diff --git a/pkg/sentry/socket/netfilter/owner_matcher.go b/pkg/sentry/socket/netfilter/owner_matcher.go
index 3863293c7..1b4e0ad79 100644
--- a/pkg/sentry/socket/netfilter/owner_matcher.go
+++ b/pkg/sentry/socket/netfilter/owner_matcher.go
@@ -111,7 +111,7 @@ func (*OwnerMatcher) Name() string {
 }
 
 // Match implements Matcher.Match.
-func (om *OwnerMatcher) Match(hook stack.Hook, pkt stack.PacketBuffer, interfaceName string) (bool, bool) {
+func (om *OwnerMatcher) Match(hook stack.Hook, pkt *stack.PacketBuffer, interfaceName string) (bool, bool) {
 	// Support only for OUTPUT chain.
 	// TODO(gvisor.dev/issue/170): Need to support for POSTROUTING chain also.
 	if hook != stack.Output {
diff --git a/pkg/sentry/socket/netfilter/tcp_matcher.go b/pkg/sentry/socket/netfilter/tcp_matcher.go
index 57a1e1c12..ebabdf334 100644
--- a/pkg/sentry/socket/netfilter/tcp_matcher.go
+++ b/pkg/sentry/socket/netfilter/tcp_matcher.go
@@ -96,7 +96,7 @@ func (*TCPMatcher) Name() string {
 }
 
 // Match implements Matcher.Match.
-func (tm *TCPMatcher) Match(hook stack.Hook, pkt stack.PacketBuffer, interfaceName string) (bool, bool) {
+func (tm *TCPMatcher) Match(hook stack.Hook, pkt *stack.PacketBuffer, interfaceName string) (bool, bool) {
 	netHeader := header.IPv4(pkt.NetworkHeader)
 
 	if netHeader.TransportProtocol() != header.TCPProtocolNumber {
diff --git a/pkg/sentry/socket/netfilter/udp_matcher.go b/pkg/sentry/socket/netfilter/udp_matcher.go
index cfa9e621d..98b9943f8 100644
--- a/pkg/sentry/socket/netfilter/udp_matcher.go
+++ b/pkg/sentry/socket/netfilter/udp_matcher.go
@@ -93,7 +93,7 @@ func (*UDPMatcher) Name() string {
 }
 
 // Match implements Matcher.Match.
-func (um *UDPMatcher) Match(hook stack.Hook, pkt stack.PacketBuffer, interfaceName string) (bool, bool) {
+func (um *UDPMatcher) Match(hook stack.Hook, pkt *stack.PacketBuffer, interfaceName string) (bool, bool) {
 	netHeader := header.IPv4(pkt.NetworkHeader)
 
 	// TODO(gvisor.dev/issue/170): Proto checks should ultimately be moved
diff --git a/pkg/tcpip/link/channel/channel.go b/pkg/tcpip/link/channel/channel.go
index 5eb78b398..20b183da0 100644
--- a/pkg/tcpip/link/channel/channel.go
+++ b/pkg/tcpip/link/channel/channel.go
@@ -181,12 +181,12 @@ func (e *Endpoint) NumQueued() int {
 }
 
 // InjectInbound injects an inbound packet.
-func (e *Endpoint) InjectInbound(protocol tcpip.NetworkProtocolNumber, pkt stack.PacketBuffer) {
+func (e *Endpoint) InjectInbound(protocol tcpip.NetworkProtocolNumber, pkt *stack.PacketBuffer) {
 	e.InjectLinkAddr(protocol, "", pkt)
 }
 
 // InjectLinkAddr injects an inbound packet with a remote link address.
-func (e *Endpoint) InjectLinkAddr(protocol tcpip.NetworkProtocolNumber, remote tcpip.LinkAddress, pkt stack.PacketBuffer) {
+func (e *Endpoint) InjectLinkAddr(protocol tcpip.NetworkProtocolNumber, remote tcpip.LinkAddress, pkt *stack.PacketBuffer) {
 	e.dispatcher.DeliverNetworkPacket(remote, "" /* local */, protocol, pkt)
 }
 
@@ -229,13 +229,13 @@ func (e *Endpoint) LinkAddress() tcpip.LinkAddress {
 }
 
 // WritePacket stores outbound packets into the channel.
-func (e *Endpoint) WritePacket(r *stack.Route, gso *stack.GSO, protocol tcpip.NetworkProtocolNumber, pkt stack.PacketBuffer) *tcpip.Error {
+func (e *Endpoint) WritePacket(r *stack.Route, gso *stack.GSO, protocol tcpip.NetworkProtocolNumber, pkt *stack.PacketBuffer) *tcpip.Error {
 	// Clone r then release its resource so we only get the relevant fields from
 	// stack.Route without holding a reference to a NIC's endpoint.
 	route := r.Clone()
 	route.Release()
 	p := PacketInfo{
-		Pkt:   &pkt,
+		Pkt:   pkt,
 		Proto: protocol,
 		GSO:   gso,
 		Route: route,
diff --git a/pkg/tcpip/link/fdbased/endpoint.go b/pkg/tcpip/link/fdbased/endpoint.go
index 5ee508d48..f34082e1a 100644
--- a/pkg/tcpip/link/fdbased/endpoint.go
+++ b/pkg/tcpip/link/fdbased/endpoint.go
@@ -387,7 +387,7 @@ const (
 
 // WritePacket writes outbound packets to the file descriptor. If it is not
 // currently writable, the packet is dropped.
-func (e *endpoint) WritePacket(r *stack.Route, gso *stack.GSO, protocol tcpip.NetworkProtocolNumber, pkt stack.PacketBuffer) *tcpip.Error {
+func (e *endpoint) WritePacket(r *stack.Route, gso *stack.GSO, protocol tcpip.NetworkProtocolNumber, pkt *stack.PacketBuffer) *tcpip.Error {
 	if e.hdrSize > 0 {
 		// Add ethernet header if needed.
 		eth := header.Ethernet(pkt.Header.Prepend(header.EthernetMinimumSize))
@@ -641,7 +641,7 @@ func (e *InjectableEndpoint) Attach(dispatcher stack.NetworkDispatcher) {
 }
 
 // InjectInbound injects an inbound packet.
-func (e *InjectableEndpoint) InjectInbound(protocol tcpip.NetworkProtocolNumber, pkt stack.PacketBuffer) {
+func (e *InjectableEndpoint) InjectInbound(protocol tcpip.NetworkProtocolNumber, pkt *stack.PacketBuffer) {
 	e.dispatcher.DeliverNetworkPacket("" /* remote */, "" /* local */, protocol, pkt)
 }
 
diff --git a/pkg/tcpip/link/fdbased/endpoint_test.go b/pkg/tcpip/link/fdbased/endpoint_test.go
index 6f41a71a8..eaee7e5d7 100644
--- a/pkg/tcpip/link/fdbased/endpoint_test.go
+++ b/pkg/tcpip/link/fdbased/endpoint_test.go
@@ -45,7 +45,7 @@ const (
 type packetInfo struct {
 	raddr    tcpip.LinkAddress
 	proto    tcpip.NetworkProtocolNumber
-	contents stack.PacketBuffer
+	contents *stack.PacketBuffer
 }
 
 type context struct {
@@ -103,7 +103,7 @@ func (c *context) cleanup() {
 	}
 }
 
-func (c *context) DeliverNetworkPacket(remote tcpip.LinkAddress, local tcpip.LinkAddress, protocol tcpip.NetworkProtocolNumber, pkt stack.PacketBuffer) {
+func (c *context) DeliverNetworkPacket(remote tcpip.LinkAddress, local tcpip.LinkAddress, protocol tcpip.NetworkProtocolNumber, pkt *stack.PacketBuffer) {
 	c.ch <- packetInfo{remote, protocol, pkt}
 }
 
@@ -179,7 +179,7 @@ func testWritePacket(t *testing.T, plen int, eth bool, gsoMaxSize uint32, hash u
 			L3HdrLen:   header.IPv4MaximumHeaderSize,
 		}
 	}
-	if err := c.ep.WritePacket(r, gso, proto, stack.PacketBuffer{
+	if err := c.ep.WritePacket(r, gso, proto, &stack.PacketBuffer{
 		Header: hdr,
 		Data:   payload.ToVectorisedView(),
 		Hash:   hash,
@@ -295,7 +295,7 @@ func TestPreserveSrcAddress(t *testing.T) {
 	// WritePacket panics given a prependable with anything less than
 	// the minimum size of the ethernet header.
 	hdr := buffer.NewPrependable(header.EthernetMinimumSize)
-	if err := c.ep.WritePacket(r, nil /* gso */, proto, stack.PacketBuffer{
+	if err := c.ep.WritePacket(r, nil /* gso */, proto, &stack.PacketBuffer{
 		Header: hdr,
 		Data:   buffer.VectorisedView{},
 	}); err != nil {
@@ -358,7 +358,7 @@ func TestDeliverPacket(t *testing.T) {
 					want := packetInfo{
 						raddr: raddr,
 						proto: proto,
-						contents: stack.PacketBuffer{
+						contents: &stack.PacketBuffer{
 							Data:       buffer.View(b).ToVectorisedView(),
 							LinkHeader: buffer.View(hdr),
 						},
diff --git a/pkg/tcpip/link/fdbased/mmap.go b/pkg/tcpip/link/fdbased/mmap.go
index ca4229ed6..2dfd29aa9 100644
--- a/pkg/tcpip/link/fdbased/mmap.go
+++ b/pkg/tcpip/link/fdbased/mmap.go
@@ -191,7 +191,7 @@ func (d *packetMMapDispatcher) dispatch() (bool, *tcpip.Error) {
 	}
 
 	pkt = pkt[d.e.hdrSize:]
-	d.e.dispatcher.DeliverNetworkPacket(remote, local, p, stack.PacketBuffer{
+	d.e.dispatcher.DeliverNetworkPacket(remote, local, p, &stack.PacketBuffer{
 		Data:       buffer.View(pkt).ToVectorisedView(),
 		LinkHeader: buffer.View(eth),
 	})
diff --git a/pkg/tcpip/link/fdbased/packet_dispatchers.go b/pkg/tcpip/link/fdbased/packet_dispatchers.go
index 26c96a655..f04738cfb 100644
--- a/pkg/tcpip/link/fdbased/packet_dispatchers.go
+++ b/pkg/tcpip/link/fdbased/packet_dispatchers.go
@@ -139,7 +139,7 @@ func (d *readVDispatcher) dispatch() (bool, *tcpip.Error) {
 	}
 
 	used := d.capViews(n, BufConfig)
-	pkt := stack.PacketBuffer{
+	pkt := &stack.PacketBuffer{
 		Data:       buffer.NewVectorisedView(n, append([]buffer.View(nil), d.views[:used]...)),
 		LinkHeader: buffer.View(eth),
 	}
@@ -296,7 +296,7 @@ func (d *recvMMsgDispatcher) dispatch() (bool, *tcpip.Error) {
 		}
 
 		used := d.capViews(k, int(n), BufConfig)
-		pkt := stack.PacketBuffer{
+		pkt := &stack.PacketBuffer{
 			Data:       buffer.NewVectorisedView(int(n), append([]buffer.View(nil), d.views[k][:used]...)),
 			LinkHeader: buffer.View(eth),
 		}
diff --git a/pkg/tcpip/link/loopback/loopback.go b/pkg/tcpip/link/loopback/loopback.go
index 20d9e95f6..568c6874f 100644
--- a/pkg/tcpip/link/loopback/loopback.go
+++ b/pkg/tcpip/link/loopback/loopback.go
@@ -76,7 +76,7 @@ func (*endpoint) Wait() {}
 
 // WritePacket implements stack.LinkEndpoint.WritePacket. It delivers outbound
 // packets to the network-layer dispatcher.
-func (e *endpoint) WritePacket(_ *stack.Route, _ *stack.GSO, protocol tcpip.NetworkProtocolNumber, pkt stack.PacketBuffer) *tcpip.Error {
+func (e *endpoint) WritePacket(_ *stack.Route, _ *stack.GSO, protocol tcpip.NetworkProtocolNumber, pkt *stack.PacketBuffer) *tcpip.Error {
 	views := make([]buffer.View, 1, 1+len(pkt.Data.Views()))
 	views[0] = pkt.Header.View()
 	views = append(views, pkt.Data.Views()...)
@@ -84,7 +84,7 @@ func (e *endpoint) WritePacket(_ *stack.Route, _ *stack.GSO, protocol tcpip.Netw
 	// Because we're immediately turning around and writing the packet back
 	// to the rx path, we intentionally don't preserve the remote and local
 	// link addresses from the stack.Route we're passed.
-	e.dispatcher.DeliverNetworkPacket("" /* remote */, "" /* local */, protocol, stack.PacketBuffer{
+	e.dispatcher.DeliverNetworkPacket("" /* remote */, "" /* local */, protocol, &stack.PacketBuffer{
 		Data: buffer.NewVectorisedView(len(views[0])+pkt.Data.Size(), views),
 	})
 
@@ -106,7 +106,7 @@ func (e *endpoint) WriteRawPacket(vv buffer.VectorisedView) *tcpip.Error {
 	}
 	linkHeader := header.Ethernet(hdr)
 	vv.TrimFront(len(linkHeader))
-	e.dispatcher.DeliverNetworkPacket("" /* remote */, "" /* local */, linkHeader.Type(), stack.PacketBuffer{
+	e.dispatcher.DeliverNetworkPacket("" /* remote */, "" /* local */, linkHeader.Type(), &stack.PacketBuffer{
 		Data:       vv,
 		LinkHeader: buffer.View(linkHeader),
 	})
diff --git a/pkg/tcpip/link/muxed/injectable.go b/pkg/tcpip/link/muxed/injectable.go
index f0769830a..c69d6b7e9 100644
--- a/pkg/tcpip/link/muxed/injectable.go
+++ b/pkg/tcpip/link/muxed/injectable.go
@@ -80,7 +80,7 @@ func (m *InjectableEndpoint) IsAttached() bool {
 }
 
 // InjectInbound implements stack.InjectableLinkEndpoint.
-func (m *InjectableEndpoint) InjectInbound(protocol tcpip.NetworkProtocolNumber, pkt stack.PacketBuffer) {
+func (m *InjectableEndpoint) InjectInbound(protocol tcpip.NetworkProtocolNumber, pkt *stack.PacketBuffer) {
 	m.dispatcher.DeliverNetworkPacket("" /* remote */, "" /* local */, protocol, pkt)
 }
 
@@ -98,7 +98,7 @@ func (m *InjectableEndpoint) WritePackets(r *stack.Route, gso *stack.GSO, pkts s
 // WritePacket writes outbound packets to the appropriate LinkInjectableEndpoint
 // based on the RemoteAddress. HandleLocal only works if r.RemoteAddress has a
 // route registered in this endpoint.
-func (m *InjectableEndpoint) WritePacket(r *stack.Route, gso *stack.GSO, protocol tcpip.NetworkProtocolNumber, pkt stack.PacketBuffer) *tcpip.Error {
+func (m *InjectableEndpoint) WritePacket(r *stack.Route, gso *stack.GSO, protocol tcpip.NetworkProtocolNumber, pkt *stack.PacketBuffer) *tcpip.Error {
 	if endpoint, ok := m.routes[r.RemoteAddress]; ok {
 		return endpoint.WritePacket(r, gso, protocol, pkt)
 	}
diff --git a/pkg/tcpip/link/muxed/injectable_test.go b/pkg/tcpip/link/muxed/injectable_test.go
index 87c734c1f..0744f66d6 100644
--- a/pkg/tcpip/link/muxed/injectable_test.go
+++ b/pkg/tcpip/link/muxed/injectable_test.go
@@ -50,7 +50,7 @@ func TestInjectableEndpointDispatch(t *testing.T) {
 	hdr.Prepend(1)[0] = 0xFA
 	packetRoute := stack.Route{RemoteAddress: dstIP}
 
-	endpoint.WritePacket(&packetRoute, nil /* gso */, ipv4.ProtocolNumber, stack.PacketBuffer{
+	endpoint.WritePacket(&packetRoute, nil /* gso */, ipv4.ProtocolNumber, &stack.PacketBuffer{
 		Header: hdr,
 		Data:   buffer.NewViewFromBytes([]byte{0xFB}).ToVectorisedView(),
 	})
@@ -70,7 +70,7 @@ func TestInjectableEndpointDispatchHdrOnly(t *testing.T) {
 	hdr := buffer.NewPrependable(1)
 	hdr.Prepend(1)[0] = 0xFA
 	packetRoute := stack.Route{RemoteAddress: dstIP}
-	endpoint.WritePacket(&packetRoute, nil /* gso */, ipv4.ProtocolNumber, stack.PacketBuffer{
+	endpoint.WritePacket(&packetRoute, nil /* gso */, ipv4.ProtocolNumber, &stack.PacketBuffer{
 		Header: hdr,
 		Data:   buffer.NewView(0).ToVectorisedView(),
 	})
diff --git a/pkg/tcpip/link/qdisc/fifo/endpoint.go b/pkg/tcpip/link/qdisc/fifo/endpoint.go
index ec5c5048a..b5dfb7850 100644
--- a/pkg/tcpip/link/qdisc/fifo/endpoint.go
+++ b/pkg/tcpip/link/qdisc/fifo/endpoint.go
@@ -102,7 +102,7 @@ func (q *queueDispatcher) dispatchLoop() {
 }
 
 // DeliverNetworkPacket implements stack.NetworkDispatcher.DeliverNetworkPacket.
-func (e *endpoint) DeliverNetworkPacket(remote, local tcpip.LinkAddress, protocol tcpip.NetworkProtocolNumber, pkt stack.PacketBuffer) {
+func (e *endpoint) DeliverNetworkPacket(remote, local tcpip.LinkAddress, protocol tcpip.NetworkProtocolNumber, pkt *stack.PacketBuffer) {
 	e.dispatcher.DeliverNetworkPacket(remote, local, protocol, pkt)
 }
 
