diff --git a/hw/net/virtio-net.c b/hw/net/virtio-net.c
index 2de073ce18fd..ff1884564d0d 100644
--- a/hw/net/virtio-net.c
+++ b/hw/net/virtio-net.c
@@ -1823,16 +1823,9 @@ static uint8_t virtio_net_get_hash_type(bool hasip4,
     return 0xff;
 }
 
-static void virtio_set_packet_hash(const uint8_t *buf, uint8_t report,
-                                   uint32_t hash)
-{
-    struct virtio_net_hdr_v1_hash *hdr = (void *)buf;
-    hdr->hash_value = hash;
-    hdr->hash_report = report;
-}
-
 static int virtio_net_process_rss(NetClientState *nc, const uint8_t *buf,
-                                  size_t size)
+                                  size_t size,
+                                  struct virtio_net_hdr_v1_hash *hdr)
 {
     VirtIONet *n = qemu_get_nic_opaque(nc);
     unsigned int index = nc->queue_index, new_index = index;
@@ -1863,7 +1856,8 @@ static int virtio_net_process_rss(NetClientState *nc, const uint8_t *buf,
                                              n->rss_data.hash_types);
     if (net_hash_type > NetPktRssIpV6UdpEx) {
         if (n->rss_data.populate_hash) {
-            virtio_set_packet_hash(buf, VIRTIO_NET_HASH_REPORT_NONE, 0);
+            hdr->hash_value = VIRTIO_NET_HASH_REPORT_NONE;
+            hdr->hash_report = 0;
         }
         return n->rss_data.redirect ? n->rss_data.default_queue : -1;
     }
@@ -1871,7 +1865,8 @@ static int virtio_net_process_rss(NetClientState *nc, const uint8_t *buf,
     hash = net_rx_pkt_calc_rss_hash(pkt, net_hash_type, n->rss_data.key);
 
     if (n->rss_data.populate_hash) {
-        virtio_set_packet_hash(buf, reports[net_hash_type], hash);
+        hdr->hash_value = hash;
+        hdr->hash_report = reports[net_hash_type];
     }
 
     if (n->rss_data.redirect) {
@@ -1891,7 +1886,7 @@ static ssize_t virtio_net_receive_rcu(NetClientState *nc, const uint8_t *buf,
     VirtQueueElement *elems[VIRTQUEUE_MAX_SIZE];
     size_t lens[VIRTQUEUE_MAX_SIZE];
     struct iovec mhdr_sg[VIRTQUEUE_MAX_SIZE];
-    struct virtio_net_hdr_mrg_rxbuf mhdr;
+    struct virtio_net_hdr_v1_hash extra_hdr;
     unsigned mhdr_cnt = 0;
     size_t offset, i, guest_offset, j;
     ssize_t err;
@@ -1901,7 +1896,7 @@ static ssize_t virtio_net_receive_rcu(NetClientState *nc, const uint8_t *buf,
     }
 
     if (!no_rss && n->rss_data.enabled && n->rss_data.enabled_software_rss) {
-        int index = virtio_net_process_rss(nc, buf, size);
+        int index = virtio_net_process_rss(nc, buf, size, &extra_hdr);
         if (index >= 0) {
             NetClientState *nc2 = qemu_get_subqueue(n->nic, index);
             return virtio_net_receive_rcu(nc2, buf, size, true);
@@ -1961,15 +1956,17 @@ static ssize_t virtio_net_receive_rcu(NetClientState *nc, const uint8_t *buf,
             if (n->mergeable_rx_bufs) {
                 mhdr_cnt = iov_copy(mhdr_sg, ARRAY_SIZE(mhdr_sg),
                                     sg, elem->in_num,
-                                    offsetof(typeof(mhdr), num_buffers),
-                                    sizeof(mhdr.num_buffers));
+                                    offsetof(typeof(extra_hdr), hdr.num_buffers),
+                                    sizeof(extra_hdr.hdr.num_buffers));
             }
 
             receive_header(n, sg, elem->in_num, buf, size);
             if (n->rss_data.populate_hash) {
-                offset = sizeof(mhdr);
+                offset = offsetof(typeof(extra_hdr), hash_value);
                 iov_from_buf(sg, elem->in_num, offset,
-                             buf + offset, n->host_hdr_len - sizeof(mhdr));
+                             (char *)&extra_hdr + offset,
+                             sizeof(extra_hdr.hash_value) +
+                             sizeof(extra_hdr.hash_report));
             }
             offset = n->host_hdr_len;
             total += n->guest_hdr_len;
@@ -2015,10 +2012,11 @@ static ssize_t virtio_net_receive_rcu(NetClientState *nc, const uint8_t *buf,
     }
 
     if (mhdr_cnt) {
-        virtio_stw_p(vdev, &mhdr.num_buffers, i);
+        virtio_stw_p(vdev, &extra_hdr.hdr.num_buffers, i);
         iov_from_buf(mhdr_sg, mhdr_cnt,
                      0,
-                     &mhdr.num_buffers, sizeof mhdr.num_buffers);
+                     &extra_hdr.hdr.num_buffers,
+                     sizeof extra_hdr.hdr.num_buffers);
     }
 
     for (j = 0; j < i; j++) {
