAddrs);
+    Error PrepareMeshFrame(Mac::TxFrame &aFrame, Message &aMessage, const Mac::Addresses &aMacAddrs);
 
 #endif // OPENTHREAD_FTD
 
diff --git a/tests/unit/test_lowpan.cpp b/tests/unit/test_lowpan.cpp
index b22aee91c..6ef8fd947 100644
--- a/tests/unit/test_lowpan.cpp
+++ b/tests/unit/test_lowpan.cpp
@@ -2161,6 +2161,51 @@ void TestLowpanDecompressRecursion(void)
     printf("PASS\n\n");
 }
 
+#if OPENTHREAD_FTD
+void TestPrepareMeshFrame(void)
+{
+    Instance      *instance = testInitInstance();
+    Message       *message;
+    Mac::Addresses macAddrs;
+    Mac::TxFrame   txFrame{};
+    uint8_t        psdu[OT_RADIO_FRAME_MAX_SIZE];
+    uint16_t       maxPayload;
+
+    printf("\n=== Test name: Prepare Mesh Frame ===\n\n");
+
+    VerifyOrQuit(instance != nullptr);
+
+    txFrame.mPsdu = psdu;
+#if OPENTHREAD_CONFIG_MULTI_RADIO
+    txFrame.SetRadioType(Radio::kTypeIeee802154);
+#endif
+
+    macAddrs.mSource.SetShort(0x1000);
+    macAddrs.mDestination.SetShort(0x2000);
+
+    message = instance->Get<MessagePool>().Allocate(Message::kType6lowpan);
+    VerifyOrQuit(message != nullptr);
+
+    SuccessOrQuit(instance->Get<MessageFramer>().PrepareMeshFrame(txFrame, *message, macAddrs));
+    maxPayload = txFrame.GetMtu() - txFrame.GetLength();
+
+    SuccessOrQuit(message->SetLength(maxPayload));
+    SuccessOrQuit(instance->Get<MessageFramer>().PrepareMeshFrame(txFrame, *message, macAddrs));
+    VerifyOrQuit(txFrame.GetLength() == txFrame.GetMtu());
+
+    SuccessOrQuit(message->SetLength(maxPayload + 1));
+    VerifyOrQuit(instance->Get<MessageFramer>().PrepareMeshFrame(txFrame, *message, macAddrs) == kErrorNoBufs);
+
+    SuccessOrQuit(message->SetLength(maxPayload - 1));
+    SuccessOrQuit(instance->Get<MessageFramer>().PrepareMeshFrame(txFrame, *message, macAddrs));
+    VerifyOrQuit(txFrame.GetLength() == txFrame.GetMtu() - 1);
+
+    message->Free();
+    testFreeInstance(instance);
+    printf("PASS\n\n");
+}
+#endif // OPENTHREAD_FTD
+
 } // namespace ot
 
 int main(void)
@@ -2169,6 +2214,9 @@ int main(void)
     ot::TestLowpanMeshHeader();
     ot::TestLowpanFragmentHeader();
     ot::TestLowpanDecompressRecursion();
+#if OPENTHREAD_FTD
+    ot::TestPrepareMeshFrame();
+#endif
 
     printf("All tests passed\n");
     return 0;