@@ -146,7 +146,7 @@ func (e *endpoint) GSOMaxSize() uint32 {
 }
 
 // WritePacket implements stack.LinkEndpoint.WritePacket.
-func (e *endpoint) WritePacket(r *stack.Route, gso *stack.GSO, protocol tcpip.NetworkProtocolNumber, pkt stack.PacketBuffer) *tcpip.Error {
+func (e *endpoint) WritePacket(r *stack.Route, gso *stack.GSO, protocol tcpip.NetworkProtocolNumber, pkt *stack.PacketBuffer) *tcpip.Error {
 	// WritePacket caller's do not set the following fields in PacketBuffer
 	// so we populate them here.
 	newRoute := r.Clone()
@@ -154,7 +154,7 @@ func (e *endpoint) WritePacket(r *stack.Route, gso *stack.GSO, protocol tcpip.Ne
 	pkt.GSOOptions = gso
 	pkt.NetworkProtocolNumber = protocol
 	d := e.dispatchers[int(pkt.Hash)%len(e.dispatchers)]
-	if !d.q.enqueue(&pkt) {
+	if !d.q.enqueue(pkt) {
 		return tcpip.ErrNoBufferSpace
 	}
 	d.newPacketWaker.Assert()
diff --git a/pkg/tcpip/link/sharedmem/sharedmem.go b/pkg/tcpip/link/sharedmem/sharedmem.go
index f5dec0a7f..0374a2441 100644
--- a/pkg/tcpip/link/sharedmem/sharedmem.go
+++ b/pkg/tcpip/link/sharedmem/sharedmem.go
@@ -185,7 +185,7 @@ func (e *endpoint) LinkAddress() tcpip.LinkAddress {
 
 // WritePacket writes outbound packets to the file descriptor. If it is not
 // currently writable, the packet is dropped.
-func (e *endpoint) WritePacket(r *stack.Route, _ *stack.GSO, protocol tcpip.NetworkProtocolNumber, pkt stack.PacketBuffer) *tcpip.Error {
+func (e *endpoint) WritePacket(r *stack.Route, _ *stack.GSO, protocol tcpip.NetworkProtocolNumber, pkt *stack.PacketBuffer) *tcpip.Error {
 	// Add the ethernet header here.
 	eth := header.Ethernet(pkt.Header.Prepend(header.EthernetMinimumSize))
 	pkt.LinkHeader = buffer.View(eth)
@@ -275,7 +275,7 @@ func (e *endpoint) dispatchLoop(d stack.NetworkDispatcher) {
 
 		// Send packet up the stack.
 		eth := header.Ethernet(b[:header.EthernetMinimumSize])
-		d.DeliverNetworkPacket(eth.SourceAddress(), eth.DestinationAddress(), eth.Type(), stack.PacketBuffer{
+		d.DeliverNetworkPacket(eth.SourceAddress(), eth.DestinationAddress(), eth.Type(), &stack.PacketBuffer{
 			Data:       buffer.View(b[header.EthernetMinimumSize:]).ToVectorisedView(),
 			LinkHeader: buffer.View(eth),
 		})
diff --git a/pkg/tcpip/link/sharedmem/sharedmem_test.go b/pkg/tcpip/link/sharedmem/sharedmem_test.go
index f3fc62607..28a2e88ba 100644
--- a/pkg/tcpip/link/sharedmem/sharedmem_test.go
+++ b/pkg/tcpip/link/sharedmem/sharedmem_test.go
@@ -131,7 +131,7 @@ func newTestContext(t *testing.T, mtu, bufferSize uint32, addr tcpip.LinkAddress
 	return c
 }
 
-func (c *testContext) DeliverNetworkPacket(remoteLinkAddr, localLinkAddr tcpip.LinkAddress, proto tcpip.NetworkProtocolNumber, pkt stack.PacketBuffer) {
+func (c *testContext) DeliverNetworkPacket(remoteLinkAddr, localLinkAddr tcpip.LinkAddress, proto tcpip.NetworkProtocolNumber, pkt *stack.PacketBuffer) {
 	c.mu.Lock()
 	c.packets = append(c.packets, packetInfo{
 		addr:  remoteLinkAddr,
@@ -273,7 +273,7 @@ func TestSimpleSend(t *testing.T) {
 			randomFill(buf)
 
 			proto := tcpip.NetworkProtocolNumber(rand.Intn(0x10000))
-			if err := c.ep.WritePacket(&r, nil /* gso */, proto, stack.PacketBuffer{
+			if err := c.ep.WritePacket(&r, nil /* gso */, proto, &stack.PacketBuffer{
 				Header: hdr,
 				Data:   buf.ToVectorisedView(),
 			}); err != nil {
@@ -345,7 +345,7 @@ func TestPreserveSrcAddressInSend(t *testing.T) {
 	hdr := buffer.NewPrependable(header.EthernetMinimumSize)
 
 	proto := tcpip.NetworkProtocolNumber(rand.Intn(0x10000))
-	if err := c.ep.WritePacket(&r, nil /* gso */, proto, stack.PacketBuffer{
+	if err := c.ep.WritePacket(&r, nil /* gso */, proto, &stack.PacketBuffer{
 		Header: hdr,
 	}); err != nil {
 		t.Fatalf("WritePacket failed: %v", err)
@@ -401,7 +401,7 @@ func TestFillTxQueue(t *testing.T) {
 	for i := queuePipeSize / 40; i > 0; i-- {
 		hdr := buffer.NewPrependable(int(c.ep.MaxHeaderLength()))
 
-		if err := c.ep.WritePacket(&r, nil /* gso */, header.IPv4ProtocolNumber, stack.PacketBuffer{
+		if err := c.ep.WritePacket(&r, nil /* gso */, header.IPv4ProtocolNumber, &stack.PacketBuffer{
 			Header: hdr,
 			Data:   buf.ToVectorisedView(),
 		}); err != nil {
@@ -419,7 +419,7 @@ func TestFillTxQueue(t *testing.T) {
 
 	// Next attempt to write must fail.
 	hdr := buffer.NewPrependable(int(c.ep.MaxHeaderLength()))
-	if want, err := tcpip.ErrWouldBlock, c.ep.WritePacket(&r, nil /* gso */, header.IPv4ProtocolNumber, stack.PacketBuffer{
+	if want, err := tcpip.ErrWouldBlock, c.ep.WritePacket(&r, nil /* gso */, header.IPv4ProtocolNumber, &stack.PacketBuffer{
 		Header: hdr,
 		Data:   buf.ToVectorisedView(),
 	}); err != want {
@@ -447,7 +447,7 @@ func TestFillTxQueueAfterBadCompletion(t *testing.T) {
 	// Send two packets so that the id slice has at least two slots.
 	for i := 2; i > 0; i-- {
 		hdr := buffer.NewPrependable(int(c.ep.MaxHeaderLength()))
-		if err := c.ep.WritePacket(&r, nil /* gso */, header.IPv4ProtocolNumber, stack.PacketBuffer{
+		if err := c.ep.WritePacket(&r, nil /* gso */, header.IPv4ProtocolNumber, &stack.PacketBuffer{
 			Header: hdr,
 			Data:   buf.ToVectorisedView(),
 		}); err != nil {
@@ -470,7 +470,7 @@ func TestFillTxQueueAfterBadCompletion(t *testing.T) {
 	ids := make(map[uint64]struct{})
 	for i := queuePipeSize / 40; i > 0; i-- {
 		hdr := buffer.NewPrependable(int(c.ep.MaxHeaderLength()))
-		if err := c.ep.WritePacket(&r, nil /* gso */, header.IPv4ProtocolNumber, stack.PacketBuffer{
+		if err := c.ep.WritePacket(&r, nil /* gso */, header.IPv4ProtocolNumber, &stack.PacketBuffer{
 			Header: hdr,
 			Data:   buf.ToVectorisedView(),
 		}); err != nil {
@@ -488,7 +488,7 @@ func TestFillTxQueueAfterBadCompletion(t *testing.T) {
 
 	// Next attempt to write must fail.
 	hdr := buffer.NewPrependable(int(c.ep.MaxHeaderLength()))
-	if want, err := tcpip.ErrWouldBlock, c.ep.WritePacket(&r, nil /* gso */, header.IPv4ProtocolNumber, stack.PacketBuffer{
+	if want, err := tcpip.ErrWouldBlock, c.ep.WritePacket(&r, nil /* gso */, header.IPv4ProtocolNumber, &stack.PacketBuffer{
 		Header: hdr,
 		Data:   buf.ToVectorisedView(),
 	}); err != want {
@@ -514,7 +514,7 @@ func TestFillTxMemory(t *testing.T) {
 	ids := make(map[uint64]struct{})
 	for i := queueDataSize / bufferSize; i > 0; i-- {
 		hdr := buffer.NewPrependable(int(c.ep.MaxHeaderLength()))
-		if err := c.ep.WritePacket(&r, nil /* gso */, header.IPv4ProtocolNumber, stack.PacketBuffer{
+		if err := c.ep.WritePacket(&r, nil /* gso */, header.IPv4ProtocolNumber, &stack.PacketBuffer{
 			Header: hdr,
 			Data:   buf.ToVectorisedView(),
 		}); err != nil {
@@ -533,7 +533,7 @@ func TestFillTxMemory(t *testing.T) {
 
 	// Next attempt to write must fail.
 	hdr := buffer.NewPrependable(int(c.ep.MaxHeaderLength()))
-	err := c.ep.WritePacket(&r, nil /* gso */, header.IPv4ProtocolNumber, stack.PacketBuffer{
+	err := c.ep.WritePacket(&r, nil /* gso */, header.IPv4ProtocolNumber, &stack.PacketBuffer{
 		Header: hdr,
 		Data:   buf.ToVectorisedView(),
 	})
@@ -561,7 +561,7 @@ func TestFillTxMemoryWithMultiBuffer(t *testing.T) {
 	// until there is only one buffer left.
 	for i := queueDataSize/bufferSize - 1; i > 0; i-- {
 		hdr := buffer.NewPrependable(int(c.ep.MaxHeaderLength()))
-		if err := c.ep.WritePacket(&r, nil /* gso */, header.IPv4ProtocolNumber, stack.PacketBuffer{
+		if err := c.ep.WritePacket(&r, nil /* gso */, header.IPv4ProtocolNumber, &stack.PacketBuffer{
 			Header: hdr,
 			Data:   buf.ToVectorisedView(),
 		}); err != nil {
@@ -577,7 +577,7 @@ func TestFillTxMemoryWithMultiBuffer(t *testing.T) {
 	{
 		hdr := buffer.NewPrependable(int(c.ep.MaxHeaderLength()))
 		uu := buffer.NewView(bufferSize).ToVectorisedView()
-		if want, err := tcpip.ErrWouldBlock, c.ep.WritePacket(&r, nil /* gso */, header.IPv4ProtocolNumber, stack.PacketBuffer{
+		if want, err := tcpip.ErrWouldBlock, c.ep.WritePacket(&r, nil /* gso */, header.IPv4ProtocolNumber, &stack.PacketBuffer{
 			Header: hdr,
 			Data:   uu,
 		}); err != want {
@@ -588,7 +588,7 @@ func TestFillTxMemoryWithMultiBuffer(t *testing.T) {
 	// Attempt to write the one-buffer packet again. It must succeed.
 	{
 		hdr := buffer.NewPrependable(int(c.ep.MaxHeaderLength()))
-		if err := c.ep.WritePacket(&r, nil /* gso */, header.IPv4ProtocolNumber, stack.PacketBuffer{
+		if err := c.ep.WritePacket(&r, nil /* gso */, header.IPv4ProtocolNumber, &stack.PacketBuffer{
 			Header: hdr,
 			Data:   buf.ToVectorisedView(),
 		}); err != nil {
diff --git a/pkg/tcpip/link/sniffer/sniffer.go b/pkg/tcpip/link/sniffer/sniffer.go
index b060d4627..ae3186314 100644
--- a/pkg/tcpip/link/sniffer/sniffer.go
+++ b/pkg/tcpip/link/sniffer/sniffer.go
@@ -120,8 +120,8 @@ func NewWithWriter(lower stack.LinkEndpoint, writer io.Writer, snapLen uint32) (
 // DeliverNetworkPacket implements the stack.NetworkDispatcher interface. It is
 // called by the link-layer endpoint being wrapped when a packet arrives, and
 // logs the packet before forwarding to the actual dispatcher.
-func (e *endpoint) DeliverNetworkPacket(remote, local tcpip.LinkAddress, protocol tcpip.NetworkProtocolNumber, pkt stack.PacketBuffer) {
-	e.dumpPacket("recv", nil, protocol, &pkt)
+func (e *endpoint) DeliverNetworkPacket(remote, local tcpip.LinkAddress, protocol tcpip.NetworkProtocolNumber, pkt *stack.PacketBuffer) {
+	e.dumpPacket("recv", nil, protocol, pkt)
 	e.dispatcher.DeliverNetworkPacket(remote, local, protocol, pkt)
 }
 
@@ -208,8 +208,8 @@ func (e *endpoint) dumpPacket(prefix string, gso *stack.GSO, protocol tcpip.Netw
 // WritePacket implements the stack.LinkEndpoint interface. It is called by
 // higher-level protocols to write packets; it just logs the packet and
 // forwards the request to the lower endpoint.
-func (e *endpoint) WritePacket(r *stack.Route, gso *stack.GSO, protocol tcpip.NetworkProtocolNumber, pkt stack.PacketBuffer) *tcpip.Error {
-	e.dumpPacket("send", gso, protocol, &pkt)
+func (e *endpoint) WritePacket(r *stack.Route, gso *stack.GSO, protocol tcpip.NetworkProtocolNumber, pkt *stack.PacketBuffer) *tcpip.Error {
+	e.dumpPacket("send", gso, protocol, pkt)
 	return e.lower.WritePacket(r, gso, protocol, pkt)
 }
 
diff --git a/pkg/tcpip/link/tun/device.go b/pkg/tcpip/link/tun/device.go
index 617446ea2..6bc9033d0 100644
--- a/pkg/tcpip/link/tun/device.go
+++ b/pkg/tcpip/link/tun/device.go
@@ -213,7 +213,7 @@ func (d *Device) Write(data []byte) (int64, error) {
 		remote = tcpip.LinkAddress(zeroMAC[:])
 	}
 
-	pkt := stack.PacketBuffer{
+	pkt := &stack.PacketBuffer{
 		Data: buffer.View(data).ToVectorisedView(),
 	}
 	if ethHdr != nil {
diff --git a/pkg/tcpip/link/waitable/waitable.go b/pkg/tcpip/link/waitable/waitable.go
index f5a05929f..949b3f2b2 100644
--- a/pkg/tcpip/link/waitable/waitable.go
+++ b/pkg/tcpip/link/waitable/waitable.go
@@ -50,7 +50,7 @@ func New(lower stack.LinkEndpoint) *Endpoint {
 // It is called by the link-layer endpoint being wrapped when a packet arrives,
 // and only forwards to the actual dispatcher if Wait or WaitDispatch haven't
 // been called.
-func (e *Endpoint) DeliverNetworkPacket(remote, local tcpip.LinkAddress, protocol tcpip.NetworkProtocolNumber, pkt stack.PacketBuffer) {
+func (e *Endpoint) DeliverNetworkPacket(remote, local tcpip.LinkAddress, protocol tcpip.NetworkProtocolNumber, pkt *stack.PacketBuffer) {
 	if !e.dispatchGate.Enter() {
 		return
 	}
@@ -99,7 +99,7 @@ func (e *Endpoint) LinkAddress() tcpip.LinkAddress {
 // WritePacket implements stack.LinkEndpoint.WritePacket. It is called by
 // higher-level protocols to write packets. It only forwards packets to the
 // lower endpoint if Wait or WaitWrite haven't been called.
-func (e *Endpoint) WritePacket(r *stack.Route, gso *stack.GSO, protocol tcpip.NetworkProtocolNumber, pkt stack.PacketBuffer) *tcpip.Error {
+func (e *Endpoint) WritePacket(r *stack.Route, gso *stack.GSO, protocol tcpip.NetworkProtocolNumber, pkt *stack.PacketBuffer) *tcpip.Error {
 	if !e.writeGate.Enter() {
 		return nil
 	}
diff --git a/pkg/tcpip/link/waitable/waitable_test.go b/pkg/tcpip/link/waitable/waitable_test.go
index 0a9b99f18..63bf40562 100644
--- a/pkg/tcpip/link/waitable/waitable_test.go
+++ b/pkg/tcpip/link/waitable/waitable_test.go
@@ -35,7 +35,7 @@ type countedEndpoint struct {
 	dispatcher stack.NetworkDispatcher
 }
 
-func (e *countedEndpoint) DeliverNetworkPacket(remote, local tcpip.LinkAddress, protocol tcpip.NetworkProtocolNumber, pkt stack.PacketBuffer) {
+func (e *countedEndpoint) DeliverNetworkPacket(remote, local tcpip.LinkAddress, protocol tcpip.NetworkProtocolNumber, pkt *stack.PacketBuffer) {
 	e.dispatchCount++
 }
 
@@ -65,7 +65,7 @@ func (e *countedEndpoint) LinkAddress() tcpip.LinkAddress {
 	return e.linkAddr
 }
 
-func (e *countedEndpoint) WritePacket(r *stack.Route, _ *stack.GSO, protocol tcpip.NetworkProtocolNumber, pkt stack.PacketBuffer) *tcpip.Error {
+func (e *countedEndpoint) WritePacket(r *stack.Route, _ *stack.GSO, protocol tcpip.NetworkProtocolNumber, pkt *stack.PacketBuffer) *tcpip.Error {
 	e.writeCount++
 	return nil
 }
@@ -89,21 +89,21 @@ func TestWaitWrite(t *testing.T) {
 	wep := New(ep)
 
 	// Write and check that it goes through.
-	wep.WritePacket(nil, nil /* gso */, 0, stack.PacketBuffer{})
+	wep.WritePacket(nil, nil /* gso */, 0, &stack.PacketBuffer{})
 	if want := 1; ep.writeCount != want {
 		t.Fatalf("Unexpected writeCount: got=%v, want=%v", ep.writeCount, want)
 	}
 
 	// Wait on dispatches, then try to write. It must go through.
 	wep.WaitDispatch()
-	wep.WritePacket(nil, nil /* gso */, 0, stack.PacketBuffer{})
+	wep.WritePacket(nil, nil /* gso */, 0, &stack.PacketBuffer{})
 	if want := 2; ep.writeCount != want {
 		t.Fatalf("Unexpected writeCount: got=%v, want=%v", ep.writeCount, want)
 	}
 
