diff --git a/src/vnet/ip/ip4_forward.c b/src/vnet/ip/ip4_forward.c
index 9963f6b..1911f08 100644
--- a/src/vnet/ip/ip4_forward.c
+++ b/src/vnet/ip/ip4_forward.c
@@ -2197,7 +2197,7 @@
   if (n_left_from >= 6)
     {
       int i;
-      for (i = 0; i < 6; i++)
+      for (i = 2; i < 6; i++)
 	vlib_prefetch_buffer_header (bufs[i], LOAD);
     }