diff --git a/src/vnet/l2/l2_fib.h b/src/vnet/l2/l2_fib.h
index 6346826..60c197f 100644
--- a/src/vnet/l2/l2_fib.h
+++ b/src/vnet/l2/l2_fib.h
@@ -148,7 +148,12 @@
   return result % L2FIB_NUM_BUCKETS;
 }
 
-always_inline u64
+/**
+ * make address sanitizer skip this:
+ * The 6-Bytes mac-address is cast into an 8-Bytes u64, with 2 additional Bytes.
+ * l2fib_make_key() does read those two Bytes but does not use them.
+ */
+always_inline u64 __attribute__ ((no_sanitize_address))
 l2fib_make_key (u8 * mac_address, u16 bd_index)
 {
   u64 temp;