 	// Wait on writes, then try to write. It must not go through.
 	wep.WaitWrite()
-	wep.WritePacket(nil, nil /* gso */, 0, stack.PacketBuffer{})
+	wep.WritePacket(nil, nil /* gso */, 0, &stack.PacketBuffer{})
 	if want := 2; ep.writeCount != want {
 		t.Fatalf("Unexpected writeCount: got=%v, want=%v", ep.writeCount, want)
 	}
@@ -120,21 +120,21 @@ func TestWaitDispatch(t *testing.T) {
 	}
 
 	// Dispatch and check that it goes through.
-	ep.dispatcher.DeliverNetworkPacket("", "", 0, stack.PacketBuffer{})
+	ep.dispatcher.DeliverNetworkPacket("", "", 0, &stack.PacketBuffer{})
 	if want := 1; ep.dispatchCount != want {
 		t.Fatalf("Unexpected dispatchCount: got=%v, want=%v", ep.dispatchCount, want)
 	}
 
 	// Wait on writes, then try to dispatch. It must go through.
 	wep.WaitWrite()
-	ep.dispatcher.DeliverNetworkPacket("", "", 0, stack.PacketBuffer{})
+	ep.dispatcher.DeliverNetworkPacket("", "", 0, &stack.PacketBuffer{})
 	if want := 2; ep.dispatchCount != want {
 		t.Fatalf("Unexpected dispatchCount: got=%v, want=%v", ep.dispatchCount, want)
 	}
 
 	// Wait on dispatches, then try to dispatch. It must not go through.
 	wep.WaitDispatch()
-	ep.dispatcher.DeliverNetworkPacket("", "", 0, stack.PacketBuffer{})
+	ep.dispatcher.DeliverNetworkPacket("", "", 0, &stack.PacketBuffer{})
 	if want := 2; ep.dispatchCount != want {
 		t.Fatalf("Unexpected dispatchCount: got=%v, want=%v", ep.dispatchCount, want)
 	}
diff --git a/pkg/tcpip/network/arp/arp.go b/pkg/tcpip/network/arp/arp.go
index 9d0797af7..ea1acba83 100644
--- a/pkg/tcpip/network/arp/arp.go
+++ b/pkg/tcpip/network/arp/arp.go
@@ -80,7 +80,7 @@ func (e *endpoint) MaxHeaderLength() uint16 {
 
 func (e *endpoint) Close() {}
 
-func (e *endpoint) WritePacket(*stack.Route, *stack.GSO, stack.NetworkHeaderParams, stack.PacketBuffer) *tcpip.Error {
+func (e *endpoint) WritePacket(*stack.Route, *stack.GSO, stack.NetworkHeaderParams, *stack.PacketBuffer) *tcpip.Error {
 	return tcpip.ErrNotSupported
 }
 
@@ -94,11 +94,11 @@ func (e *endpoint) WritePackets(*stack.Route, *stack.GSO, stack.PacketBufferList
 	return 0, tcpip.ErrNotSupported
 }
 
-func (e *endpoint) WriteHeaderIncludedPacket(r *stack.Route, pkt stack.PacketBuffer) *tcpip.Error {
+func (e *endpoint) WriteHeaderIncludedPacket(r *stack.Route, pkt *stack.PacketBuffer) *tcpip.Error {
 	return tcpip.ErrNotSupported
 }
 
-func (e *endpoint) HandlePacket(r *stack.Route, pkt stack.PacketBuffer) {
+func (e *endpoint) HandlePacket(r *stack.Route, pkt *stack.PacketBuffer) {
 	v, ok := pkt.Data.PullUp(header.ARPSize)
 	if !ok {
 		return
@@ -122,7 +122,7 @@ func (e *endpoint) HandlePacket(r *stack.Route, pkt stack.PacketBuffer) {
 		copy(packet.ProtocolAddressSender(), h.ProtocolAddressTarget())
 		copy(packet.HardwareAddressTarget(), h.HardwareAddressSender())
 		copy(packet.ProtocolAddressTarget(), h.ProtocolAddressSender())
-		e.linkEP.WritePacket(r, nil /* gso */, ProtocolNumber, stack.PacketBuffer{
+		e.linkEP.WritePacket(r, nil /* gso */, ProtocolNumber, &stack.PacketBuffer{
 			Header: hdr,
 		})
 		fallthrough // also fill the cache from requests
@@ -177,7 +177,7 @@ func (*protocol) LinkAddressRequest(addr, localAddr tcpip.Address, linkEP stack.
 	copy(h.ProtocolAddressSender(), localAddr)
 	copy(h.ProtocolAddressTarget(), addr)
 
-	return linkEP.WritePacket(r, nil /* gso */, ProtocolNumber, stack.PacketBuffer{
+	return linkEP.WritePacket(r, nil /* gso */, ProtocolNumber, &stack.PacketBuffer{
 		Header: hdr,
 	})
 }
diff --git a/pkg/tcpip/network/arp/arp_test.go b/pkg/tcpip/network/arp/arp_test.go
index 1646d9cde..66e67429c 100644
--- a/pkg/tcpip/network/arp/arp_test.go
+++ b/pkg/tcpip/network/arp/arp_test.go
@@ -103,7 +103,7 @@ func TestDirectRequest(t *testing.T) {
 
 	inject := func(addr tcpip.Address) {
 		copy(h.ProtocolAddressTarget(), addr)
-		c.linkEP.InjectInbound(arp.ProtocolNumber, stack.PacketBuffer{
+		c.linkEP.InjectInbound(arp.ProtocolNumber, &stack.PacketBuffer{
 			Data: v.ToVectorisedView(),
 		})
 	}
diff --git a/pkg/tcpip/network/ip_test.go b/pkg/tcpip/network/ip_test.go
index 4c20301c6..d9b62f2db 100644
--- a/pkg/tcpip/network/ip_test.go
+++ b/pkg/tcpip/network/ip_test.go
@@ -96,7 +96,7 @@ func (t *testObject) checkValues(protocol tcpip.TransportProtocolNumber, vv buff
 // DeliverTransportPacket is called by network endpoints after parsing incoming
 // packets. This is used by the test object to verify that the results of the
 // parsing are expected.
-func (t *testObject) DeliverTransportPacket(r *stack.Route, protocol tcpip.TransportProtocolNumber, pkt stack.PacketBuffer) {
+func (t *testObject) DeliverTransportPacket(r *stack.Route, protocol tcpip.TransportProtocolNumber, pkt *stack.PacketBuffer) {
 	t.checkValues(protocol, pkt.Data, r.RemoteAddress, r.LocalAddress)
 	t.dataCalls++
 }
@@ -104,7 +104,7 @@ func (t *testObject) DeliverTransportPacket(r *stack.Route, protocol tcpip.Trans
 // DeliverTransportControlPacket is called by network endpoints after parsing
 // incoming control (ICMP) packets. This is used by the test object to verify
 // that the results of the parsing are expected.
-func (t *testObject) DeliverTransportControlPacket(local, remote tcpip.Address, net tcpip.NetworkProtocolNumber, trans tcpip.TransportProtocolNumber, typ stack.ControlType, extra uint32, pkt stack.PacketBuffer) {
+func (t *testObject) DeliverTransportControlPacket(local, remote tcpip.Address, net tcpip.NetworkProtocolNumber, trans tcpip.TransportProtocolNumber, typ stack.ControlType, extra uint32, pkt *stack.PacketBuffer) {
 	t.checkValues(trans, pkt.Data, remote, local)
 	if typ != t.typ {
 		t.t.Errorf("typ = %v, want %v", typ, t.typ)
@@ -150,7 +150,7 @@ func (*testObject) Wait() {}
 // WritePacket is called by network endpoints after producing a packet and
 // writing it to the link endpoint. This is used by the test object to verify
 // that the produced packet is as expected.
-func (t *testObject) WritePacket(_ *stack.Route, _ *stack.GSO, protocol tcpip.NetworkProtocolNumber, pkt stack.PacketBuffer) *tcpip.Error {
+func (t *testObject) WritePacket(_ *stack.Route, _ *stack.GSO, protocol tcpip.NetworkProtocolNumber, pkt *stack.PacketBuffer) *tcpip.Error {
 	var prot tcpip.TransportProtocolNumber
 	var srcAddr tcpip.Address
 	var dstAddr tcpip.Address
@@ -246,7 +246,11 @@ func TestIPv4Send(t *testing.T) {
 	if err != nil {
 		t.Fatalf("could not find route: %v", err)
 	}
-	if err := ep.WritePacket(&r, nil /* gso */, stack.NetworkHeaderParams{Protocol: 123, TTL: 123, TOS: stack.DefaultTOS}, stack.PacketBuffer{
+	if err := ep.WritePacket(&r, nil /* gso */, stack.NetworkHeaderParams{
+		Protocol: 123,
+		TTL:      123,
+		TOS:      stack.DefaultTOS,
+	}, &stack.PacketBuffer{
 		Header: hdr,
 		Data:   payload.ToVectorisedView(),
 	}); err != nil {
@@ -289,7 +293,7 @@ func TestIPv4Receive(t *testing.T) {
 	if err != nil {
 		t.Fatalf("could not find route: %v", err)
 	}
-	ep.HandlePacket(&r, stack.PacketBuffer{
+	ep.HandlePacket(&r, &stack.PacketBuffer{
 		Data: view.ToVectorisedView(),
 	})
 	if o.dataCalls != 1 {
@@ -379,7 +383,7 @@ func TestIPv4ReceiveControl(t *testing.T) {
 			o.extra = c.expectedExtra
 
 			vv := view[:len(view)-c.trunc].ToVectorisedView()
-			ep.HandlePacket(&r, stack.PacketBuffer{
+			ep.HandlePacket(&r, &stack.PacketBuffer{
 				Data: vv,
 			})
 			if want := c.expectedCount; o.controlCalls != want {
@@ -444,7 +448,7 @@ func TestIPv4FragmentationReceive(t *testing.T) {
 	}
 
 	// Send first segment.
-	ep.HandlePacket(&r, stack.PacketBuffer{
+	ep.HandlePacket(&r, &stack.PacketBuffer{
 		Data: frag1.ToVectorisedView(),
 	})
 	if o.dataCalls != 0 {
@@ -452,7 +456,7 @@ func TestIPv4FragmentationReceive(t *testing.T) {
 	}
 
 	// Send second segment.
-	ep.HandlePacket(&r, stack.PacketBuffer{
+	ep.HandlePacket(&r, &stack.PacketBuffer{
 		Data: frag2.ToVectorisedView(),
 	})
 	if o.dataCalls != 1 {
@@ -487,7 +491,11 @@ func TestIPv6Send(t *testing.T) {
 	if err != nil {
 		t.Fatalf("could not find route: %v", err)
 	}
-	if err := ep.WritePacket(&r, nil /* gso */, stack.NetworkHeaderParams{Protocol: 123, TTL: 123, TOS: stack.DefaultTOS}, stack.PacketBuffer{
+	if err := ep.WritePacket(&r, nil /* gso */, stack.NetworkHeaderParams{
+		Protocol: 123,
+		TTL:      123,
+		TOS:      stack.DefaultTOS,
+	}, &stack.PacketBuffer{
 		Header: hdr,
 		Data:   payload.ToVectorisedView(),
 	}); err != nil {
@@ -530,7 +538,7 @@ func TestIPv6Receive(t *testing.T) {
 		t.Fatalf("could not find route: %v", err)
 	}
 
-	ep.HandlePacket(&r, stack.PacketBuffer{
+	ep.HandlePacket(&r, &stack.PacketBuffer{
 		Data: view.ToVectorisedView(),
 	})
 	if o.dataCalls != 1 {
@@ -644,7 +652,7 @@ func TestIPv6ReceiveControl(t *testing.T) {
 			// Set ICMPv6 checksum.
 			icmp.SetChecksum(header.ICMPv6Checksum(icmp, outerSrcAddr, localIpv6Addr, buffer.VectorisedView{}))
 
-			ep.HandlePacket(&r, stack.PacketBuffer{
+			ep.HandlePacket(&r, &stack.PacketBuffer{
 				Data: view[:len(view)-c.trunc].ToVectorisedView(),
 			})
 			if want := c.expectedCount; o.controlCalls != want {
diff --git a/pkg/tcpip/network/ipv4/icmp.go b/pkg/tcpip/network/ipv4/icmp.go
index 4cbefe5ab..d1c3ae835 100644
--- a/pkg/tcpip/network/ipv4/icmp.go
+++ b/pkg/tcpip/network/ipv4/icmp.go
@@ -24,7 +24,7 @@ import (
 // the original packet that caused the ICMP one to be sent. This information is
 // used to find out which transport endpoint must be notified about the ICMP
 // packet.
-func (e *endpoint) handleControl(typ stack.ControlType, extra uint32, pkt stack.PacketBuffer) {
+func (e *endpoint) handleControl(typ stack.ControlType, extra uint32, pkt *stack.PacketBuffer) {
 	h, ok := pkt.Data.PullUp(header.IPv4MinimumSize)
 	if !ok {
 		return
@@ -56,7 +56,7 @@ func (e *endpoint) handleControl(typ stack.ControlType, extra uint32, pkt stack.
 	e.dispatcher.DeliverTransportControlPacket(e.id.LocalAddress, hdr.DestinationAddress(), ProtocolNumber, p, typ, extra, pkt)
 }
 
-func (e *endpoint) handleICMP(r *stack.Route, pkt stack.PacketBuffer) {
+func (e *endpoint) handleICMP(r *stack.Route, pkt *stack.PacketBuffer) {
 	stats := r.Stats()
 	received := stats.ICMP.V4PacketsReceived
 	v, ok := pkt.Data.PullUp(header.ICMPv4MinimumSize)
@@ -88,7 +88,7 @@ func (e *endpoint) handleICMP(r *stack.Route, pkt stack.PacketBuffer) {
 
 		// It's possible that a raw socket expects to receive this.
 		h.SetChecksum(wantChecksum)
-		e.dispatcher.DeliverTransportPacket(r, header.ICMPv4ProtocolNumber, stack.PacketBuffer{
+		e.dispatcher.DeliverTransportPacket(r, header.ICMPv4ProtocolNumber, &stack.PacketBuffer{
 			Data:          pkt.Data.Clone(nil),
 			NetworkHeader: append(buffer.View(nil), pkt.NetworkHeader...),
 		})
@@ -102,7 +102,11 @@ func (e *endpoint) handleICMP(r *stack.Route, pkt stack.PacketBuffer) {
 		pkt.SetChecksum(0)
 		pkt.SetChecksum(^header.Checksum(pkt, header.ChecksumVV(vv, 0)))
 		sent := stats.ICMP.V4PacketsSent
-		if err := r.WritePacket(nil /* gso */, stack.NetworkHeaderParams{Protocol: header.ICMPv4ProtocolNumber, TTL: r.DefaultTTL(), TOS: stack.DefaultTOS}, stack.PacketBuffer{
+		if err := r.WritePacket(nil /* gso */, stack.NetworkHeaderParams{
+			Protocol: header.ICMPv4ProtocolNumber,
+			TTL:      r.DefaultTTL(),
+			TOS:      stack.DefaultTOS,
+		}, &stack.PacketBuffer{
 			Header:          hdr,
 			Data:            vv,
 			TransportHeader: buffer.View(pkt),
diff --git a/pkg/tcpip/network/ipv4/ipv4.go b/pkg/tcpip/network/ipv4/ipv4.go
index 64046cbbf..9cd7592f4 100644
--- a/pkg/tcpip/network/ipv4/ipv4.go
+++ b/pkg/tcpip/network/ipv4/ipv4.go
@@ -129,7 +129,7 @@ func (e *endpoint) NetworkProtocolNumber() tcpip.NetworkProtocolNumber {
 // packet's stated length matches the length of the header+payload. mtu
 // includes the IP header and options. This does not support the DontFragment
 // IP flag.
-func (e *endpoint) writePacketFragments(r *stack.Route, gso *stack.GSO, mtu int, pkt stack.PacketBuffer) *tcpip.Error {
+func (e *endpoint) writePacketFragments(r *stack.Route, gso *stack.GSO, mtu int, pkt *stack.PacketBuffer) *tcpip.Error {
 	// This packet is too big, it needs to be fragmented.
 	ip := header.IPv4(pkt.Header.View())
 	flags := ip.Flags()
@@ -169,7 +169,7 @@ func (e *endpoint) writePacketFragments(r *stack.Route, gso *stack.GSO, mtu int,
 		if i > 0 {
 			newPayload := pkt.Data.Clone(nil)
 			newPayload.CapLength(innerMTU)
-			if err := e.linkEP.WritePacket(r, gso, ProtocolNumber, stack.PacketBuffer{
+			if err := e.linkEP.WritePacket(r, gso, ProtocolNumber, &stack.PacketBuffer{
 				Header:        pkt.Header,
 				Data:          newPayload,
 				NetworkHeader: buffer.View(h),
@@ -188,7 +188,7 @@ func (e *endpoint) writePacketFragments(r *stack.Route, gso *stack.GSO, mtu int,
 			newPayload := pkt.Data.Clone(nil)
 			newPayloadLength := outerMTU - pkt.Header.UsedLength()
 			newPayload.CapLength(newPayloadLength)
-			if err := e.linkEP.WritePacket(r, gso, ProtocolNumber, stack.PacketBuffer{
+			if err := e.linkEP.WritePacket(r, gso, ProtocolNumber, &stack.PacketBuffer{
 				Header:        pkt.Header,
 				Data:          newPayload,
 				NetworkHeader: buffer.View(h),
@@ -202,7 +202,7 @@ func (e *endpoint) writePacketFragments(r *stack.Route, gso *stack.GSO, mtu int,
 			startOfHdr := pkt.Header
 			startOfHdr.TrimBack(pkt.Header.UsedLength() - outerMTU)
 			emptyVV := buffer.NewVectorisedView(0, []buffer.View{})
-			if err := e.linkEP.WritePacket(r, gso, ProtocolNumber, stack.PacketBuffer{
+			if err := e.linkEP.WritePacket(r, gso, ProtocolNumber, &stack.PacketBuffer{
 				Header:        startOfHdr,
 				Data:          emptyVV,
 				NetworkHeader: buffer.View(h),
@@ -245,7 +245,7 @@ func (e *endpoint) addIPHeader(r *stack.Route, hdr *buffer.Prependable, payloadS
 }
 
 // WritePacket writes a packet to the given destination address and protocol.
-func (e *endpoint) WritePacket(r *stack.Route, gso *stack.GSO, params stack.NetworkHeaderParams, pkt stack.PacketBuffer) *tcpip.Error {
+func (e *endpoint) WritePacket(r *stack.Route, gso *stack.GSO, params stack.NetworkHeaderParams, pkt *stack.PacketBuffer) *tcpip.Error {
 	ip := e.addIPHeader(r, &pkt.Header, pkt.Data.Size(), params)
 	pkt.NetworkHeader = buffer.View(ip)
 
