diff --git a/bpf_progs/bpf_net_helpers.h b/bpf_progs/bpf_net_helpers.h
index c798580..e382713 100644
--- a/bpf_progs/bpf_net_helpers.h
+++ b/bpf_progs/bpf_net_helpers.h
@@ -65,8 +65,9 @@
            skb->pkt_type == PACKET_MULTICAST;
 }
 
-// try to make the first 'len' header bytes readable via direct packet access
-static inline __always_inline void try_make_readable(struct __sk_buff* skb, int len) {
+// try to make the first 'len' header bytes readable/writable via direct packet access
+// (note: AFAIK there is no way to ask for only direct packet read without also getting write)
+static inline __always_inline void try_make_writable(struct __sk_buff* skb, int len) {
     if (len > skb->len) len = skb->len;
     if (skb->data_end - skb->data < len) bpf_skb_pull_data(skb, len);
 }
diff --git a/bpf_progs/clatd.c b/bpf_progs/clatd.c
index 8971f6b..9a9d337 100644
--- a/bpf_progs/clatd.c
+++ b/bpf_progs/clatd.c
@@ -57,7 +57,7 @@
     // Not clear if this is actually necessary considering we use DPA (Direct Packet Access),
     // but we need to make sure we can read the IPv6 header reliably so that we can set
     // skb->mark = 0xDeadC1a7 for packets we fail to offload.
-    try_make_readable(skb, l2_header_size + sizeof(struct ipv6hdr));
+    try_make_writable(skb, l2_header_size + sizeof(struct ipv6hdr));
 
     void* data = (void*)(long)skb->data;
     const void* data_end = (void*)(long)skb->data_end;
@@ -224,7 +224,7 @@
     if (skb->protocol != htons(ETH_P_IP)) return TC_ACT_PIPE;
 
     // Possibly not needed, but for consistency with nat64 up above
-    try_make_readable(skb, sizeof(struct iphdr));
+    try_make_writable(skb, sizeof(struct iphdr));
 
     void* data = (void*)(long)skb->data;
     const void* data_end = (void*)(long)skb->data_end;
diff --git a/bpf_progs/offload.c b/bpf_progs/offload.c
index 977e918..92a774c 100644
--- a/bpf_progs/offload.c
+++ b/bpf_progs/offload.c
@@ -122,7 +122,7 @@
     // not trigger and thus we need to manually make sure we can read packet headers via DPA.
     // Note: this is a blind best effort pull, which may fail or pull less - this doesn't matter.
     // It has to be done early cause it will invalidate any skb->data/data_end derived pointers.
-    try_make_readable(skb, l2_header_size + IP6_HLEN + TCP_HLEN);
+    try_make_writable(skb, l2_header_size + IP6_HLEN + TCP_HLEN);
 
     void* data = (void*)(long)skb->data;
     const void* data_end = (void*)(long)skb->data_end;
@@ -369,7 +369,7 @@
     // not trigger and thus we need to manually make sure we can read packet headers via DPA.
     // Note: this is a blind best effort pull, which may fail or pull less - this doesn't matter.
     // It has to be done early cause it will invalidate any skb->data/data_end derived pointers.
-    try_make_readable(skb, l2_header_size + IP4_HLEN + TCP_HLEN);
+    try_make_writable(skb, l2_header_size + IP4_HLEN + TCP_HLEN);
 
     void* data = (void*)(long)skb->data;
     const void* data_end = (void*)(long)skb->data_end;