A direct-conversion radio receiver is provided. The receiver includes a first measurement unit configured to measure a signal level of a received signal at an input of the receiver. The receiver also includes a gain controller configured to stepwise adjust at least a front-end gain and a baseband gain of the receiver when the signal level of the received signal at the input of the receiver exceeds a given sensitivity level, and adjust the front-end gain with at least one further gain step when the input signal level is below the given sensitivity level.