diff --git a/src/vnet/devices/virtio/vhost-user.c b/src/vnet/devices/virtio/vhost-user.c
index 34b131c..5460f10 100644
--- a/src/vnet/devices/virtio/vhost-user.c
+++ b/src/vnet/devices/virtio/vhost-user.c
@@ -2869,8 +2869,8 @@
   if (error)
     clib_error_report (error);
 
-  vnet_sw_interface_t *si = vnet_get_hw_sw_interface (vnm, vui->hw_if_index);
-  vnet_sw_interface_set_mtu (vnm, si->sw_if_index, 9000);
+  vnet_hw_interface_t *hi = vnet_get_hw_interface (vnm, vui->hw_if_index);
+  hi->max_l3_packet_bytes[VLIB_RX] = hi->max_l3_packet_bytes[VLIB_TX] = 9000;
 }
 
 /*