In one embodiment, a method in a wireless device for adaptive HARQ retransmissions comprises receiving, from a network node, a request to initiate an adaptive hybrid automatic repeat request (HARQ) retransmission. The method comprises identifying a HARQ process associated with the HARQ retransmission request and determining whether a HARQ buffer of the HARQ process is empty. In response to determining that the HARQ buffer is empty, the method comprises not delivering the HARQ information to the HARQ process and not triggering an adaptive HARQ retransmission.