diff --git a/src/vnet/ipsec/ah_decrypt.c b/src/vnet/ipsec/ah_decrypt.c
index 682f6cc..03a9dc8 100644
--- a/src/vnet/ipsec/ah_decrypt.c
+++ b/src/vnet/ipsec/ah_decrypt.c
@@ -176,16 +176,16 @@
 					  thread_index, current_sa_index);
 	}
 
-      if (PREDICT_FALSE (~0 == sa0->decrypt_thread_index))
+      if (PREDICT_FALSE (~0 == sa0->thread_index))
 	{
 	  /* this is the first packet to use this SA, claim the SA
 	   * for this thread. this could happen simultaneously on
 	   * another thread */
-	  clib_atomic_cmp_and_swap (&sa0->decrypt_thread_index, ~0,
+	  clib_atomic_cmp_and_swap (&sa0->thread_index, ~0,
 				    ipsec_sa_assign_thread (thread_index));
 	}
 
-      if (PREDICT_TRUE (thread_index != sa0->decrypt_thread_index))
+      if (PREDICT_TRUE (thread_index != sa0->thread_index))
 	{
 	  next[0] = AH_DECRYPT_NEXT_HANDOFF;
 	  goto next;
diff --git a/src/vnet/ipsec/ah_encrypt.c b/src/vnet/ipsec/ah_encrypt.c
index d89cb09..a4c3491 100644
--- a/src/vnet/ipsec/ah_encrypt.c
+++ b/src/vnet/ipsec/ah_encrypt.c
@@ -184,16 +184,16 @@
       pd->sa_index = current_sa_index;
       next[0] = AH_ENCRYPT_NEXT_DROP;
 
-      if (PREDICT_FALSE (~0 == sa0->encrypt_thread_index))
+      if (PREDICT_FALSE (~0 == sa0->thread_index))
 	{
 	  /* this is the first packet to use this SA, claim the SA
 	   * for this thread. this could happen simultaneously on
 	   * another thread */
-	  clib_atomic_cmp_and_swap (&sa0->encrypt_thread_index, ~0,
+	  clib_atomic_cmp_and_swap (&sa0->thread_index, ~0,
 				    ipsec_sa_assign_thread (thread_index));
 	}
 
-      if (PREDICT_TRUE (thread_index != sa0->encrypt_thread_index))
+      if (PREDICT_TRUE (thread_index != sa0->thread_index))
 	{
 	  next[0] = AH_ENCRYPT_NEXT_HANDOFF;
 	  goto next;
diff --git a/src/vnet/ipsec/esp_decrypt.c b/src/vnet/ipsec/esp_decrypt.c
index f5b6232..a0ae612 100644
--- a/src/vnet/ipsec/esp_decrypt.c
+++ b/src/vnet/ipsec/esp_decrypt.c
@@ -1122,16 +1122,16 @@
 	    }
 	}
 
-      if (PREDICT_FALSE (~0 == sa0->decrypt_thread_index))
+      if (PREDICT_FALSE (~0 == sa0->thread_index))
 	{
 	  /* this is the first packet to use this SA, claim the SA
 	   * for this thread. this could happen simultaneously on
 	   * another thread */
-	  clib_atomic_cmp_and_swap (&sa0->decrypt_thread_index, ~0,
+	  clib_atomic_cmp_and_swap (&sa0->thread_index, ~0,
 				    ipsec_sa_assign_thread (thread_index));
 	}
 
-      if (PREDICT_FALSE (thread_index != sa0->decrypt_thread_index))
+      if (PREDICT_FALSE (thread_index != sa0->thread_index))
 	{
 	  esp_set_next_index (is_async, from, nexts, from[b - bufs],
 			      &n_async_drop, ESP_DECRYPT_NEXT_HANDOFF, next);
diff --git a/src/vnet/ipsec/esp_encrypt.c b/src/vnet/ipsec/esp_encrypt.c
index 4f6976b..e5cf158 100644
--- a/src/vnet/ipsec/esp_encrypt.c
+++ b/src/vnet/ipsec/esp_encrypt.c
@@ -669,16 +669,16 @@
 	    }
 	}
 
-      if (PREDICT_FALSE (~0 == sa0->encrypt_thread_index))
+      if (PREDICT_FALSE (~0 == sa0->thread_index))
 	{
 	  /* this is the first packet to use this SA, claim the SA
 	   * for this thread. this could happen simultaneously on
 	   * another thread */
-	  clib_atomic_cmp_and_swap (&sa0->encrypt_thread_index, ~0,
+	  clib_atomic_cmp_and_swap (&sa0->thread_index, ~0,
 				    ipsec_sa_assign_thread (thread_index));
 	}
 