@@ -253,7 +253,7 @@ func (e *endpoint) WritePacket(r *stack.Route, gso *stack.GSO, params stack.Netw
 	// iptables filtering. All packets that reach here are locally
 	// generated.
 	ipt := e.stack.IPTables()
-	if ok := ipt.Check(stack.Output, &pkt, gso, r, "", nicName); !ok {
+	if ok := ipt.Check(stack.Output, pkt, gso, r, "", nicName); !ok {
 		// iptables is telling us to drop the packet.
 		return nil
 	}
@@ -271,9 +271,9 @@ func (e *endpoint) WritePacket(r *stack.Route, gso *stack.GSO, params stack.Netw
 			views := make([]buffer.View, 1, 1+len(pkt.Data.Views()))
 			views[0] = pkt.Header.View()
 			views = append(views, pkt.Data.Views()...)
-			packet := stack.PacketBuffer{
-				Data: buffer.NewVectorisedView(len(views[0])+pkt.Data.Size(), views)}
-			ep.HandlePacket(&route, packet)
+			ep.HandlePacket(&route, &stack.PacketBuffer{
+				Data: buffer.NewVectorisedView(len(views[0])+pkt.Data.Size(), views),
+			})
 			return nil
 		}
 	}
@@ -286,7 +286,7 @@ func (e *endpoint) WritePacket(r *stack.Route, gso *stack.GSO, params stack.Netw
 		views = append(views, pkt.Data.Views()...)
 		loopedR := r.MakeLoopedRoute()
 
-		e.HandlePacket(&loopedR, stack.PacketBuffer{
+		e.HandlePacket(&loopedR, &stack.PacketBuffer{
 			Data: buffer.NewVectorisedView(len(views[0])+pkt.Data.Size(), views),
 		})
 
@@ -351,14 +351,14 @@ func (e *endpoint) WritePackets(r *stack.Route, gso *stack.GSO, pkts stack.Packe
 				views := make([]buffer.View, 1, 1+len(pkt.Data.Views()))
 				views[0] = pkt.Header.View()
 				views = append(views, pkt.Data.Views()...)
-				packet := stack.PacketBuffer{
-					Data: buffer.NewVectorisedView(len(views[0])+pkt.Data.Size(), views)}
-				ep.HandlePacket(&route, packet)
+				ep.HandlePacket(&route, &stack.PacketBuffer{
+					Data: buffer.NewVectorisedView(len(views[0])+pkt.Data.Size(), views),
+				})
 				n++
 				continue
 			}
 		}
-		if err := e.linkEP.WritePacket(r, gso, ProtocolNumber, *pkt); err != nil {
+		if err := e.linkEP.WritePacket(r, gso, ProtocolNumber, pkt); err != nil {
 			r.Stats().IP.PacketsSent.IncrementBy(uint64(n))
 			return n, err
 		}
@@ -370,7 +370,7 @@ func (e *endpoint) WritePackets(r *stack.Route, gso *stack.GSO, pkts stack.Packe
 
 // WriteHeaderIncludedPacket writes a packet already containing a network
 // header through the given route.
-func (e *endpoint) WriteHeaderIncludedPacket(r *stack.Route, pkt stack.PacketBuffer) *tcpip.Error {
+func (e *endpoint) WriteHeaderIncludedPacket(r *stack.Route, pkt *stack.PacketBuffer) *tcpip.Error {
 	// The packet already has an IP header, but there are a few required
 	// checks.
 	h, ok := pkt.Data.PullUp(header.IPv4MinimumSize)
@@ -426,7 +426,7 @@ func (e *endpoint) WriteHeaderIncludedPacket(r *stack.Route, pkt stack.PacketBuf
 
 // HandlePacket is called by the link layer when new ipv4 packets arrive for
 // this endpoint.
-func (e *endpoint) HandlePacket(r *stack.Route, pkt stack.PacketBuffer) {
+func (e *endpoint) HandlePacket(r *stack.Route, pkt *stack.PacketBuffer) {
 	headerView, ok := pkt.Data.PullUp(header.IPv4MinimumSize)
 	if !ok {
 		r.Stats().IP.MalformedPacketsReceived.Increment()
@@ -447,7 +447,7 @@ func (e *endpoint) HandlePacket(r *stack.Route, pkt stack.PacketBuffer) {
 	// iptables filtering. All packets that reach here are intended for
 	// this machine and will not be forwarded.
 	ipt := e.stack.IPTables()
-	if ok := ipt.Check(stack.Input, &pkt, nil, nil, "", ""); !ok {
+	if ok := ipt.Check(stack.Input, pkt, nil, nil, "", ""); !ok {
 		// iptables is telling us to drop the packet.
 		return
 	}
diff --git a/pkg/tcpip/network/ipv4/ipv4_test.go b/pkg/tcpip/network/ipv4/ipv4_test.go
index 36035c820..c208ebd99 100644
--- a/pkg/tcpip/network/ipv4/ipv4_test.go
+++ b/pkg/tcpip/network/ipv4/ipv4_test.go
@@ -114,7 +114,7 @@ func makeHdrAndPayload(hdrLength int, extraLength int, viewSizes []int) (buffer.
 
 // comparePayloads compared the contents of all the packets against the contents
 // of the source packet.
-func compareFragments(t *testing.T, packets []stack.PacketBuffer, sourcePacketInfo stack.PacketBuffer, mtu uint32) {
+func compareFragments(t *testing.T, packets []*stack.PacketBuffer, sourcePacketInfo *stack.PacketBuffer, mtu uint32) {
 	t.Helper()
 	// Make a complete array of the sourcePacketInfo packet.
 	source := header.IPv4(packets[0].Header.View()[:header.IPv4MinimumSize])
@@ -174,7 +174,7 @@ func compareFragments(t *testing.T, packets []stack.PacketBuffer, sourcePacketIn
 
 type errorChannel struct {
 	*channel.Endpoint
-	Ch                    chan stack.PacketBuffer
+	Ch                    chan *stack.PacketBuffer
 	packetCollectorErrors []*tcpip.Error
 }
 
@@ -184,7 +184,7 @@ type errorChannel struct {
 func newErrorChannel(size int, mtu uint32, linkAddr tcpip.LinkAddress, packetCollectorErrors []*tcpip.Error) *errorChannel {
 	return &errorChannel{
 		Endpoint:              channel.New(size, mtu, linkAddr),
-		Ch:                    make(chan stack.PacketBuffer, size),
+		Ch:                    make(chan *stack.PacketBuffer, size),
 		packetCollectorErrors: packetCollectorErrors,
 	}
 }
@@ -203,7 +203,7 @@ func (e *errorChannel) Drain() int {
 }
 
 // WritePacket stores outbound packets into the channel.
-func (e *errorChannel) WritePacket(r *stack.Route, gso *stack.GSO, protocol tcpip.NetworkProtocolNumber, pkt stack.PacketBuffer) *tcpip.Error {
+func (e *errorChannel) WritePacket(r *stack.Route, gso *stack.GSO, protocol tcpip.NetworkProtocolNumber, pkt *stack.PacketBuffer) *tcpip.Error {
 	select {
 	case e.Ch <- pkt:
 	default:
@@ -282,13 +282,17 @@ func TestFragmentation(t *testing.T) {
 	for _, ft := range fragTests {
 		t.Run(ft.description, func(t *testing.T) {
 			hdr, payload := makeHdrAndPayload(ft.hdrLength, ft.extraLength, ft.payloadViewsSizes)
-			source := stack.PacketBuffer{
+			source := &stack.PacketBuffer{
 				Header: hdr,
 				// Save the source payload because WritePacket will modify it.
 				Data: payload.Clone(nil),
 			}
 			c := buildContext(t, nil, ft.mtu)
-			err := c.Route.WritePacket(ft.gso, stack.NetworkHeaderParams{Protocol: tcp.ProtocolNumber, TTL: 42, TOS: stack.DefaultTOS}, stack.PacketBuffer{
+			err := c.Route.WritePacket(ft.gso, stack.NetworkHeaderParams{
+				Protocol: tcp.ProtocolNumber,
+				TTL:      42,
+				TOS:      stack.DefaultTOS,
+			}, &stack.PacketBuffer{
 				Header: hdr,
 				Data:   payload,
 			})
@@ -296,7 +300,7 @@ func TestFragmentation(t *testing.T) {
 				t.Errorf("err got %v, want %v", err, nil)
 			}
 
-			var results []stack.PacketBuffer
+			var results []*stack.PacketBuffer
 		L:
 			for {
 				select {
@@ -338,7 +342,11 @@ func TestFragmentationErrors(t *testing.T) {
 		t.Run(ft.description, func(t *testing.T) {
 			hdr, payload := makeHdrAndPayload(ft.hdrLength, header.IPv4MinimumSize, ft.payloadViewsSizes)
 			c := buildContext(t, ft.packetCollectorErrors, ft.mtu)
-			err := c.Route.WritePacket(&stack.GSO{}, stack.NetworkHeaderParams{Protocol: tcp.ProtocolNumber, TTL: 42, TOS: stack.DefaultTOS}, stack.PacketBuffer{
+			err := c.Route.WritePacket(&stack.GSO{}, stack.NetworkHeaderParams{
+				Protocol: tcp.ProtocolNumber,
+				TTL:      42,
+				TOS:      stack.DefaultTOS,
+			}, &stack.PacketBuffer{
 				Header: hdr,
 				Data:   payload,
 			})
@@ -460,7 +468,7 @@ func TestInvalidFragments(t *testing.T) {
 			s.CreateNIC(nicID, sniffer.New(ep))
 
 			for _, pkt := range tc.packets {
-				ep.InjectLinkAddr(header.IPv4ProtocolNumber, remoteLinkAddr, stack.PacketBuffer{
+				ep.InjectLinkAddr(header.IPv4ProtocolNumber, remoteLinkAddr, &stack.PacketBuffer{
 					Data: buffer.NewVectorisedView(len(pkt), []buffer.View{pkt}),
 				})
 			}
@@ -698,7 +706,7 @@ func TestReceiveFragments(t *testing.T) {
 				vv := hdr.View().ToVectorisedView()
 				vv.AppendView(frag.payload)
 
-				e.InjectInbound(header.IPv4ProtocolNumber, stack.PacketBuffer{
+				e.InjectInbound(header.IPv4ProtocolNumber, &stack.PacketBuffer{
 					Data: vv,
 				})
 			}
diff --git a/pkg/tcpip/network/ipv6/icmp.go b/pkg/tcpip/network/ipv6/icmp.go
index bdf3a0d25..b62fb1de6 100644
--- a/pkg/tcpip/network/ipv6/icmp.go
+++ b/pkg/tcpip/network/ipv6/icmp.go
@@ -27,7 +27,7 @@ import (
 // the original packet that caused the ICMP one to be sent. This information is
 // used to find out which transport endpoint must be notified about the ICMP
 // packet.
-func (e *endpoint) handleControl(typ stack.ControlType, extra uint32, pkt stack.PacketBuffer) {
+func (e *endpoint) handleControl(typ stack.ControlType, extra uint32, pkt *stack.PacketBuffer) {
 	h, ok := pkt.Data.PullUp(header.IPv6MinimumSize)
 	if !ok {
 		return
@@ -70,7 +70,7 @@ func (e *endpoint) handleControl(typ stack.ControlType, extra uint32, pkt stack.
 	e.dispatcher.DeliverTransportControlPacket(e.id.LocalAddress, hdr.DestinationAddress(), ProtocolNumber, p, typ, extra, pkt)
 }
 
-func (e *endpoint) handleICMP(r *stack.Route, netHeader buffer.View, pkt stack.PacketBuffer, hasFragmentHeader bool) {
+func (e *endpoint) handleICMP(r *stack.Route, netHeader buffer.View, pkt *stack.PacketBuffer, hasFragmentHeader bool) {
 	stats := r.Stats().ICMP
 	sent := stats.V6PacketsSent
 	received := stats.V6PacketsReceived
@@ -288,7 +288,7 @@ func (e *endpoint) handleICMP(r *stack.Route, netHeader buffer.View, pkt stack.P
 		//
 		// The IP Hop Limit field has a value of 255, i.e., the packet
 		// could not possibly have been forwarded by a router.
-		if err := r.WritePacket(nil /* gso */, stack.NetworkHeaderParams{Protocol: header.ICMPv6ProtocolNumber, TTL: header.NDPHopLimit, TOS: stack.DefaultTOS}, stack.PacketBuffer{
+		if err := r.WritePacket(nil /* gso */, stack.NetworkHeaderParams{Protocol: header.ICMPv6ProtocolNumber, TTL: header.NDPHopLimit, TOS: stack.DefaultTOS}, &stack.PacketBuffer{
 			Header: hdr,
 		}); err != nil {
 			sent.Dropped.Increment()
@@ -390,7 +390,7 @@ func (e *endpoint) handleICMP(r *stack.Route, netHeader buffer.View, pkt stack.P
 		copy(packet, icmpHdr)
 		packet.SetType(header.ICMPv6EchoReply)
 		packet.SetChecksum(header.ICMPv6Checksum(packet, r.LocalAddress, r.RemoteAddress, pkt.Data))
-		if err := r.WritePacket(nil /* gso */, stack.NetworkHeaderParams{Protocol: header.ICMPv6ProtocolNumber, TTL: r.DefaultTTL(), TOS: stack.DefaultTOS}, stack.PacketBuffer{
+		if err := r.WritePacket(nil /* gso */, stack.NetworkHeaderParams{Protocol: header.ICMPv6ProtocolNumber, TTL: r.DefaultTTL(), TOS: stack.DefaultTOS}, &stack.PacketBuffer{
 			Header: hdr,
 			Data:   pkt.Data,
 		}); err != nil {
@@ -532,7 +532,7 @@ func (*protocol) LinkAddressRequest(addr, localAddr tcpip.Address, linkEP stack.
 	})
 
 	// TODO(stijlist): count this in ICMP stats.
-	return linkEP.WritePacket(r, nil /* gso */, ProtocolNumber, stack.PacketBuffer{
+	return linkEP.WritePacket(r, nil /* gso */, ProtocolNumber, &stack.PacketBuffer{
 		Header: hdr,
 	})
 }
diff --git a/pkg/tcpip/network/ipv6/icmp_test.go b/pkg/tcpip/network/ipv6/icmp_test.go
index d412ff688..a720f626f 100644
--- a/pkg/tcpip/network/ipv6/icmp_test.go
+++ b/pkg/tcpip/network/ipv6/icmp_test.go
@@ -57,7 +57,7 @@ func (*stubLinkEndpoint) LinkAddress() tcpip.LinkAddress {
 	return ""
 }
 
-func (*stubLinkEndpoint) WritePacket(*stack.Route, *stack.GSO, tcpip.NetworkProtocolNumber, stack.PacketBuffer) *tcpip.Error {
+func (*stubLinkEndpoint) WritePacket(*stack.Route, *stack.GSO, tcpip.NetworkProtocolNumber, *stack.PacketBuffer) *tcpip.Error {
 	return nil
 }
 
@@ -67,7 +67,7 @@ type stubDispatcher struct {
 	stack.TransportDispatcher
 }
 
-func (*stubDispatcher) DeliverTransportPacket(*stack.Route, tcpip.TransportProtocolNumber, stack.PacketBuffer) {
+func (*stubDispatcher) DeliverTransportPacket(*stack.Route, tcpip.TransportProtocolNumber, *stack.PacketBuffer) {
 }
 
 type stubLinkAddressCache struct {
@@ -189,7 +189,7 @@ func TestICMPCounts(t *testing.T) {
 			SrcAddr:       r.LocalAddress,
 			DstAddr:       r.RemoteAddress,
 		})
-		ep.HandlePacket(&r, stack.PacketBuffer{
+		ep.HandlePacket(&r, &stack.PacketBuffer{
 			Data: hdr.View().ToVectorisedView(),
 		})
 	}
@@ -328,7 +328,7 @@ func routeICMPv6Packet(t *testing.T, args routeArgs, fn func(*testing.T, header.
 		views := []buffer.View{pi.Pkt.Header.View(), pi.Pkt.Data.ToView()}
 		size := pi.Pkt.Header.UsedLength() + pi.Pkt.Data.Size()
 		vv := buffer.NewVectorisedView(size, views)
-		args.dst.InjectLinkAddr(pi.Proto, args.dst.LinkAddress(), stack.PacketBuffer{
+		args.dst.InjectLinkAddr(pi.Proto, args.dst.LinkAddress(), &stack.PacketBuffer{
 			Data: vv,
 		})
 	}
@@ -563,7 +563,7 @@ func TestICMPChecksumValidationSimple(t *testing.T) {
 					SrcAddr:       lladdr1,
 					DstAddr:       lladdr0,
 				})
-				e.InjectInbound(ProtocolNumber, stack.PacketBuffer{
+				e.InjectInbound(ProtocolNumber, &stack.PacketBuffer{
 					Data: hdr.View().ToVectorisedView(),
 				})
 			}
@@ -740,7 +740,7 @@ func TestICMPChecksumValidationWithPayload(t *testing.T) {
 					SrcAddr:       lladdr1,
 					DstAddr:       lladdr0,
 				})
-				e.InjectInbound(ProtocolNumber, stack.PacketBuffer{
+				e.InjectInbound(ProtocolNumber, &stack.PacketBuffer{
 					Data: hdr.View().ToVectorisedView(),
 				})
 			}
@@ -918,7 +918,7 @@ func TestICMPChecksumValidationWithPayloadMultipleViews(t *testing.T) {
 					SrcAddr:       lladdr1,
 					DstAddr:       lladdr0,
 				})
-				e.InjectInbound(ProtocolNumber, stack.PacketBuffer{
+				e.InjectInbound(ProtocolNumber, &stack.PacketBuffer{
 					Data: buffer.NewVectorisedView(header.IPv6MinimumSize+size+payloadSize, []buffer.View{hdr.View(), payload}),
 				})
 			}
diff --git a/pkg/tcpip/network/ipv6/ipv6.go b/pkg/tcpip/network/ipv6/ipv6.go
index daf1fcbc6..0d94ad122 100644
--- a/pkg/tcpip/network/ipv6/ipv6.go
+++ b/pkg/tcpip/network/ipv6/ipv6.go
@@ -116,7 +116,7 @@ func (e *endpoint) addIPHeader(r *stack.Route, hdr *buffer.Prependable, payloadS
 }
 
