diff --git a/src/extra/pktbuff.c b/src/extra/pktbuff.c
index 6250fbf3ac8b..985bb48ac986 100644
--- a/src/extra/pktbuff.c
+++ b/src/extra/pktbuff.c
@@ -29,6 +29,58 @@
  * @{
  */
 
+static struct pkt_buff *__pktb_alloc(int family, void *data, size_t len,
+				     size_t extra)
+{
+	struct pkt_buff *pktb;
+
+	pktb = calloc(1, sizeof(struct pkt_buff) + len + extra);
+	if (pktb == NULL)
+		return NULL;
+
+	return pktb;
+}
+
+static int pktb_setup_family(struct pkt_buff *pktb, int family)
+{
+	switch(family) {
+	case AF_INET:
+	case AF_INET6:
+		pktb->network_header = pktb->data;
+		break;
+	case AF_BRIDGE: {
+		struct ethhdr *ethhdr = (struct ethhdr *)pktb->data;
+
+		pktb->mac_header = pktb->data;
+
+		switch(ethhdr->h_proto) {
+		case ETH_P_IP:
+		case ETH_P_IPV6:
+			pktb->network_header = pktb->data + ETH_HLEN;
+			break;
+		default:
+			/* This protocol is unsupported. */
+			errno = EPROTONOSUPPORT;
+			return -1;
+		}
+		break;
+		}
+	}
+
+	return 0;
+}
+
+static void pktb_setup_metadata(struct pkt_buff *pktb, void *pkt_data,
+				size_t len, size_t extra)
+{
+	pktb->len = len;
+	pktb->data_len = len + extra;
+
+	pktb->head = pkt_data;
+	pktb->data = pkt_data;
+	pktb->tail = pktb->head + len;
+}
+
 /**
  * pktb_alloc - allocate a new packet buffer
  * \param family Indicate what family. Currently supported families are
@@ -54,45 +106,41 @@ struct pkt_buff *pktb_alloc(int family, void *data, size_t len, size_t extra)
 	struct pkt_buff *pktb;
 	void *pkt_data;
 
-	pktb = calloc(1, sizeof(struct pkt_buff) + len + extra);
-	if (pktb == NULL)
+	pktb = __pktb_alloc(family, data, len, extra);
+	if (!pktb)
 		return NULL;
 
 	/* Better make sure alignment is correct. */
 	pkt_data = (uint8_t *)pktb + sizeof(struct pkt_buff);
 	memcpy(pkt_data, data, len);
 
-	pktb->len = len;
-	pktb->data_len = len + extra;
+	pktb_setup_metadata(pktb, pkt_data, len, extra);
 
-	pktb->head = pkt_data;
-	pktb->data = pkt_data;
-	pktb->tail = pktb->head + len;
+	if (pktb_setup_family(pktb, family) < 0) {
+		free(pktb);
+		return NULL;
+	}
 
-	switch(family) {
-	case AF_INET:
-	case AF_INET6:
-		pktb->network_header = pktb->data;
-		break;
-	case AF_BRIDGE: {
-		struct ethhdr *ethhdr = (struct ethhdr *)pktb->data;
+	return pktb;
+}
 
-		pktb->mac_header = pktb->data;
+EXPORT_SYMBOL
+struct pkt_buff *pktb_alloc_data(int family, void *data, size_t len)
+{
+	struct pkt_buff *pktb;
 
-		switch(ethhdr->h_proto) {
-		case ETH_P_IP:
-		case ETH_P_IPV6:
-			pktb->network_header = pktb->data + ETH_HLEN;
-			break;
-		default:
-			/* This protocol is unsupported. */
-			errno = EPROTONOSUPPORT;
-			free(pktb);
-			return NULL;
-		}
-		break;
-	}
+	pktb = __pktb_alloc(family, data, 0, 0);
+	if (!pktb)
+		return NULL;
+
+	pktb->data = data;
+	pktb_setup_metadata(pktb, data, len, 0);
+
+	if (pktb_setup_family(pktb, family) < 0) {
+		free(pktb);
+		return NULL;
 	}
+
 	return pktb;
 }