-      if (PREDICT_FALSE (thread_index != sa0->encrypt_thread_index))
+      if (PREDICT_FALSE (thread_index != sa0->thread_index))
 	{
 	  esp_set_next_index (is_async, from, nexts, from[b - bufs],
 			      &n_async_drop, handoff_next, next);
diff --git a/src/vnet/ipsec/ipsec_format.c b/src/vnet/ipsec/ipsec_format.c
index 909254a..19321e7 100644
--- a/src/vnet/ipsec/ipsec_format.c
+++ b/src/vnet/ipsec/ipsec_format.c
@@ -293,8 +293,7 @@
 
   s = format (s, "\n   locks %d", sa->node.fn_locks);
   s = format (s, "\n   salt 0x%x", clib_net_to_host_u32 (sa->salt));
-  s = format (s, "\n   thread-indices [encrypt:%d decrypt:%d]",
-	      sa->encrypt_thread_index, sa->decrypt_thread_index);
+  s = format (s, "\n   thread-index:%d", sa->thread_index);
   s = format (s, "\n   seq %u seq-hi %u", sa->seq, sa->seq_hi);
   s = format (s, "\n   last-seq %u last-seq-hi %u window %U",
 	      sa->last_seq, sa->last_seq_hi,
diff --git a/src/vnet/ipsec/ipsec_handoff.c b/src/vnet/ipsec/ipsec_handoff.c
index 87eb801..8bd6d22 100644
--- a/src/vnet/ipsec/ipsec_handoff.c
+++ b/src/vnet/ipsec/ipsec_handoff.c
@@ -54,9 +54,8 @@
 
 /* do worker handoff based on thread_index in NAT HA protcol header */
 static_always_inline uword
-ipsec_handoff (vlib_main_t * vm,
-	       vlib_node_runtime_t * node,
-	       vlib_frame_t * frame, u32 fq_index, bool is_enc)
+ipsec_handoff (vlib_main_t *vm, vlib_node_runtime_t *node, vlib_frame_t *frame,
+	       u32 fq_index)
 {
   vlib_buffer_t *bufs[VLIB_FRAME_SIZE], **b;
   u16 thread_indices[VLIB_FRAME_SIZE], *ti;
@@ -99,20 +98,10 @@
       sa2 = pool_elt_at_index (im->sad, sai2);
       sa3 = pool_elt_at_index (im->sad, sai3);
 
-      if (is_enc)
-	{
-	  ti[0] = sa0->encrypt_thread_index;
-	  ti[1] = sa1->encrypt_thread_index;
-	  ti[2] = sa2->encrypt_thread_index;
-	  ti[3] = sa3->encrypt_thread_index;
-	}
-      else
-	{
-	  ti[0] = sa0->decrypt_thread_index;
-	  ti[1] = sa1->decrypt_thread_index;
-	  ti[2] = sa2->decrypt_thread_index;
-	  ti[3] = sa3->decrypt_thread_index;
-	}
+      ti[0] = sa0->thread_index;
+      ti[1] = sa1->thread_index;
+      ti[2] = sa2->thread_index;
+      ti[3] = sa3->thread_index;
 
       if (node->flags & VLIB_NODE_FLAG_TRACE)
 	{
@@ -154,10 +143,7 @@
       sai0 = vnet_buffer (b[0])->ipsec.sad_index;
       sa0 = pool_elt_at_index (im->sad, sai0);
 
-      if (is_enc)
-	ti[0] = sa0->encrypt_thread_index;
-      else
-	ti[0] = sa0->decrypt_thread_index;
+      ti[0] = sa0->thread_index;
 
       if (PREDICT_FALSE (b[0]->flags & VLIB_BUFFER_IS_TRACED))
 	{
@@ -188,7 +174,7 @@
 {
   ipsec_main_t *im = &ipsec_main;
 
-  return ipsec_handoff (vm, node, from_frame, im->esp4_enc_fq_index, true);
+  return ipsec_handoff (vm, node, from_frame, im->esp4_enc_fq_index);
 }
 
 VLIB_NODE_FN (esp6_encrypt_handoff) (vlib_main_t * vm,
@@ -197,7 +183,7 @@
 {
   ipsec_main_t *im = &ipsec_main;
 
-  return ipsec_handoff (vm, node, from_frame, im->esp6_enc_fq_index, true);
+  return ipsec_handoff (vm, node, from_frame, im->esp6_enc_fq_index);
 }
 
 VLIB_NODE_FN (esp4_encrypt_tun_handoff) (vlib_main_t * vm,
@@ -206,8 +192,7 @@
 {
   ipsec_main_t *im = &ipsec_main;
 
-  return ipsec_handoff (vm, node, from_frame, im->esp4_enc_tun_fq_index,
-			true);
+  return ipsec_handoff (vm, node, from_frame, im->esp4_enc_tun_fq_index);
 }
 
 VLIB_NODE_FN (esp6_encrypt_tun_handoff) (vlib_main_t * vm,
@@ -216,8 +201,7 @@
 {
   ipsec_main_t *im = &ipsec_main;
 
-  return ipsec_handoff (vm, node, from_frame, im->esp6_enc_tun_fq_index,
-			true);
+  return ipsec_handoff (vm, node, from_frame, im->esp6_enc_tun_fq_index);
 }
 
 VLIB_NODE_FN (esp_mpls_encrypt_tun_handoff)
@@ -225,8 +209,7 @@
 {
   ipsec_main_t *im = &ipsec_main;
 