 // WritePacket writes a packet to the given destination address and protocol.
-func (e *endpoint) WritePacket(r *stack.Route, gso *stack.GSO, params stack.NetworkHeaderParams, pkt stack.PacketBuffer) *tcpip.Error {
+func (e *endpoint) WritePacket(r *stack.Route, gso *stack.GSO, params stack.NetworkHeaderParams, pkt *stack.PacketBuffer) *tcpip.Error {
 	ip := e.addIPHeader(r, &pkt.Header, pkt.Data.Size(), params)
 	pkt.NetworkHeader = buffer.View(ip)
 
@@ -128,7 +128,7 @@ func (e *endpoint) WritePacket(r *stack.Route, gso *stack.GSO, params stack.Netw
 		views = append(views, pkt.Data.Views()...)
 		loopedR := r.MakeLoopedRoute()
 
-		e.HandlePacket(&loopedR, stack.PacketBuffer{
+		e.HandlePacket(&loopedR, &stack.PacketBuffer{
 			Data: buffer.NewVectorisedView(len(views[0])+pkt.Data.Size(), views),
 		})
 
@@ -163,14 +163,14 @@ func (e *endpoint) WritePackets(r *stack.Route, gso *stack.GSO, pkts stack.Packe
 
 // WriteHeaderIncludedPacker implements stack.NetworkEndpoint. It is not yet
 // supported by IPv6.
-func (*endpoint) WriteHeaderIncludedPacket(r *stack.Route, pkt stack.PacketBuffer) *tcpip.Error {
+func (*endpoint) WriteHeaderIncludedPacket(r *stack.Route, pkt *stack.PacketBuffer) *tcpip.Error {
 	// TODO(b/146666412): Support IPv6 header-included packets.
 	return tcpip.ErrNotSupported
 }
 
 // HandlePacket is called by the link layer when new ipv6 packets arrive for
 // this endpoint.
-func (e *endpoint) HandlePacket(r *stack.Route, pkt stack.PacketBuffer) {
+func (e *endpoint) HandlePacket(r *stack.Route, pkt *stack.PacketBuffer) {
 	headerView, ok := pkt.Data.PullUp(header.IPv6MinimumSize)
 	if !ok {
 		r.Stats().IP.MalformedPacketsReceived.Increment()
diff --git a/pkg/tcpip/network/ipv6/ipv6_test.go b/pkg/tcpip/network/ipv6/ipv6_test.go
index 841a0cb7a..213ff64f2 100644
--- a/pkg/tcpip/network/ipv6/ipv6_test.go
+++ b/pkg/tcpip/network/ipv6/ipv6_test.go
@@ -65,7 +65,7 @@ func testReceiveICMP(t *testing.T, s *stack.Stack, e *channel.Endpoint, src, dst
 		DstAddr:       dst,
 	})
 
-	e.InjectInbound(ProtocolNumber, stack.PacketBuffer{
+	e.InjectInbound(ProtocolNumber, &stack.PacketBuffer{
 		Data: hdr.View().ToVectorisedView(),
 	})
 
@@ -123,7 +123,7 @@ func testReceiveUDP(t *testing.T, s *stack.Stack, e *channel.Endpoint, src, dst
 		DstAddr:       dst,
 	})
 
-	e.InjectInbound(ProtocolNumber, stack.PacketBuffer{
+	e.InjectInbound(ProtocolNumber, &stack.PacketBuffer{
 		Data: hdr.View().ToVectorisedView(),
 	})
 
@@ -637,7 +637,7 @@ func TestReceiveIPv6ExtHdrs(t *testing.T) {
 				DstAddr:       addr2,
 			})
 
-			e.InjectInbound(ProtocolNumber, stack.PacketBuffer{
+			e.InjectInbound(ProtocolNumber, &stack.PacketBuffer{
 				Data: hdr.View().ToVectorisedView(),
 			})
 
@@ -1238,7 +1238,7 @@ func TestReceiveIPv6Fragments(t *testing.T) {
 				vv := hdr.View().ToVectorisedView()
 				vv.Append(f.data)
 
-				e.InjectInbound(ProtocolNumber, stack.PacketBuffer{
+				e.InjectInbound(ProtocolNumber, &stack.PacketBuffer{
 					Data: vv,
 				})
 			}
diff --git a/pkg/tcpip/network/ipv6/ndp_test.go b/pkg/tcpip/network/ipv6/ndp_test.go
index 12b70f7e9..3c141b91b 100644
--- a/pkg/tcpip/network/ipv6/ndp_test.go
+++ b/pkg/tcpip/network/ipv6/ndp_test.go
@@ -136,7 +136,7 @@ func TestNeighorSolicitationWithSourceLinkLayerOption(t *testing.T) {
 				t.Fatalf("got invalid = %d, want = 0", got)
 			}
 
-			e.InjectInbound(ProtocolNumber, stack.PacketBuffer{
+			e.InjectInbound(ProtocolNumber, &stack.PacketBuffer{
 				Data: hdr.View().ToVectorisedView(),
 			})
 
@@ -380,7 +380,7 @@ func TestNeighorSolicitationResponse(t *testing.T) {
 				t.Fatalf("got invalid = %d, want = 0", got)
 			}
 
-			e.InjectLinkAddr(ProtocolNumber, test.nsSrcLinkAddr, stack.PacketBuffer{
+			e.InjectLinkAddr(ProtocolNumber, test.nsSrcLinkAddr, &stack.PacketBuffer{
 				Data: hdr.View().ToVectorisedView(),
 			})
 
@@ -497,7 +497,7 @@ func TestNeighorAdvertisementWithTargetLinkLayerOption(t *testing.T) {
 				t.Fatalf("got invalid = %d, want = 0", got)
 			}
 
-			e.InjectInbound(ProtocolNumber, stack.PacketBuffer{
+			e.InjectInbound(ProtocolNumber, &stack.PacketBuffer{
 				Data: hdr.View().ToVectorisedView(),
 			})
 
@@ -568,7 +568,7 @@ func TestNDPValidation(t *testing.T) {
 			SrcAddr:       r.LocalAddress,
 			DstAddr:       r.RemoteAddress,
 		})
-		ep.HandlePacket(r, stack.PacketBuffer{
+		ep.HandlePacket(r, &stack.PacketBuffer{
 			Data: hdr.View().ToVectorisedView(),
 		})
 	}
@@ -884,7 +884,7 @@ func TestRouterAdvertValidation(t *testing.T) {
 				t.Fatalf("got rxRA = %d, want = 0", got)
 			}
 
-			e.InjectInbound(header.IPv6ProtocolNumber, stack.PacketBuffer{
+			e.InjectInbound(header.IPv6ProtocolNumber, &stack.PacketBuffer{
 				Data: hdr.View().ToVectorisedView(),
 			})
 
diff --git a/pkg/tcpip/stack/conntrack.go b/pkg/tcpip/stack/conntrack.go
index 7d1ede1f2..d4053be08 100644
--- a/pkg/tcpip/stack/conntrack.go
+++ b/pkg/tcpip/stack/conntrack.go
@@ -186,7 +186,7 @@ func parseHeaders(pkt *PacketBuffer) {
 }
 
 // packetToTuple converts packet to a tuple in original direction.
-func packetToTuple(pkt PacketBuffer, hook Hook) (connTrackTuple, *tcpip.Error) {
+func packetToTuple(pkt *PacketBuffer, hook Hook) (connTrackTuple, *tcpip.Error) {
 	var tuple connTrackTuple
 
 	netHeader := header.IPv4(pkt.NetworkHeader)
@@ -265,7 +265,7 @@ func (ct *ConnTrackTable) connTrackForPacket(pkt *PacketBuffer, hook Hook, creat
 	}
 
 	var dir ctDirection
-	tuple, err := packetToTuple(*pkt, hook)
+	tuple, err := packetToTuple(pkt, hook)
 	if err != nil {
 		return nil, dir
 	}
diff --git a/pkg/tcpip/stack/forwarder.go b/pkg/tcpip/stack/forwarder.go
index 6b64cd37f..3eff141e6 100644
--- a/pkg/tcpip/stack/forwarder.go
+++ b/pkg/tcpip/stack/forwarder.go
@@ -32,7 +32,7 @@ type pendingPacket struct {
 	nic   *NIC
 	route *Route
 	proto tcpip.NetworkProtocolNumber
-	pkt   PacketBuffer
+	pkt   *PacketBuffer
 }
 
 type forwardQueue struct {
@@ -50,7 +50,7 @@ func newForwardQueue() *forwardQueue {
 	return &forwardQueue{packets: make(map[<-chan struct{}][]*pendingPacket)}
 }
 
-func (f *forwardQueue) enqueue(ch <-chan struct{}, n *NIC, r *Route, protocol tcpip.NetworkProtocolNumber, pkt PacketBuffer) {
+func (f *forwardQueue) enqueue(ch <-chan struct{}, n *NIC, r *Route, protocol tcpip.NetworkProtocolNumber, pkt *PacketBuffer) {
 	shouldWait := false
 
 	f.Lock()
diff --git a/pkg/tcpip/stack/forwarder_test.go b/pkg/tcpip/stack/forwarder_test.go
index 344d60baa..63537aaad 100644
--- a/pkg/tcpip/stack/forwarder_test.go
+++ b/pkg/tcpip/stack/forwarder_test.go
@@ -68,7 +68,7 @@ func (f *fwdTestNetworkEndpoint) ID() *NetworkEndpointID {
 	return &f.id
 }
 
-func (f *fwdTestNetworkEndpoint) HandlePacket(r *Route, pkt PacketBuffer) {
+func (f *fwdTestNetworkEndpoint) HandlePacket(r *Route, pkt *PacketBuffer) {
 	// Consume the network header.
 	b, ok := pkt.Data.PullUp(fwdTestNetHeaderLen)
 	if !ok {
@@ -96,7 +96,7 @@ func (f *fwdTestNetworkEndpoint) NetworkProtocolNumber() tcpip.NetworkProtocolNu
 	return f.proto.Number()
 }
 
-func (f *fwdTestNetworkEndpoint) WritePacket(r *Route, gso *GSO, params NetworkHeaderParams, pkt PacketBuffer) *tcpip.Error {
+func (f *fwdTestNetworkEndpoint) WritePacket(r *Route, gso *GSO, params NetworkHeaderParams, pkt *PacketBuffer) *tcpip.Error {
 	// Add the protocol's header to the packet and send it to the link
 	// endpoint.
 	b := pkt.Header.Prepend(fwdTestNetHeaderLen)
@@ -112,7 +112,7 @@ func (f *fwdTestNetworkEndpoint) WritePackets(r *Route, gso *GSO, pkts PacketBuf
 	panic("not implemented")
 }
 
-func (*fwdTestNetworkEndpoint) WriteHeaderIncludedPacket(r *Route, pkt PacketBuffer) *tcpip.Error {
+func (*fwdTestNetworkEndpoint) WriteHeaderIncludedPacket(r *Route, pkt *PacketBuffer) *tcpip.Error {
 	return tcpip.ErrNotSupported
 }
 
@@ -190,7 +190,7 @@ func (f *fwdTestNetworkProtocol) LinkAddressProtocol() tcpip.NetworkProtocolNumb
 type fwdTestPacketInfo struct {
 	RemoteLinkAddress tcpip.LinkAddress
 	LocalLinkAddress  tcpip.LinkAddress
-	Pkt               PacketBuffer
+	Pkt               *PacketBuffer
 }
 
 type fwdTestLinkEndpoint struct {
@@ -203,12 +203,12 @@ type fwdTestLinkEndpoint struct {
 }
 
 // InjectInbound injects an inbound packet.
-func (e *fwdTestLinkEndpoint) InjectInbound(protocol tcpip.NetworkProtocolNumber, pkt PacketBuffer) {
+func (e *fwdTestLinkEndpoint) InjectInbound(protocol tcpip.NetworkProtocolNumber, pkt *PacketBuffer) {
 	e.InjectLinkAddr(protocol, "", pkt)
 }
 
 // InjectLinkAddr injects an inbound packet with a remote link address.
-func (e *fwdTestLinkEndpoint) InjectLinkAddr(protocol tcpip.NetworkProtocolNumber, remote tcpip.LinkAddress, pkt PacketBuffer) {
+func (e *fwdTestLinkEndpoint) InjectLinkAddr(protocol tcpip.NetworkProtocolNumber, remote tcpip.LinkAddress, pkt *PacketBuffer) {
 	e.dispatcher.DeliverNetworkPacket(remote, "" /* local */, protocol, pkt)
 }
 
@@ -251,7 +251,7 @@ func (e *fwdTestLinkEndpoint) LinkAddress() tcpip.LinkAddress {
 	return e.linkAddr
 }
 
-func (e fwdTestLinkEndpoint) WritePacket(r *Route, gso *GSO, protocol tcpip.NetworkProtocolNumber, pkt PacketBuffer) *tcpip.Error {
+func (e fwdTestLinkEndpoint) WritePacket(r *Route, gso *GSO, protocol tcpip.NetworkProtocolNumber, pkt *PacketBuffer) *tcpip.Error {
 	p := fwdTestPacketInfo{
 		RemoteLinkAddress: r.RemoteLinkAddress,
 		LocalLinkAddress:  r.LocalLinkAddress,
@@ -270,7 +270,7 @@ func (e fwdTestLinkEndpoint) WritePacket(r *Route, gso *GSO, protocol tcpip.Netw
 func (e *fwdTestLinkEndpoint) WritePackets(r *Route, gso *GSO, pkts PacketBufferList, protocol tcpip.NetworkProtocolNumber) (int, *tcpip.Error) {
 	n := 0
 	for pkt := pkts.Front(); pkt != nil; pkt = pkt.Next() {
-		e.WritePacket(r, gso, protocol, *pkt)
+		e.WritePacket(r, gso, protocol, pkt)
 		n++
 	}
 
@@ -280,7 +280,7 @@ func (e *fwdTestLinkEndpoint) WritePackets(r *Route, gso *GSO, pkts PacketBuffer
 // WriteRawPacket implements stack.LinkEndpoint.WriteRawPacket.
 func (e *fwdTestLinkEndpoint) WriteRawPacket(vv buffer.VectorisedView) *tcpip.Error {
 	p := fwdTestPacketInfo{
-		Pkt: PacketBuffer{Data: vv},
+		Pkt: &PacketBuffer{Data: vv},
 	}
 
 	select {
@@ -362,7 +362,7 @@ func TestForwardingWithStaticResolver(t *testing.T) {
 	// forwarded to NIC 2.
 	buf := buffer.NewView(30)
 	buf[0] = 3
-	ep1.InjectInbound(fwdTestNetNumber, PacketBuffer{
+	ep1.InjectInbound(fwdTestNetNumber, &PacketBuffer{
 		Data: buf.ToVectorisedView(),
 	})
 
@@ -399,7 +399,7 @@ func TestForwardingWithFakeResolver(t *testing.T) {
 	// forwarded to NIC 2.
 	buf := buffer.NewView(30)
 	buf[0] = 3
-	ep1.InjectInbound(fwdTestNetNumber, PacketBuffer{
+	ep1.InjectInbound(fwdTestNetNumber, &PacketBuffer{
 		Data: buf.ToVectorisedView(),
 	})
 
@@ -430,7 +430,7 @@ func TestForwardingWithNoResolver(t *testing.T) {
 	// forwarded to NIC 2.
 	buf := buffer.NewView(30)
 	buf[0] = 3
-	ep1.InjectInbound(fwdTestNetNumber, PacketBuffer{
+	ep1.InjectInbound(fwdTestNetNumber, &PacketBuffer{
 		Data: buf.ToVectorisedView(),
 	})
 
@@ -460,7 +460,7 @@ func TestForwardingWithFakeResolverPartialTimeout(t *testing.T) {
 	// not be forwarded.
 	buf := buffer.NewView(30)
 	buf[0] = 4
-	ep1.InjectInbound(fwdTestNetNumber, PacketBuffer{
+	ep1.InjectInbound(fwdTestNetNumber, &PacketBuffer{
 		Data: buf.ToVectorisedView(),
 	})
 
@@ -468,7 +468,7 @@ func TestForwardingWithFakeResolverPartialTimeout(t *testing.T) {
 	// forwarded to NIC 2.
 	buf = buffer.NewView(30)
 	buf[0] = 3
-	ep1.InjectInbound(fwdTestNetNumber, PacketBuffer{
+	ep1.InjectInbound(fwdTestNetNumber, &PacketBuffer{
 		Data: buf.ToVectorisedView(),
 	})
 
@@ -510,7 +510,7 @@ func TestForwardingWithFakeResolverTwoPackets(t *testing.T) {
 	for i := 0; i < 2; i++ {
 		buf := buffer.NewView(30)
 		buf[0] = 3
-		ep1.InjectInbound(fwdTestNetNumber, PacketBuffer{
+		ep1.InjectInbound(fwdTestNetNumber, &PacketBuffer{
 			Data: buf.ToVectorisedView(),
 		})
 	}
@@ -557,7 +557,7 @@ func TestForwardingWithFakeResolverManyPackets(t *testing.T) {
 		buf[0] = 3
 		// Set the packet sequence number.
 		binary.BigEndian.PutUint16(buf[fwdTestNetHeaderLen:], uint16(i))
-		ep1.InjectInbound(fwdTestNetNumber, PacketBuffer{
+		ep1.InjectInbound(fwdTestNetNumber, &PacketBuffer{
 			Data: buf.ToVectorisedView(),
 		})
 	}
@@ -610,7 +610,7 @@ func TestForwardingWithFakeResolverManyResolutions(t *testing.T) {
 		// maxPendingResolutions + 7).
 		buf := buffer.NewView(30)
 		buf[0] = byte(3 + i)
-		ep1.InjectInbound(fwdTestNetNumber, PacketBuffer{
+		ep1.InjectInbound(fwdTestNetNumber, &PacketBuffer{
 			Data: buf.ToVectorisedView(),
 		})
 	}
diff --git a/pkg/tcpip/stack/iptables.go b/pkg/tcpip/stack/iptables.go
index 709ede3fa..d989dbe91 100644
--- a/pkg/tcpip/stack/iptables.go
+++ b/pkg/tcpip/stack/iptables.go
@@ -321,7 +321,7 @@ func (it *IPTables) checkRule(hook Hook, pkt *PacketBuffer, table Table, ruleIdx
 	// Go through each rule matcher. If they all match, run
 	// the rule target.
 	for _, matcher := range rule.Matchers {
-		matches, hotdrop := matcher.Match(hook, *pkt, "")
+		matches, hotdrop := matcher.Match(hook, pkt, "")
 		if hotdrop {
 			return RuleDrop, 0
 		}
diff --git a/pkg/tcpip/stack/iptables_types.go b/pkg/tcpip/stack/iptables_types.go
index a3bd3e700..af72b9c46 100644
--- a/pkg/tcpip/stack/iptables_types.go
+++ b/pkg/tcpip/stack/iptables_types.go
@@ -245,7 +245,7 @@ type Matcher interface {
 	// used for suspicious packets.
 	//
 	// Precondition: packet.NetworkHeader is set.
-	Match(hook Hook, packet PacketBuffer, interfaceName string) (matches bool, hotdrop bool)
+	Match(hook Hook, packet *PacketBuffer, interfaceName string) (matches bool, hotdrop bool)
 }
 
