diff --git a/src/decode-ipv4.c b/src/decode-ipv4.c
index 6c2998cc6d74..5d9d12a8b93e 100644
--- a/src/decode-ipv4.c
+++ b/src/decode-ipv4.c
@@ -524,7 +524,7 @@ int DecodeIPV4(ThreadVars *tv, DecodeThreadVars *dtv, Packet *p,
     /* do the actual decoding */
     if (unlikely(DecodeIPV4Packet (p, pkt, len) < 0)) {
         SCLogDebug("decoding IPv4 packet failed");
-        p->ip4h = NULL;
+        CLEAR_IPV4_PACKET((p));
         return TM_ECODE_FAILED;
     }
     p->proto = IPV4_GET_IPPROTO(p);
diff --git a/src/decode-ipv6.c b/src/decode-ipv6.c
index f57b1d34e13f..b20440145ac7 100644
--- a/src/decode-ipv6.c
+++ b/src/decode-ipv6.c
@@ -584,7 +584,7 @@ int DecodeIPV6(ThreadVars *tv, DecodeThreadVars *dtv, Packet *p, const uint8_t *
     /* do the actual decoding */
     int ret = DecodeIPV6Packet (tv, dtv, p, pkt, len);
     if (unlikely(ret < 0)) {
-        p->ip6h = NULL;
+        CLEAR_IPV6_PACKET(p);
         return TM_ECODE_FAILED;
     }
 
diff --git a/src/decode-sctp.c b/src/decode-sctp.c
index 6de50d41b0fe..0346dfb3e2ed 100644
--- a/src/decode-sctp.c
+++ b/src/decode-sctp.c
@@ -65,7 +65,7 @@ int DecodeSCTP(ThreadVars *tv, DecodeThreadVars *dtv, Packet *p,
     StatsIncr(tv, dtv->counter_sctp);
 
     if (unlikely(DecodeSCTPPacket(tv, p,pkt,len) < 0)) {
-        p->sctph = NULL;
+        CLEAR_SCTP_PACKET(p);
         return TM_ECODE_FAILED;
     }
 
diff --git a/src/decode-tcp.c b/src/decode-tcp.c
index b4aeb0e4bf84..c3f0ad240aa3 100644
--- a/src/decode-tcp.c
+++ b/src/decode-tcp.c
@@ -238,7 +238,7 @@ int DecodeTCP(ThreadVars *tv, DecodeThreadVars *dtv, Packet *p,
 
     if (unlikely(DecodeTCPPacket(tv, p, pkt,len) < 0)) {
         SCLogDebug("invalid TCP packet");
-        p->tcph = NULL;
+        CLEAR_TCP_PACKET(p);
         return TM_ECODE_FAILED;
     }
 
diff --git a/src/decode-udp.c b/src/decode-udp.c
index 436b10a132f5..a4bb1dd5eda6 100644
--- a/src/decode-udp.c
+++ b/src/decode-udp.c
@@ -77,7 +77,7 @@ int DecodeUDP(ThreadVars *tv, DecodeThreadVars *dtv, Packet *p,
     StatsIncr(tv, dtv->counter_udp);
 
     if (unlikely(DecodeUDPPacket(tv, p, pkt,len) < 0)) {
-        p->udph = NULL;
+        CLEAR_UDP_PACKET(p);
         return TM_ECODE_FAILED;
     }