-  return ipsec_handoff (vm, node, from_frame, im->esp_mpls_enc_tun_fq_index,
-			true);
+  return ipsec_handoff (vm, node, from_frame, im->esp_mpls_enc_tun_fq_index);
 }
 
 VLIB_NODE_FN (esp4_decrypt_handoff) (vlib_main_t * vm,
@@ -235,7 +218,7 @@
 {
   ipsec_main_t *im = &ipsec_main;
 
-  return ipsec_handoff (vm, node, from_frame, im->esp4_dec_fq_index, false);
+  return ipsec_handoff (vm, node, from_frame, im->esp4_dec_fq_index);
 }
 
 VLIB_NODE_FN (esp6_decrypt_handoff) (vlib_main_t * vm,
@@ -244,7 +227,7 @@
 {
   ipsec_main_t *im = &ipsec_main;
 
-  return ipsec_handoff (vm, node, from_frame, im->esp6_dec_fq_index, false);
+  return ipsec_handoff (vm, node, from_frame, im->esp6_dec_fq_index);
 }
 
 VLIB_NODE_FN (esp4_decrypt_tun_handoff) (vlib_main_t * vm,
@@ -253,8 +236,7 @@
 {
   ipsec_main_t *im = &ipsec_main;
 
-  return ipsec_handoff (vm, node, from_frame, im->esp4_dec_tun_fq_index,
-			false);
+  return ipsec_handoff (vm, node, from_frame, im->esp4_dec_tun_fq_index);
 }
 
 VLIB_NODE_FN (esp6_decrypt_tun_handoff) (vlib_main_t * vm,
@@ -263,8 +245,7 @@
 {
   ipsec_main_t *im = &ipsec_main;
 
-  return ipsec_handoff (vm, node, from_frame, im->esp6_dec_tun_fq_index,
-			false);
+  return ipsec_handoff (vm, node, from_frame, im->esp6_dec_tun_fq_index);
 }
 
 VLIB_NODE_FN (ah4_encrypt_handoff) (vlib_main_t * vm,
@@ -273,7 +254,7 @@
 {
   ipsec_main_t *im = &ipsec_main;
 
-  return ipsec_handoff (vm, node, from_frame, im->ah4_enc_fq_index, true);
+  return ipsec_handoff (vm, node, from_frame, im->ah4_enc_fq_index);
 }
 
 VLIB_NODE_FN (ah6_encrypt_handoff) (vlib_main_t * vm,
@@ -282,7 +263,7 @@
 {
   ipsec_main_t *im = &ipsec_main;
 
-  return ipsec_handoff (vm, node, from_frame, im->ah6_enc_fq_index, true);
+  return ipsec_handoff (vm, node, from_frame, im->ah6_enc_fq_index);
 }
 
 VLIB_NODE_FN (ah4_decrypt_handoff) (vlib_main_t * vm,
@@ -291,7 +272,7 @@
 {
   ipsec_main_t *im = &ipsec_main;
 
-  return ipsec_handoff (vm, node, from_frame, im->ah4_dec_fq_index, false);
+  return ipsec_handoff (vm, node, from_frame, im->ah4_dec_fq_index);
 }
 
 VLIB_NODE_FN (ah6_decrypt_handoff) (vlib_main_t * vm,
@@ -300,7 +281,7 @@
 {
   ipsec_main_t *im = &ipsec_main;
 
-  return ipsec_handoff (vm, node, from_frame, im->ah6_dec_fq_index, false);
+  return ipsec_handoff (vm, node, from_frame, im->ah6_dec_fq_index);
 }
 
 /* *INDENT-OFF* */
diff --git a/src/vnet/ipsec/ipsec_sa.c b/src/vnet/ipsec/ipsec_sa.c
index d5a971b..d950af6 100644
--- a/src/vnet/ipsec/ipsec_sa.c
+++ b/src/vnet/ipsec/ipsec_sa.c
@@ -211,8 +211,7 @@
   sa->tunnel_flags = tunnel_flags;
   sa->dscp = dscp;
   sa->salt = salt;
-  sa->encrypt_thread_index = (vlib_num_workers ())? ~0 : 0;
-  sa->decrypt_thread_index = (vlib_num_workers ())? ~0 : 0;
+  sa->thread_index = (vlib_num_workers ()) ? ~0 : 0;
   if (integ_alg != IPSEC_INTEG_ALG_NONE)
     {
       ipsec_sa_set_integ_alg (sa, integ_alg);
diff --git a/src/vnet/ipsec/ipsec_sa.h b/src/vnet/ipsec/ipsec_sa.h
index 6ed7132..28ac931 100644
--- a/src/vnet/ipsec/ipsec_sa.h
+++ b/src/vnet/ipsec/ipsec_sa.h
@@ -116,8 +116,8 @@
   u8 crypto_iv_size;
   u8 esp_block_align;
   u8 integ_icv_size;
-  u32 encrypt_thread_index;
-  u32 decrypt_thread_index;
+  u32 thread_index;
+  u32 __pad_u32;
   u32 spi;
   u32 seq;
   u32 seq_hi;