 // A Target is the interface for taking an action for a packet.
diff --git a/pkg/tcpip/stack/ndp.go b/pkg/tcpip/stack/ndp.go
index 526c7d6ff..ae7a8f740 100644
--- a/pkg/tcpip/stack/ndp.go
+++ b/pkg/tcpip/stack/ndp.go
@@ -750,7 +750,7 @@ func (ndp *ndpState) sendDADPacket(addr tcpip.Address) *tcpip.Error {
 			Protocol: header.ICMPv6ProtocolNumber,
 			TTL:      header.NDPHopLimit,
 			TOS:      DefaultTOS,
-		}, PacketBuffer{Header: hdr},
+		}, &PacketBuffer{Header: hdr},
 	); err != nil {
 		sent.Dropped.Increment()
 		return err
@@ -1881,7 +1881,7 @@ func (ndp *ndpState) startSolicitingRouters() {
 				Protocol: header.ICMPv6ProtocolNumber,
 				TTL:      header.NDPHopLimit,
 				TOS:      DefaultTOS,
-			}, PacketBuffer{Header: hdr},
+			}, &PacketBuffer{Header: hdr},
 		); err != nil {
 			sent.Dropped.Increment()
 			log.Printf("startSolicitingRouters: error writing NDP router solicit message on NIC(%d); err = %s", ndp.nic.ID(), err)
diff --git a/pkg/tcpip/stack/ndp_test.go b/pkg/tcpip/stack/ndp_test.go
index b3d174cdd..58f1ebf60 100644
--- a/pkg/tcpip/stack/ndp_test.go
+++ b/pkg/tcpip/stack/ndp_test.go
@@ -613,7 +613,7 @@ func TestDADFail(t *testing.T) {
 			// Receive a packet to simulate multiple nodes owning or
 			// attempting to own the same address.
 			hdr := test.makeBuf(addr1)
-			e.InjectInbound(header.IPv6ProtocolNumber, stack.PacketBuffer{
+			e.InjectInbound(header.IPv6ProtocolNumber, &stack.PacketBuffer{
 				Data: hdr.View().ToVectorisedView(),
 			})
 
@@ -935,7 +935,7 @@ func TestSetNDPConfigurations(t *testing.T) {
 
 // raBufWithOptsAndDHCPv6 returns a valid NDP Router Advertisement with options
 // and DHCPv6 configurations specified.
-func raBufWithOptsAndDHCPv6(ip tcpip.Address, rl uint16, managedAddress, otherConfigurations bool, optSer header.NDPOptionsSerializer) stack.PacketBuffer {
+func raBufWithOptsAndDHCPv6(ip tcpip.Address, rl uint16, managedAddress, otherConfigurations bool, optSer header.NDPOptionsSerializer) *stack.PacketBuffer {
 	icmpSize := header.ICMPv6HeaderSize + header.NDPRAMinimumSize + int(optSer.Length())
 	hdr := buffer.NewPrependable(header.IPv6MinimumSize + icmpSize)
 	pkt := header.ICMPv6(hdr.Prepend(icmpSize))
@@ -970,14 +970,14 @@ func raBufWithOptsAndDHCPv6(ip tcpip.Address, rl uint16, managedAddress, otherCo
 		DstAddr:       header.IPv6AllNodesMulticastAddress,
 	})
 
-	return stack.PacketBuffer{Data: hdr.View().ToVectorisedView()}
+	return &stack.PacketBuffer{Data: hdr.View().ToVectorisedView()}
 }
 
 // raBufWithOpts returns a valid NDP Router Advertisement with options.
 //
 // Note, raBufWithOpts does not populate any of the RA fields other than the
 // Router Lifetime.
-func raBufWithOpts(ip tcpip.Address, rl uint16, optSer header.NDPOptionsSerializer) stack.PacketBuffer {
+func raBufWithOpts(ip tcpip.Address, rl uint16, optSer header.NDPOptionsSerializer) *stack.PacketBuffer {
 	return raBufWithOptsAndDHCPv6(ip, rl, false, false, optSer)
 }
 
@@ -986,7 +986,7 @@ func raBufWithOpts(ip tcpip.Address, rl uint16, optSer header.NDPOptionsSerializ
 //
 // Note, raBufWithDHCPv6 does not populate any of the RA fields other than the
 // DHCPv6 related ones.
-func raBufWithDHCPv6(ip tcpip.Address, managedAddresses, otherConfiguratiosns bool) stack.PacketBuffer {
+func raBufWithDHCPv6(ip tcpip.Address, managedAddresses, otherConfiguratiosns bool) *stack.PacketBuffer {
 	return raBufWithOptsAndDHCPv6(ip, 0, managedAddresses, otherConfiguratiosns, header.NDPOptionsSerializer{})
 }
 
@@ -994,7 +994,7 @@ func raBufWithDHCPv6(ip tcpip.Address, managedAddresses, otherConfiguratiosns bo
 //
 // Note, raBuf does not populate any of the RA fields other than the
 // Router Lifetime.
-func raBuf(ip tcpip.Address, rl uint16) stack.PacketBuffer {
+func raBuf(ip tcpip.Address, rl uint16) *stack.PacketBuffer {
 	return raBufWithOpts(ip, rl, header.NDPOptionsSerializer{})
 }
 
@@ -1003,7 +1003,7 @@ func raBuf(ip tcpip.Address, rl uint16) stack.PacketBuffer {
 //
 // Note, raBufWithPI does not populate any of the RA fields other than the
 // Router Lifetime.
-func raBufWithPI(ip tcpip.Address, rl uint16, prefix tcpip.AddressWithPrefix, onLink, auto bool, vl, pl uint32) stack.PacketBuffer {
+func raBufWithPI(ip tcpip.Address, rl uint16, prefix tcpip.AddressWithPrefix, onLink, auto bool, vl, pl uint32) *stack.PacketBuffer {
 	flags := uint8(0)
 	if onLink {
 		// The OnLink flag is the 7th bit in the flags byte.
diff --git a/pkg/tcpip/stack/nic.go b/pkg/tcpip/stack/nic.go
index 05646e5e2..ec8e3cb85 100644
--- a/pkg/tcpip/stack/nic.go
+++ b/pkg/tcpip/stack/nic.go
@@ -1153,7 +1153,7 @@ func (n *NIC) isInGroup(addr tcpip.Address) bool {
 	return joins != 0
 }
 
-func handlePacket(protocol tcpip.NetworkProtocolNumber, dst, src tcpip.Address, localLinkAddr, remotelinkAddr tcpip.LinkAddress, ref *referencedNetworkEndpoint, pkt PacketBuffer) {
+func handlePacket(protocol tcpip.NetworkProtocolNumber, dst, src tcpip.Address, localLinkAddr, remotelinkAddr tcpip.LinkAddress, ref *referencedNetworkEndpoint, pkt *PacketBuffer) {
 	r := makeRoute(protocol, dst, src, localLinkAddr, ref, false /* handleLocal */, false /* multicastLoop */)
 	r.RemoteLinkAddress = remotelinkAddr
 
@@ -1167,7 +1167,7 @@ func handlePacket(protocol tcpip.NetworkProtocolNumber, dst, src tcpip.Address,
 // Note that the ownership of the slice backing vv is retained by the caller.
 // This rule applies only to the slice itself, not to the items of the slice;
 // the ownership of the items is not retained by the caller.
-func (n *NIC) DeliverNetworkPacket(remote, local tcpip.LinkAddress, protocol tcpip.NetworkProtocolNumber, pkt PacketBuffer) {
+func (n *NIC) DeliverNetworkPacket(remote, local tcpip.LinkAddress, protocol tcpip.NetworkProtocolNumber, pkt *PacketBuffer) {
 	n.mu.RLock()
 	enabled := n.mu.enabled
 	// If the NIC is not yet enabled, don't receive any packets.
@@ -1233,7 +1233,7 @@ func (n *NIC) DeliverNetworkPacket(remote, local tcpip.LinkAddress, protocol tcp
 		// iptables filtering.
 		ipt := n.stack.IPTables()
 		address := n.primaryAddress(protocol)
-		if ok := ipt.Check(Prerouting, &pkt, nil, nil, address.Address, ""); !ok {
+		if ok := ipt.Check(Prerouting, pkt, nil, nil, address.Address, ""); !ok {
 			// iptables is telling us to drop the packet.
 			return
 		}
@@ -1298,7 +1298,7 @@ func (n *NIC) DeliverNetworkPacket(remote, local tcpip.LinkAddress, protocol tcp
 	}
 }
 
-func (n *NIC) forwardPacket(r *Route, protocol tcpip.NetworkProtocolNumber, pkt PacketBuffer) {
+func (n *NIC) forwardPacket(r *Route, protocol tcpip.NetworkProtocolNumber, pkt *PacketBuffer) {
 	// TODO(b/143425874) Decrease the TTL field in forwarded packets.
 	if linkHeaderLen := int(n.linkEP.MaxHeaderLength()); linkHeaderLen != 0 {
 		pkt.Header = buffer.NewPrependable(linkHeaderLen)
@@ -1318,7 +1318,7 @@ func (n *NIC) forwardPacket(r *Route, protocol tcpip.NetworkProtocolNumber, pkt
 
 // DeliverTransportPacket delivers the packets to the appropriate transport
 // protocol endpoint.
-func (n *NIC) DeliverTransportPacket(r *Route, protocol tcpip.TransportProtocolNumber, pkt PacketBuffer) {
+func (n *NIC) DeliverTransportPacket(r *Route, protocol tcpip.TransportProtocolNumber, pkt *PacketBuffer) {
 	state, ok := n.stack.transportProtocols[protocol]
 	if !ok {
 		n.stack.stats.UnknownProtocolRcvdPackets.Increment()
@@ -1365,7 +1365,7 @@ func (n *NIC) DeliverTransportPacket(r *Route, protocol tcpip.TransportProtocolN
 
 // DeliverTransportControlPacket delivers control packets to the appropriate
 // transport protocol endpoint.
-func (n *NIC) DeliverTransportControlPacket(local, remote tcpip.Address, net tcpip.NetworkProtocolNumber, trans tcpip.TransportProtocolNumber, typ ControlType, extra uint32, pkt PacketBuffer) {
+func (n *NIC) DeliverTransportControlPacket(local, remote tcpip.Address, net tcpip.NetworkProtocolNumber, trans tcpip.TransportProtocolNumber, typ ControlType, extra uint32, pkt *PacketBuffer) {
 	state, ok := n.stack.transportProtocols[trans]
 	if !ok {
 		return
diff --git a/pkg/tcpip/stack/nic_test.go b/pkg/tcpip/stack/nic_test.go
index b01b3f476..fea46158c 100644
--- a/pkg/tcpip/stack/nic_test.go
+++ b/pkg/tcpip/stack/nic_test.go
@@ -44,7 +44,7 @@ func TestDisabledRxStatsWhenNICDisabled(t *testing.T) {
 		t.FailNow()
 	}
 
-	nic.DeliverNetworkPacket("", "", 0, PacketBuffer{Data: buffer.View([]byte{1, 2, 3, 4}).ToVectorisedView()})
+	nic.DeliverNetworkPacket("", "", 0, &PacketBuffer{Data: buffer.View([]byte{1, 2, 3, 4}).ToVectorisedView()})
 
 	if got := nic.stats.DisabledRx.Packets.Value(); got != 1 {
 		t.Errorf("got DisabledRx.Packets = %d, want = 1", got)
diff --git a/pkg/tcpip/stack/packet_buffer.go b/pkg/tcpip/stack/packet_buffer.go
index 926df4d7b..1b5da6017 100644
--- a/pkg/tcpip/stack/packet_buffer.go
+++ b/pkg/tcpip/stack/packet_buffer.go
@@ -24,6 +24,8 @@ import (
 // multiple endpoints. Clone() should be called in such cases so that
 // modifications to the Data field do not affect other copies.
 type PacketBuffer struct {
+	_ noCopy
+
 	// PacketBufferEntry is used to build an intrusive list of
 	// PacketBuffers.
 	PacketBufferEntry
@@ -82,7 +84,32 @@ type PacketBuffer struct {
 // VectorisedView but does not deep copy the underlying bytes.
 //
 // Clone also does not deep copy any of its other fields.
-func (pk PacketBuffer) Clone() PacketBuffer {
-	pk.Data = pk.Data.Clone(nil)
-	return pk
+//
+// FIXME(b/153685824): Data gets copied but not other header references.
+func (pk *PacketBuffer) Clone() *PacketBuffer {
+	return &PacketBuffer{
+		PacketBufferEntry:     pk.PacketBufferEntry,
+		Data:                  pk.Data.Clone(nil),
+		Header:                pk.Header,
+		LinkHeader:            pk.LinkHeader,
+		NetworkHeader:         pk.NetworkHeader,
+		TransportHeader:       pk.TransportHeader,
+		Hash:                  pk.Hash,
+		Owner:                 pk.Owner,
+		EgressRoute:           pk.EgressRoute,
+		GSOOptions:            pk.GSOOptions,
+		NetworkProtocolNumber: pk.NetworkProtocolNumber,
+		NatDone:               pk.NatDone,
+	}
 }
+
+// noCopy may be embedded into structs which must not be copied
+// after the first use.
+//
+// See https://golang.org/issues/8005#issuecomment-190753527
+// for details.
+type noCopy struct{}
+
+// Lock is a no-op used by -copylocks checker from `go vet`.
+func (*noCopy) Lock()   {}
+func (*noCopy) Unlock() {}
diff --git a/pkg/tcpip/stack/registration.go b/pkg/tcpip/stack/registration.go
index db89234e8..94f177841 100644
--- a/pkg/tcpip/stack/registration.go
+++ b/pkg/tcpip/stack/registration.go
@@ -67,12 +67,12 @@ type TransportEndpoint interface {
 	// this transport endpoint. It sets pkt.TransportHeader.
 	//
 	// HandlePacket takes ownership of pkt.
-	HandlePacket(r *Route, id TransportEndpointID, pkt PacketBuffer)
+	HandlePacket(r *Route, id TransportEndpointID, pkt *PacketBuffer)
 
 	// HandleControlPacket is called by the stack when new control (e.g.
 	// ICMP) packets arrive to this transport endpoint.
 	// HandleControlPacket takes ownership of pkt.
-	HandleControlPacket(id TransportEndpointID, typ ControlType, extra uint32, pkt PacketBuffer)
+	HandleControlPacket(id TransportEndpointID, typ ControlType, extra uint32, pkt *PacketBuffer)
 
 	// Abort initiates an expedited endpoint teardown. It puts the endpoint
 	// in a closed state and frees all resources associated with it. This
@@ -100,7 +100,7 @@ type RawTransportEndpoint interface {
 	// layer up.
 	//
 	// HandlePacket takes ownership of pkt.
-	HandlePacket(r *Route, pkt PacketBuffer)
+	HandlePacket(r *Route, pkt *PacketBuffer)
 }
 
 // PacketEndpoint is the interface that needs to be implemented by packet
@@ -118,7 +118,7 @@ type PacketEndpoint interface {
 	// should construct its own ethernet header for applications.
 	//
 	// HandlePacket takes ownership of pkt.
-	HandlePacket(nicID tcpip.NICID, addr tcpip.LinkAddress, netProto tcpip.NetworkProtocolNumber, pkt PacketBuffer)
+	HandlePacket(nicID tcpip.NICID, addr tcpip.LinkAddress, netProto tcpip.NetworkProtocolNumber, pkt *PacketBuffer)
 }
 
 // TransportProtocol is the interface that needs to be implemented by transport
@@ -150,7 +150,7 @@ type TransportProtocol interface {
 	// stats purposes only).
 	//
 	// HandleUnknownDestinationPacket takes ownership of pkt.
-	HandleUnknownDestinationPacket(r *Route, id TransportEndpointID, pkt PacketBuffer) bool
+	HandleUnknownDestinationPacket(r *Route, id TransportEndpointID, pkt *PacketBuffer) bool
 
 	// SetOption allows enabling/disabling protocol specific features.
 	// SetOption returns an error if the option is not supported or the
@@ -180,7 +180,7 @@ type TransportDispatcher interface {
 	// pkt.NetworkHeader must be set before calling DeliverTransportPacket.
 	//
 	// DeliverTransportPacket takes ownership of pkt.
-	DeliverTransportPacket(r *Route, protocol tcpip.TransportProtocolNumber, pkt PacketBuffer)
+	DeliverTransportPacket(r *Route, protocol tcpip.TransportProtocolNumber, pkt *PacketBuffer)
 
 	// DeliverTransportControlPacket delivers control packets to the
 	// appropriate transport protocol endpoint.
@@ -189,7 +189,7 @@ type TransportDispatcher interface {
 	// DeliverTransportControlPacket.
 	//
 	// DeliverTransportControlPacket takes ownership of pkt.
-	DeliverTransportControlPacket(local, remote tcpip.Address, net tcpip.NetworkProtocolNumber, trans tcpip.TransportProtocolNumber, typ ControlType, extra uint32, pkt PacketBuffer)
+	DeliverTransportControlPacket(local, remote tcpip.Address, net tcpip.NetworkProtocolNumber, trans tcpip.TransportProtocolNumber, typ ControlType, extra uint32, pkt *PacketBuffer)
 }
 
