diff --git a/hw/ip/hmac/dv/cov/hmac_cov_excl.el b/hw/ip/hmac/dv/cov/hmac_cov_excl.el
deleted file mode 100644
index e4f09b1f70408..0000000000000
--- a/hw/ip/hmac/dv/cov/hmac_cov_excl.el
+++ /dev/null
@@ -1,25 +0,0 @@
-// Copyright lowRISC contributors (OpenTitan project).
-// Licensed under the Apache License, Version 2.0, see LICENSE for details.
-// SPDX-License-Identifier: Apache-2.0
-
-//==================================================
-// This file contains the Excluded objects
-// Generated By User: gdessouky
-// Format Version: 2
-// Date: Sat Jul  6 04:05:21 2024
-// ExclMode: default
-//==================================================
-CHECKSUM: "1683432060 1171249183"
-INSTANCE: tb.dut.u_prim_sha2_512.gen_multimode_logic.u_prim_sha2_multimode.u_pad
-Fsm st_q "1171249183"
-ANNOTATION: "[INVALID] Intend to remove transition"
-Transition StLenHi->StFifoReceive "4->1"
-Fsm st_q "1171249183"
-ANNOTATION: "[INVALID] Intend to remove transition"
-Transition StPad80->StFifoReceive "2->1"
-Fsm st_q "1171249183"
-ANNOTATION: "[INVALID] Intend to remove transition"
-Transition StPad00->StFifoReceive "3->1"
-Fsm st_q "1171249183"
-ANNOTATION: "[INVALID] Intend to remove transition"
-Transition StLenLo->StFifoReceive "5->1"
diff --git a/hw/ip/hmac/dv/hmac_sim_cfg.hjson b/hw/ip/hmac/dv/hmac_sim_cfg.hjson
index 429ac0ae66c9b..b07ef3e6d06c9 100644
--- a/hw/ip/hmac/dv/hmac_sim_cfg.hjson
+++ b/hw/ip/hmac/dv/hmac_sim_cfg.hjson
@@ -41,8 +41,7 @@
   reseed: 50
 
   // Add HMAC specific exclusion files.
-  vcs_cov_excl_files: ["{proj_root}/hw/ip/hmac/dv/cov/hmac_unr_excl.el",
-                       "{proj_root}/hw/ip/hmac/dv/cov/hmac_cov_excl.el"]
+  vcs_cov_excl_files: ["{proj_root}/hw/ip/hmac/dv/cov/hmac_unr_excl.el"]
 
   // Default UVM test and seq class name.
   uvm_test: hmac_base_test
diff --git a/hw/ip/prim/rtl/prim_sha2_pad.sv b/hw/ip/prim/rtl/prim_sha2_pad.sv
index 1dc010dfefabe..242698d7b0f27 100644
--- a/hw/ip/prim/rtl/prim_sha2_pad.sv
+++ b/hw/ip/prim/rtl/prim_sha2_pad.sv
@@ -337,8 +337,13 @@ module prim_sha2_pad import prim_sha2_pkg::*;
       end
     endcase
 
-    if (!sha_en_i)    st_d = StIdle;
-    else if (hash_go) st_d = StFifoReceive;
+    if (!sha_en_i) begin
+      st_d = StIdle;
+    // We do not allow the cancellation of an ongoing padding operation, i.e., reverting back to the
+    // `StFifoReceive` state while being in the states `StPad80`, `StPad00`, `StLenHi` or `StLenLo`.
+    end else if (hash_go && (st_q == StIdle || st_q == StFifoReceive)) begin
+      st_d = StFifoReceive;
+    end
   end
 
   // tx_count