diff --git a/src/decode-ipv4.c b/src/decode-ipv4.c
index df8b8ddba253..3bf413ef63ca 100644
--- a/src/decode-ipv4.c
+++ b/src/decode-ipv4.c
@@ -523,7 +523,7 @@ int DecodeIPV4(ThreadVars *tv, DecodeThreadVars *dtv, Packet *p, uint8_t *pkt, u
     /* 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 ce97b501ffbc..ecb6647399c8 100644
--- a/src/decode-ipv6.c
+++ b/src/decode-ipv6.c
@@ -590,7 +590,7 @@ int DecodeIPV6(ThreadVars *tv, DecodeThreadVars *dtv, Packet *p, uint8_t *pkt, u
     /* do the actual decoding */
     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 f787933ebd9d..5d1796da7d61 100644
--- a/src/decode-sctp.c
+++ b/src/decode-sctp.c
@@ -64,7 +64,7 @@ int DecodeSCTP(ThreadVars *tv, DecodeThreadVars *dtv, Packet *p, uint8_t *pkt, u
     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 0e3327ec67c9..4d4c913c6c45 100644
--- a/src/decode-tcp.c
+++ b/src/decode-tcp.c
@@ -203,7 +203,7 @@ int DecodeTCP(ThreadVars *tv, DecodeThreadVars *dtv, Packet *p, uint8_t *pkt, ui
 
     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 7a90653f12b3..60141f52d387 100644
--- a/src/decode-udp.c
+++ b/src/decode-udp.c
@@ -76,7 +76,7 @@ int DecodeUDP(ThreadVars *tv, DecodeThreadVars *dtv, Packet *p, uint8_t *pkt, ui
     StatsIncr(tv, dtv->counter_udp);
 
     if (unlikely(DecodeUDPPacket(tv, p,pkt,len) < 0)) {
-        p->udph = NULL;
+        CLEAR_UDP_PACKET(p);
         return TM_ECODE_FAILED;
     }