 // PacketLooping specifies where an outbound packet should be sent.
@@ -242,7 +242,7 @@ type NetworkEndpoint interface {
 	// WritePacket writes a packet to the given destination address and
 	// protocol. It takes ownership of pkt. pkt.TransportHeader must have already
 	// been set.
-	WritePacket(r *Route, gso *GSO, params NetworkHeaderParams, pkt PacketBuffer) *tcpip.Error
+	WritePacket(r *Route, gso *GSO, params NetworkHeaderParams, pkt *PacketBuffer) *tcpip.Error
 
 	// WritePackets writes packets to the given destination address and
 	// protocol. pkts must not be zero length. It takes ownership of pkts and
@@ -251,7 +251,7 @@ type NetworkEndpoint interface {
 
 	// WriteHeaderIncludedPacket writes a packet that includes a network
 	// header to the given destination address. It takes ownership of pkt.
-	WriteHeaderIncludedPacket(r *Route, pkt PacketBuffer) *tcpip.Error
+	WriteHeaderIncludedPacket(r *Route, pkt *PacketBuffer) *tcpip.Error
 
 	// ID returns the network protocol endpoint ID.
 	ID() *NetworkEndpointID
@@ -266,7 +266,7 @@ type NetworkEndpoint interface {
 	// this network endpoint. It sets pkt.NetworkHeader.
 	//
 	// HandlePacket takes ownership of pkt.
-	HandlePacket(r *Route, pkt PacketBuffer)
+	HandlePacket(r *Route, pkt *PacketBuffer)
 
 	// Close is called when the endpoint is reomved from a stack.
 	Close()
@@ -327,7 +327,7 @@ type NetworkDispatcher interface {
 	// packets sent via loopback), and won't have the field set.
 	//
 	// DeliverNetworkPacket takes ownership of pkt.
-	DeliverNetworkPacket(remote, local tcpip.LinkAddress, protocol tcpip.NetworkProtocolNumber, pkt PacketBuffer)
+	DeliverNetworkPacket(remote, local tcpip.LinkAddress, protocol tcpip.NetworkProtocolNumber, pkt *PacketBuffer)
 }
 
 // LinkEndpointCapabilities is the type associated with the capabilities
@@ -389,7 +389,7 @@ type LinkEndpoint interface {
 	// To participate in transparent bridging, a LinkEndpoint implementation
 	// should call eth.Encode with header.EthernetFields.SrcAddr set to
 	// r.LocalLinkAddress if it is provided.
-	WritePacket(r *Route, gso *GSO, protocol tcpip.NetworkProtocolNumber, pkt PacketBuffer) *tcpip.Error
+	WritePacket(r *Route, gso *GSO, protocol tcpip.NetworkProtocolNumber, pkt *PacketBuffer) *tcpip.Error
 
 	// WritePackets writes packets with the given protocol through the
 	// given route. pkts must not be zero length. It takes ownership of pkts and
@@ -431,7 +431,7 @@ type InjectableLinkEndpoint interface {
 	LinkEndpoint
 
 	// InjectInbound injects an inbound packet.
-	InjectInbound(protocol tcpip.NetworkProtocolNumber, pkt PacketBuffer)
+	InjectInbound(protocol tcpip.NetworkProtocolNumber, pkt *PacketBuffer)
 
 	// InjectOutbound writes a fully formed outbound packet directly to the
 	// link.
diff --git a/pkg/tcpip/stack/route.go b/pkg/tcpip/stack/route.go
index 3d0e5cc6e..f5b6ca0b9 100644
--- a/pkg/tcpip/stack/route.go
+++ b/pkg/tcpip/stack/route.go
@@ -153,7 +153,7 @@ func (r *Route) IsResolutionRequired() bool {
 }
 
 // WritePacket writes the packet through the given route.
-func (r *Route) WritePacket(gso *GSO, params NetworkHeaderParams, pkt PacketBuffer) *tcpip.Error {
+func (r *Route) WritePacket(gso *GSO, params NetworkHeaderParams, pkt *PacketBuffer) *tcpip.Error {
 	if !r.ref.isValidForOutgoing() {
 		return tcpip.ErrInvalidEndpointState
 	}
@@ -199,7 +199,7 @@ func (r *Route) WritePackets(gso *GSO, pkts PacketBufferList, params NetworkHead
 
 // WriteHeaderIncludedPacket writes a packet already containing a network
 // header through the given route.
-func (r *Route) WriteHeaderIncludedPacket(pkt PacketBuffer) *tcpip.Error {
+func (r *Route) WriteHeaderIncludedPacket(pkt *PacketBuffer) *tcpip.Error {
 	if !r.ref.isValidForOutgoing() {
 		return tcpip.ErrInvalidEndpointState
 	}
diff --git a/pkg/tcpip/stack/stack.go b/pkg/tcpip/stack/stack.go
index 0ab4c3e19..8af06cb9a 100644
--- a/pkg/tcpip/stack/stack.go
+++ b/pkg/tcpip/stack/stack.go
@@ -52,7 +52,7 @@ const (
 
 type transportProtocolState struct {
 	proto          TransportProtocol
-	defaultHandler func(r *Route, id TransportEndpointID, pkt PacketBuffer) bool
+	defaultHandler func(r *Route, id TransportEndpointID, pkt *PacketBuffer) bool
 }
 
 // TCPProbeFunc is the expected function type for a TCP probe function to be
@@ -778,7 +778,7 @@ func (s *Stack) TransportProtocolOption(transport tcpip.TransportProtocolNumber,
 //
 // It must be called only during initialization of the stack. Changing it as the
 // stack is operating is not supported.
-func (s *Stack) SetTransportProtocolHandler(p tcpip.TransportProtocolNumber, h func(*Route, TransportEndpointID, PacketBuffer) bool) {
+func (s *Stack) SetTransportProtocolHandler(p tcpip.TransportProtocolNumber, h func(*Route, TransportEndpointID, *PacketBuffer) bool) {
 	state := s.transportProtocols[p]
 	if state != nil {
 		state.defaultHandler = h
diff --git a/pkg/tcpip/stack/stack_test.go b/pkg/tcpip/stack/stack_test.go
index 1a2cf007c..f6ddc3ced 100644
--- a/pkg/tcpip/stack/stack_test.go
+++ b/pkg/tcpip/stack/stack_test.go
@@ -90,7 +90,7 @@ func (f *fakeNetworkEndpoint) ID() *stack.NetworkEndpointID {
 	return &f.id
 }
 
-func (f *fakeNetworkEndpoint) HandlePacket(r *stack.Route, pkt stack.PacketBuffer) {
+func (f *fakeNetworkEndpoint) HandlePacket(r *stack.Route, pkt *stack.PacketBuffer) {
 	// Increment the received packet count in the protocol descriptor.
 	f.proto.packetCount[int(f.id.LocalAddress[0])%len(f.proto.packetCount)]++
 
@@ -132,7 +132,7 @@ func (f *fakeNetworkEndpoint) NetworkProtocolNumber() tcpip.NetworkProtocolNumbe
 	return f.proto.Number()
 }
 
-func (f *fakeNetworkEndpoint) WritePacket(r *stack.Route, gso *stack.GSO, params stack.NetworkHeaderParams, pkt stack.PacketBuffer) *tcpip.Error {
+func (f *fakeNetworkEndpoint) WritePacket(r *stack.Route, gso *stack.GSO, params stack.NetworkHeaderParams, pkt *stack.PacketBuffer) *tcpip.Error {
 	// Increment the sent packet count in the protocol descriptor.
 	f.proto.sendPacketCount[int(r.RemoteAddress[0])%len(f.proto.sendPacketCount)]++
 
@@ -147,7 +147,7 @@ func (f *fakeNetworkEndpoint) WritePacket(r *stack.Route, gso *stack.GSO, params
 		views := make([]buffer.View, 1, 1+len(pkt.Data.Views()))
 		views[0] = pkt.Header.View()
 		views = append(views, pkt.Data.Views()...)
-		f.HandlePacket(r, stack.PacketBuffer{
+		f.HandlePacket(r, &stack.PacketBuffer{
 			Data: buffer.NewVectorisedView(len(views[0])+pkt.Data.Size(), views),
 		})
 	}
@@ -163,7 +163,7 @@ func (f *fakeNetworkEndpoint) WritePackets(r *stack.Route, gso *stack.GSO, pkts
 	panic("not implemented")
 }
 
-func (*fakeNetworkEndpoint) WriteHeaderIncludedPacket(r *stack.Route, pkt stack.PacketBuffer) *tcpip.Error {
+func (*fakeNetworkEndpoint) WriteHeaderIncludedPacket(r *stack.Route, pkt *stack.PacketBuffer) *tcpip.Error {
 	return tcpip.ErrNotSupported
 }
 
@@ -293,7 +293,7 @@ func TestNetworkReceive(t *testing.T) {
 
 	// Make sure packet with wrong address is not delivered.
 	buf[0] = 3
-	ep.InjectInbound(fakeNetNumber, stack.PacketBuffer{
+	ep.InjectInbound(fakeNetNumber, &stack.PacketBuffer{
 		Data: buf.ToVectorisedView(),
 	})
 	if fakeNet.packetCount[1] != 0 {
@@ -305,7 +305,7 @@ func TestNetworkReceive(t *testing.T) {
 
 	// Make sure packet is delivered to first endpoint.
 	buf[0] = 1
-	ep.InjectInbound(fakeNetNumber, stack.PacketBuffer{
+	ep.InjectInbound(fakeNetNumber, &stack.PacketBuffer{
 		Data: buf.ToVectorisedView(),
 	})
 	if fakeNet.packetCount[1] != 1 {
@@ -317,7 +317,7 @@ func TestNetworkReceive(t *testing.T) {
 
 	// Make sure packet is delivered to second endpoint.
 	buf[0] = 2
-	ep.InjectInbound(fakeNetNumber, stack.PacketBuffer{
+	ep.InjectInbound(fakeNetNumber, &stack.PacketBuffer{
 		Data: buf.ToVectorisedView(),
 	})
 	if fakeNet.packetCount[1] != 1 {
@@ -328,7 +328,7 @@ func TestNetworkReceive(t *testing.T) {
 	}
 
 	// Make sure packet is not delivered if protocol number is wrong.
-	ep.InjectInbound(fakeNetNumber-1, stack.PacketBuffer{
+	ep.InjectInbound(fakeNetNumber-1, &stack.PacketBuffer{
 		Data: buf.ToVectorisedView(),
 	})
 	if fakeNet.packetCount[1] != 1 {
@@ -340,7 +340,7 @@ func TestNetworkReceive(t *testing.T) {
 
 	// Make sure packet that is too small is dropped.
 	buf.CapLength(2)
-	ep.InjectInbound(fakeNetNumber, stack.PacketBuffer{
+	ep.InjectInbound(fakeNetNumber, &stack.PacketBuffer{
 		Data: buf.ToVectorisedView(),
 	})
 	if fakeNet.packetCount[1] != 1 {
@@ -362,7 +362,7 @@ func sendTo(s *stack.Stack, addr tcpip.Address, payload buffer.View) *tcpip.Erro
 
 func send(r stack.Route, payload buffer.View) *tcpip.Error {
 	hdr := buffer.NewPrependable(int(r.MaxHeaderLength()))
-	return r.WritePacket(nil /* gso */, stack.NetworkHeaderParams{Protocol: fakeTransNumber, TTL: 123, TOS: stack.DefaultTOS}, stack.PacketBuffer{
+	return r.WritePacket(nil /* gso */, stack.NetworkHeaderParams{Protocol: fakeTransNumber, TTL: 123, TOS: stack.DefaultTOS}, &stack.PacketBuffer{
 		Header: hdr,
 		Data:   payload.ToVectorisedView(),
 	})
@@ -420,7 +420,7 @@ func testFailingRecv(t *testing.T, fakeNet *fakeNetworkProtocol, localAddrByte b
 
 func testRecvInternal(t *testing.T, fakeNet *fakeNetworkProtocol, localAddrByte byte, ep *channel.Endpoint, buf buffer.View, want int) {
 	t.Helper()
-	ep.InjectInbound(fakeNetNumber, stack.PacketBuffer{
+	ep.InjectInbound(fakeNetNumber, &stack.PacketBuffer{
 		Data: buf.ToVectorisedView(),
 	})
 	if got := fakeNet.PacketCount(localAddrByte); got != want {
@@ -2263,7 +2263,7 @@ func TestNICStats(t *testing.T) {
 
 	// Send a packet to address 1.
 	buf := buffer.NewView(30)
-	ep1.InjectInbound(fakeNetNumber, stack.PacketBuffer{
+	ep1.InjectInbound(fakeNetNumber, &stack.PacketBuffer{
 		Data: buf.ToVectorisedView(),
 	})
 	if got, want := s.NICInfo()[1].Stats.Rx.Packets.Value(), uint64(1); got != want {
@@ -2345,7 +2345,7 @@ func TestNICForwarding(t *testing.T) {
 			// Send a packet to dstAddr.
 			buf := buffer.NewView(30)
 			buf[0] = dstAddr[0]
-			ep1.InjectInbound(fakeNetNumber, stack.PacketBuffer{
+			ep1.InjectInbound(fakeNetNumber, &stack.PacketBuffer{
 				Data: buf.ToVectorisedView(),
 			})
 
diff --git a/pkg/tcpip/stack/transport_demuxer.go b/pkg/tcpip/stack/transport_demuxer.go
index 9a33ed375..e09866405 100644
--- a/pkg/tcpip/stack/transport_demuxer.go
+++ b/pkg/tcpip/stack/transport_demuxer.go
@@ -152,7 +152,7 @@ func (epsByNIC *endpointsByNIC) transportEndpoints() []TransportEndpoint {
 
 // HandlePacket is called by the stack when new packets arrive to this transport
 // endpoint.
-func (epsByNIC *endpointsByNIC) handlePacket(r *Route, id TransportEndpointID, pkt PacketBuffer) {
+func (epsByNIC *endpointsByNIC) handlePacket(r *Route, id TransportEndpointID, pkt *PacketBuffer) {
 	epsByNIC.mu.RLock()
 
 	mpep, ok := epsByNIC.endpoints[r.ref.nic.ID()]
@@ -183,7 +183,7 @@ func (epsByNIC *endpointsByNIC) handlePacket(r *Route, id TransportEndpointID, p
 }
 
 // HandleControlPacket implements stack.TransportEndpoint.HandleControlPacket.
-func (epsByNIC *endpointsByNIC) handleControlPacket(n *NIC, id TransportEndpointID, typ ControlType, extra uint32, pkt PacketBuffer) {
+func (epsByNIC *endpointsByNIC) handleControlPacket(n *NIC, id TransportEndpointID, typ ControlType, extra uint32, pkt *PacketBuffer) {
 	epsByNIC.mu.RLock()
 	defer epsByNIC.mu.RUnlock()
 
@@ -251,7 +251,7 @@ type transportDemuxer struct {
 // the dispatcher to delivery packets to the QueuePacket method instead of
 // calling HandlePacket directly on the endpoint.
 type queuedTransportProtocol interface {
-	QueuePacket(r *Route, ep TransportEndpoint, id TransportEndpointID, pkt PacketBuffer)
+	QueuePacket(r *Route, ep TransportEndpoint, id TransportEndpointID, pkt *PacketBuffer)
 }
 
 func newTransportDemuxer(stack *Stack) *transportDemuxer {
@@ -379,7 +379,7 @@ func selectEndpoint(id TransportEndpointID, mpep *multiPortEndpoint, seed uint32
 	return mpep.endpoints[idx]
 }
 
-func (ep *multiPortEndpoint) handlePacketAll(r *Route, id TransportEndpointID, pkt PacketBuffer) {
+func (ep *multiPortEndpoint) handlePacketAll(r *Route, id TransportEndpointID, pkt *PacketBuffer) {
 	ep.mu.RLock()
 	queuedProtocol, mustQueue := ep.demux.queuedProtocols[protocolIDs{ep.netProto, ep.transProto}]
 	// HandlePacket takes ownership of pkt, so each endpoint needs
@@ -470,7 +470,7 @@ func (d *transportDemuxer) unregisterEndpoint(netProtos []tcpip.NetworkProtocolN
 // deliverPacket attempts to find one or more matching transport endpoints, and
 // then, if matches are found, delivers the packet to them. Returns true if
 // the packet no longer needs to be handled.
-func (d *transportDemuxer) deliverPacket(r *Route, protocol tcpip.TransportProtocolNumber, pkt PacketBuffer, id TransportEndpointID) bool {
+func (d *transportDemuxer) deliverPacket(r *Route, protocol tcpip.TransportProtocolNumber, pkt *PacketBuffer, id TransportEndpointID) bool {
 	eps, ok := d.protocol[protocolIDs{r.NetProto, protocol}]
 	if !ok {
 		return false
@@ -520,7 +520,7 @@ func (d *transportDemuxer) deliverPacket(r *Route, protocol tcpip.TransportProto
 
 // deliverRawPacket attempts to deliver the given packet and returns whether it
 // was delivered successfully.
-func (d *transportDemuxer) deliverRawPacket(r *Route, protocol tcpip.TransportProtocolNumber, pkt PacketBuffer) bool {
+func (d *transportDemuxer) deliverRawPacket(r *Route, protocol tcpip.TransportProtocolNumber, pkt *PacketBuffer) bool {
 	eps, ok := d.protocol[protocolIDs{r.NetProto, protocol}]
 	if !ok {
 		return false
@@ -544,7 +544,7 @@ func (d *transportDemuxer) deliverRawPacket(r *Route, protocol tcpip.TransportPr
 
 // deliverControlPacket attempts to deliver the given control packet. Returns
 // true if it found an endpoint, false otherwise.
-func (d *transportDemuxer) deliverControlPacket(n *NIC, net tcpip.NetworkProtocolNumber, trans tcpip.TransportProtocolNumber, typ ControlType, extra uint32, pkt PacketBuffer, id TransportEndpointID) bool {
+func (d *transportDemuxer) deliverControlPacket(n *NIC, net tcpip.NetworkProtocolNumber, trans tcpip.TransportProtocolNumber, typ ControlType, extra uint32, pkt *PacketBuffer, id TransportEndpointID) bool {
 	eps, ok := d.protocol[protocolIDs{net, trans}]
 	if !ok {
 		return false
diff --git a/pkg/tcpip/stack/transport_demuxer_test.go b/pkg/tcpip/stack/transport_demuxer_test.go
index 2474a7db3..67d778137 100644
--- a/pkg/tcpip/stack/transport_demuxer_test.go
+++ b/pkg/tcpip/stack/transport_demuxer_test.go
@@ -127,7 +127,7 @@ func (c *testContext) sendV4Packet(payload []byte, h *headers, linkEpID tcpip.NI
 	u.SetChecksum(^u.CalculateChecksum(xsum))
 
