diff --git a/hw/net/vmxnet3.c b/hw/net/vmxnet3.c
index 104a0f599b..706e0606a9 100644
--- a/hw/net/vmxnet3.c
+++ b/hw/net/vmxnet3.c
@@ -1879,6 +1879,12 @@ vmxnet3_receive(NetClientState *nc, const uint8_t *buf, size_t size)
         return -1;
     }
 
+    if (s->peer_has_vhdr) {
+        vmxnet_rx_pkt_set_vhdr(s->rx_pkt, (struct virtio_net_hdr *)buf);
+        buf += sizeof(struct virtio_net_hdr);
+        size -= sizeof(struct virtio_net_hdr);
+    }
+
     /* Pad to minimum Ethernet frame length */
     if (size < sizeof(min_buf)) {
         memcpy(min_buf, buf, size);
@@ -1887,12 +1893,6 @@ vmxnet3_receive(NetClientState *nc, const uint8_t *buf, size_t size)
         size = sizeof(min_buf);
     }
 
-    if (s->peer_has_vhdr) {
-        vmxnet_rx_pkt_set_vhdr(s->rx_pkt, (struct virtio_net_hdr *)buf);
-        buf += sizeof(struct virtio_net_hdr);
-        size -= sizeof(struct virtio_net_hdr);
-    }
-
     vmxnet_rx_pkt_set_packet_type(s->rx_pkt,
         get_eth_packet_type(PKT_GET_ETH_HDR(buf)));