diff --git a/net/devif/devif_forward.c b/net/devif/devif_forward.c
index 25fd323be74..3e9aaf89aa2 100644
--- a/net/devif/devif_forward.c
+++ b/net/devif/devif_forward.c
@@ -80,7 +80,6 @@ void devif_forward(FAR struct forward_s *fwd)
 
   /* Copy the IOB chain that contains the L3L3 headers and any data payload */
 
-  DEBUGASSERT(fwd->f_iob->io_pktlen >= fwd->f_hdrsize);
   DEBUGASSERT(offset + fwd->f_iob->io_pktlen <= NET_DEV_MTU(fwd->f_dev));
   ret = iob_copyout(&fwd->f_dev->d_buf[offset], fwd->f_iob,
                     fwd->f_iob->io_pktlen, 0);
diff --git a/net/devif/ip_forward.h b/net/devif/ip_forward.h
index 3180f16ac71..40c7c757da8 100644
--- a/net/devif/ip_forward.h
+++ b/net/devif/ip_forward.h
@@ -163,7 +163,6 @@ struct forward_s
   FAR struct iob_s            *f_iob;     /* IOB chain containing the packet */
   FAR struct devif_callback_s *f_cb;      /* Reference to callback instance */
   union fwd_conn_u             f_conn;    /* Protocol-specific connection struct */
-  uint8_t                      f_hdrsize; /* The size of the L2+L3 headers */
 };
 
 /****************************************************************************
diff --git a/net/devif/ipv4_forward.c b/net/devif/ipv4_forward.c
index 20077493136..075f47bc7a8 100644
--- a/net/devif/ipv4_forward.c
+++ b/net/devif/ipv4_forward.c
@@ -80,7 +80,7 @@
  *
  ****************************************************************************/
 
-#ifdef CONFIG_NETDEV_MULTINIC
+#if defined(CONFIG_NETDEV_MULTINIC) && defined(CONFIG_DEBUG_NET_WARN)
 static int ipv4_hdrsize(FAR struct ipv4_hdr_s *ipv4)
 {
   /* Size is determined by the following protocol header, */
@@ -267,7 +267,9 @@ static int ipv4_dev_forward(FAR struct net_driver_s *dev,
                             FAR struct ipv4_hdr_s *ipv4)
 {
   FAR struct forward_s *fwd = NULL;
+#ifdef CONFIG_DEBUG_NET_WARN
   int hdrsize;
+#endif
   int ret;
 
   /* Verify that the full packet will fit within the forwarding devices MTU.
@@ -297,16 +299,8 @@ static int ipv4_dev_forward(FAR struct net_driver_s *dev,
 
   fwd->f_dev = fwddev;   /* Forwarding device */
 
-  /* Get the size of the IPv4 + L3 header.  Use this to determine start of
-   * the data payload.
-   *
-   * Remember that the size of the L1 header has already been subtracted
-   * from dev->d_len.
-   *
-   * REVISIT: Consider an alternative design that does not require data
-   * copying.  This would require a pool of d_buf's that are managed by
-   * the network rather than the network device.
-   */
+#ifdef CONFIG_DEBUG_NET_WARN
+  /* Get the size of the IPv4 + L3 header. */
 
   hdrsize = ipv4_hdrsize(ipv4);
   if (hdrsize < IPv4_HDRLEN)
@@ -324,8 +318,7 @@ static int ipv4_dev_forward(FAR struct net_driver_s *dev,
       ret = -E2BIG;
       goto errout_with_fwd;
     }
-
-  fwd->f_hdrsize = hdrsize;
+#endif
 
   /* Try to allocate the head of an IOB chain.  If this fails, the
    * packet will be dropped; we are not operating in a context
diff --git a/net/devif/ipv6_forward.c b/net/devif/ipv6_forward.c
index 1ece8ccee76..240ed6de6a3 100644
--- a/net/devif/ipv6_forward.c
+++ b/net/devif/ipv6_forward.c
@@ -86,7 +86,7 @@
  *
  ****************************************************************************/
 
-#ifdef CONFIG_NETDEV_MULTINIC
+#if defined(CONFIG_NETDEV_MULTINIC) && defined(CONFIG_DEBUG_NET_WARN)
 static int ipv6_hdrsize(FAR struct ipv6_hdr_s *ipv6)
 {
   /* Size is determined by the following protocol header, */
@@ -368,7 +368,9 @@ static int ipv6_dev_forward(FAR struct net_driver_s *dev,
                             FAR struct ipv6_hdr_s *ipv6)
 {
   FAR struct forward_s *fwd = NULL;
+#ifdef CONFIG_DEBUG_NET_WARN
   int hdrsize;
+#endif
   int ret;
 
   /* Perform any necessary packet conversions. */
@@ -408,16 +410,8 @@ static int ipv6_dev_forward(FAR struct net_driver_s *dev,
 
       fwd->f_dev = fwddev;   /* Forwarding device */
 
-      /* Get the size of the IPv6 + L3 header.  Use this to determine start
-       * of the data payload.
-       *
-       * Remember that the size of the L1 header has already been subtracted
-       * from dev->d_len.
-       *
-       * REVISIT: Consider an alternative design that does not require data
-       * copying.  This would require a pool of d_buf's that are managed by
-       * the network rather than the network device.
-       */
+#ifdef CONFIG_DEBUG_NET_WARN
+      /* Get the size of the IPv6 + L3 header. */
 
       hdrsize = ipv6_hdrsize(ipv6);
       if (hdrsize < IPv6_HDRLEN)
@@ -435,8 +429,7 @@ static int ipv6_dev_forward(FAR struct net_driver_s *dev,
           ret = -E2BIG;
           goto errout_with_fwd;
         }
-
-      fwd->f_hdrsize = hdrsize;
+#endif
 
       /* Try to allocate the head of an IOB chain.  If this fails, the
        * packet will be dropped; we are not operating in a context where