diff --git a/include/net/net.h b/include/net/net.h
index a02949f6db..3559f3ca19 100644
--- a/include/net/net.h
+++ b/include/net/net.h
@@ -103,6 +103,7 @@ struct NetClientState {
     int vring_enable;
     int vnet_hdr_len;
     bool is_netdev;
+    bool do_not_pad; /* do not pad to the minimum ethernet frame length */
     QTAILQ_HEAD(, NetFilterState) filters;
 };