 	// Inject packet.
-	c.linkEps[linkEpID].InjectInbound(ipv4.ProtocolNumber, stack.PacketBuffer{
+	c.linkEps[linkEpID].InjectInbound(ipv4.ProtocolNumber, &stack.PacketBuffer{
 		Data:            buf.ToVectorisedView(),
 		NetworkHeader:   buffer.View(ip),
 		TransportHeader: buffer.View(u),
@@ -165,7 +165,7 @@ func (c *testContext) sendV6Packet(payload []byte, h *headers, linkEpID tcpip.NI
 	u.SetChecksum(^u.CalculateChecksum(xsum))
 
 	// Inject packet.
-	c.linkEps[linkEpID].InjectInbound(ipv6.ProtocolNumber, stack.PacketBuffer{
+	c.linkEps[linkEpID].InjectInbound(ipv6.ProtocolNumber, &stack.PacketBuffer{
 		Data:            buf.ToVectorisedView(),
 		NetworkHeader:   buffer.View(ip),
 		TransportHeader: buffer.View(u),
diff --git a/pkg/tcpip/stack/transport_test.go b/pkg/tcpip/stack/transport_test.go
index a611e44ab..cb350ead3 100644
--- a/pkg/tcpip/stack/transport_test.go
+++ b/pkg/tcpip/stack/transport_test.go
@@ -88,7 +88,7 @@ func (f *fakeTransportEndpoint) Write(p tcpip.Payloader, opts tcpip.WriteOptions
 	if err != nil {
 		return 0, nil, err
 	}
-	if err := f.route.WritePacket(nil /* gso */, stack.NetworkHeaderParams{Protocol: fakeTransNumber, TTL: 123, TOS: stack.DefaultTOS}, stack.PacketBuffer{
+	if err := f.route.WritePacket(nil /* gso */, stack.NetworkHeaderParams{Protocol: fakeTransNumber, TTL: 123, TOS: stack.DefaultTOS}, &stack.PacketBuffer{
 		Header: hdr,
 		Data:   buffer.View(v).ToVectorisedView(),
 	}); err != nil {
@@ -215,7 +215,7 @@ func (*fakeTransportEndpoint) GetRemoteAddress() (tcpip.FullAddress, *tcpip.Erro
 	return tcpip.FullAddress{}, nil
 }
 
-func (f *fakeTransportEndpoint) HandlePacket(r *stack.Route, id stack.TransportEndpointID, _ stack.PacketBuffer) {
+func (f *fakeTransportEndpoint) HandlePacket(r *stack.Route, id stack.TransportEndpointID, _ *stack.PacketBuffer) {
 	// Increment the number of received packets.
 	f.proto.packetCount++
 	if f.acceptQueue != nil {
@@ -232,7 +232,7 @@ func (f *fakeTransportEndpoint) HandlePacket(r *stack.Route, id stack.TransportE
 	}
 }
 
-func (f *fakeTransportEndpoint) HandleControlPacket(stack.TransportEndpointID, stack.ControlType, uint32, stack.PacketBuffer) {
+func (f *fakeTransportEndpoint) HandleControlPacket(stack.TransportEndpointID, stack.ControlType, uint32, *stack.PacketBuffer) {
 	// Increment the number of received control packets.
 	f.proto.controlCount++
 }
@@ -289,7 +289,7 @@ func (*fakeTransportProtocol) ParsePorts(buffer.View) (src, dst uint16, err *tcp
 	return 0, 0, nil
 }
 
-func (*fakeTransportProtocol) HandleUnknownDestinationPacket(*stack.Route, stack.TransportEndpointID, stack.PacketBuffer) bool {
+func (*fakeTransportProtocol) HandleUnknownDestinationPacket(*stack.Route, stack.TransportEndpointID, *stack.PacketBuffer) bool {
 	return true
 }
 
@@ -369,7 +369,7 @@ func TestTransportReceive(t *testing.T) {
 	// Make sure packet with wrong protocol is not delivered.
 	buf[0] = 1
 	buf[2] = 0
-	linkEP.InjectInbound(fakeNetNumber, stack.PacketBuffer{
+	linkEP.InjectInbound(fakeNetNumber, &stack.PacketBuffer{
 		Data: buf.ToVectorisedView(),
 	})
 	if fakeTrans.packetCount != 0 {
@@ -380,7 +380,7 @@ func TestTransportReceive(t *testing.T) {
 	buf[0] = 1
 	buf[1] = 3
 	buf[2] = byte(fakeTransNumber)
-	linkEP.InjectInbound(fakeNetNumber, stack.PacketBuffer{
+	linkEP.InjectInbound(fakeNetNumber, &stack.PacketBuffer{
 		Data: buf.ToVectorisedView(),
 	})
 	if fakeTrans.packetCount != 0 {
@@ -391,7 +391,7 @@ func TestTransportReceive(t *testing.T) {
 	buf[0] = 1
 	buf[1] = 2
 	buf[2] = byte(fakeTransNumber)
-	linkEP.InjectInbound(fakeNetNumber, stack.PacketBuffer{
+	linkEP.InjectInbound(fakeNetNumber, &stack.PacketBuffer{
 		Data: buf.ToVectorisedView(),
 	})
 	if fakeTrans.packetCount != 1 {
@@ -446,7 +446,7 @@ func TestTransportControlReceive(t *testing.T) {
 	buf[fakeNetHeaderLen+0] = 0
 	buf[fakeNetHeaderLen+1] = 1
 	buf[fakeNetHeaderLen+2] = 0
-	linkEP.InjectInbound(fakeNetNumber, stack.PacketBuffer{
+	linkEP.InjectInbound(fakeNetNumber, &stack.PacketBuffer{
 		Data: buf.ToVectorisedView(),
 	})
 	if fakeTrans.controlCount != 0 {
@@ -457,7 +457,7 @@ func TestTransportControlReceive(t *testing.T) {
 	buf[fakeNetHeaderLen+0] = 3
 	buf[fakeNetHeaderLen+1] = 1
 	buf[fakeNetHeaderLen+2] = byte(fakeTransNumber)
-	linkEP.InjectInbound(fakeNetNumber, stack.PacketBuffer{
+	linkEP.InjectInbound(fakeNetNumber, &stack.PacketBuffer{
 		Data: buf.ToVectorisedView(),
 	})
 	if fakeTrans.controlCount != 0 {
@@ -468,7 +468,7 @@ func TestTransportControlReceive(t *testing.T) {
 	buf[fakeNetHeaderLen+0] = 2
 	buf[fakeNetHeaderLen+1] = 1
 	buf[fakeNetHeaderLen+2] = byte(fakeTransNumber)
-	linkEP.InjectInbound(fakeNetNumber, stack.PacketBuffer{
+	linkEP.InjectInbound(fakeNetNumber, &stack.PacketBuffer{
 		Data: buf.ToVectorisedView(),
 	})
 	if fakeTrans.controlCount != 1 {
@@ -623,7 +623,7 @@ func TestTransportForwarding(t *testing.T) {
 	req[0] = 1
 	req[1] = 3
 	req[2] = byte(fakeTransNumber)
-	ep2.InjectInbound(fakeNetNumber, stack.PacketBuffer{
+	ep2.InjectInbound(fakeNetNumber, &stack.PacketBuffer{
 		Data: req.ToVectorisedView(),
 	})
 
diff --git a/pkg/tcpip/transport/icmp/endpoint.go b/pkg/tcpip/transport/icmp/endpoint.go
index b1d820372..29ff68df3 100644
--- a/pkg/tcpip/transport/icmp/endpoint.go
+++ b/pkg/tcpip/transport/icmp/endpoint.go
@@ -450,7 +450,7 @@ func send4(r *stack.Route, ident uint16, data buffer.View, ttl uint8, owner tcpi
 	if ttl == 0 {
 		ttl = r.DefaultTTL()
 	}
-	return r.WritePacket(nil /* gso */, stack.NetworkHeaderParams{Protocol: header.ICMPv4ProtocolNumber, TTL: ttl, TOS: stack.DefaultTOS}, stack.PacketBuffer{
+	return r.WritePacket(nil /* gso */, stack.NetworkHeaderParams{Protocol: header.ICMPv4ProtocolNumber, TTL: ttl, TOS: stack.DefaultTOS}, &stack.PacketBuffer{
 		Header:          hdr,
 		Data:            data.ToVectorisedView(),
 		TransportHeader: buffer.View(icmpv4),
@@ -481,7 +481,7 @@ func send6(r *stack.Route, ident uint16, data buffer.View, ttl uint8) *tcpip.Err
 	if ttl == 0 {
 		ttl = r.DefaultTTL()
 	}
-	return r.WritePacket(nil /* gso */, stack.NetworkHeaderParams{Protocol: header.ICMPv6ProtocolNumber, TTL: ttl, TOS: stack.DefaultTOS}, stack.PacketBuffer{
+	return r.WritePacket(nil /* gso */, stack.NetworkHeaderParams{Protocol: header.ICMPv6ProtocolNumber, TTL: ttl, TOS: stack.DefaultTOS}, &stack.PacketBuffer{
 		Header:          hdr,
 		Data:            dataVV,
 		TransportHeader: buffer.View(icmpv6),
@@ -743,7 +743,7 @@ func (e *endpoint) Readiness(mask waiter.EventMask) waiter.EventMask {
 
 // HandlePacket is called by the stack when new packets arrive to this transport
 // endpoint.
-func (e *endpoint) HandlePacket(r *stack.Route, id stack.TransportEndpointID, pkt stack.PacketBuffer) {
+func (e *endpoint) HandlePacket(r *stack.Route, id stack.TransportEndpointID, pkt *stack.PacketBuffer) {
 	// Only accept echo replies.
 	switch e.NetProto {
 	case header.IPv4ProtocolNumber:
@@ -805,7 +805,7 @@ func (e *endpoint) HandlePacket(r *stack.Route, id stack.TransportEndpointID, pk
 }
 
 // HandleControlPacket implements stack.TransportEndpoint.HandleControlPacket.
-func (e *endpoint) HandleControlPacket(id stack.TransportEndpointID, typ stack.ControlType, extra uint32, pkt stack.PacketBuffer) {
+func (e *endpoint) HandleControlPacket(id stack.TransportEndpointID, typ stack.ControlType, extra uint32, pkt *stack.PacketBuffer) {
 }
 
 // State implements tcpip.Endpoint.State. The ICMP endpoint currently doesn't
diff --git a/pkg/tcpip/transport/icmp/protocol.go b/pkg/tcpip/transport/icmp/protocol.go
index 3c47692b2..2ec6749c7 100644
--- a/pkg/tcpip/transport/icmp/protocol.go
+++ b/pkg/tcpip/transport/icmp/protocol.go
@@ -104,7 +104,7 @@ func (p *protocol) ParsePorts(v buffer.View) (src, dst uint16, err *tcpip.Error)
 
 // HandleUnknownDestinationPacket handles packets targeted at this protocol but
 // that don't match any existing endpoint.
-func (*protocol) HandleUnknownDestinationPacket(*stack.Route, stack.TransportEndpointID, stack.PacketBuffer) bool {
+func (*protocol) HandleUnknownDestinationPacket(*stack.Route, stack.TransportEndpointID, *stack.PacketBuffer) bool {
 	return true
 }
 
diff --git a/pkg/tcpip/transport/packet/endpoint.go b/pkg/tcpip/transport/packet/endpoint.go
index 23158173d..bab2d63ae 100644
--- a/pkg/tcpip/transport/packet/endpoint.go
+++ b/pkg/tcpip/transport/packet/endpoint.go
@@ -298,7 +298,7 @@ func (ep *endpoint) GetSockOptInt(opt tcpip.SockOptInt) (int, *tcpip.Error) {
 }
 
 // HandlePacket implements stack.PacketEndpoint.HandlePacket.
-func (ep *endpoint) HandlePacket(nicID tcpip.NICID, localAddr tcpip.LinkAddress, netProto tcpip.NetworkProtocolNumber, pkt stack.PacketBuffer) {
+func (ep *endpoint) HandlePacket(nicID tcpip.NICID, localAddr tcpip.LinkAddress, netProto tcpip.NetworkProtocolNumber, pkt *stack.PacketBuffer) {
 	ep.rcvMu.Lock()
 
 	// Drop the packet if our buffer is currently full.
diff --git a/pkg/tcpip/transport/raw/endpoint.go b/pkg/tcpip/transport/raw/endpoint.go
index eee754a5a..25a17940d 100644
--- a/pkg/tcpip/transport/raw/endpoint.go
+++ b/pkg/tcpip/transport/raw/endpoint.go
@@ -348,7 +348,7 @@ func (e *endpoint) finishWrite(payloadBytes []byte, route *stack.Route) (int64,
 	switch e.NetProto {
 	case header.IPv4ProtocolNumber:
 		if !e.associated {
-			if err := route.WriteHeaderIncludedPacket(stack.PacketBuffer{
+			if err := route.WriteHeaderIncludedPacket(&stack.PacketBuffer{
 				Data: buffer.View(payloadBytes).ToVectorisedView(),
 			}); err != nil {
 				return 0, nil, err
@@ -357,7 +357,7 @@ func (e *endpoint) finishWrite(payloadBytes []byte, route *stack.Route) (int64,
 		}
 
 		hdr := buffer.NewPrependable(len(payloadBytes) + int(route.MaxHeaderLength()))
-		if err := route.WritePacket(nil /* gso */, stack.NetworkHeaderParams{Protocol: e.TransProto, TTL: route.DefaultTTL(), TOS: stack.DefaultTOS}, stack.PacketBuffer{
+		if err := route.WritePacket(nil /* gso */, stack.NetworkHeaderParams{Protocol: e.TransProto, TTL: route.DefaultTTL(), TOS: stack.DefaultTOS}, &stack.PacketBuffer{
 			Header: hdr,
 			Data:   buffer.View(payloadBytes).ToVectorisedView(),
 			Owner:  e.owner,
@@ -584,7 +584,7 @@ func (e *endpoint) GetSockOptInt(opt tcpip.SockOptInt) (int, *tcpip.Error) {
 }
 
 // HandlePacket implements stack.RawTransportEndpoint.HandlePacket.
-func (e *endpoint) HandlePacket(route *stack.Route, pkt stack.PacketBuffer) {
+func (e *endpoint) HandlePacket(route *stack.Route, pkt *stack.PacketBuffer) {
 	e.rcvMu.Lock()
 
 	// Drop the packet if our buffer is currently full.
diff --git a/pkg/tcpip/transport/tcp/connect.go b/pkg/tcpip/transport/tcp/connect.go
index e4a06c9e1..7da93dcc4 100644
--- a/pkg/tcpip/transport/tcp/connect.go
+++ b/pkg/tcpip/transport/tcp/connect.go
@@ -833,13 +833,13 @@ func sendTCP(r *stack.Route, tf tcpFields, data buffer.VectorisedView, gso *stac
 		return sendTCPBatch(r, tf, data, gso, owner)
 	}
 
-	pkt := stack.PacketBuffer{
+	pkt := &stack.PacketBuffer{
 		Header: buffer.NewPrependable(header.TCPMinimumSize + int(r.MaxHeaderLength()) + optLen),
 		Data:   data,
 		Hash:   tf.txHash,
 		Owner:  owner,
 	}
-	buildTCPHdr(r, tf, &pkt, gso)
+	buildTCPHdr(r, tf, pkt, gso)
 
 	if tf.ttl == 0 {
 		tf.ttl = r.DefaultTTL()
diff --git a/pkg/tcpip/transport/tcp/dispatcher.go b/pkg/tcpip/transport/tcp/dispatcher.go
index 6062ca916..047704c80 100644
--- a/pkg/tcpip/transport/tcp/dispatcher.go
+++ b/pkg/tcpip/transport/tcp/dispatcher.go
@@ -186,7 +186,7 @@ func (d *dispatcher) wait() {
 	}
 }
 
-func (d *dispatcher) queuePacket(r *stack.Route, stackEP stack.TransportEndpoint, id stack.TransportEndpointID, pkt stack.PacketBuffer) {
+func (d *dispatcher) queuePacket(r *stack.Route, stackEP stack.TransportEndpoint, id stack.TransportEndpointID, pkt *stack.PacketBuffer) {
 	ep := stackEP.(*endpoint)
 	s := newSegment(r, id, pkt)
 	if !s.parse() {
diff --git a/pkg/tcpip/transport/tcp/endpoint.go b/pkg/tcpip/transport/tcp/endpoint.go
index b5ba972f1..d048ef90c 100644
--- a/pkg/tcpip/transport/tcp/endpoint.go
+++ b/pkg/tcpip/transport/tcp/endpoint.go
@@ -2462,7 +2462,7 @@ func (e *endpoint) GetRemoteAddress() (tcpip.FullAddress, *tcpip.Error) {
 	}, nil
 }
 
-func (e *endpoint) HandlePacket(r *stack.Route, id stack.TransportEndpointID, pkt stack.PacketBuffer) {
+func (e *endpoint) HandlePacket(r *stack.Route, id stack.TransportEndpointID, pkt *stack.PacketBuffer) {
 	// TCP HandlePacket is not required anymore as inbound packets first
 	// land at the Dispatcher which then can either delivery using the
 	// worker go routine or directly do the invoke the tcp processing inline
@@ -2481,7 +2481,7 @@ func (e *endpoint) enqueueSegment(s *segment) bool {
 }
 
 // HandleControlPacket implements stack.TransportEndpoint.HandleControlPacket.
-func (e *endpoint) HandleControlPacket(id stack.TransportEndpointID, typ stack.ControlType, extra uint32, pkt stack.PacketBuffer) {
+func (e *endpoint) HandleControlPacket(id stack.TransportEndpointID, typ stack.ControlType, extra uint32, pkt *stack.PacketBuffer) {
 	switch typ {
 	case stack.ControlPacketTooBig:
 		e.sndBufMu.Lock()
diff --git a/pkg/tcpip/transport/tcp/forwarder.go b/pkg/tcpip/transport/tcp/forwarder.go
index 704d01c64..070b634b4 100644
--- a/pkg/tcpip/transport/tcp/forwarder.go
+++ b/pkg/tcpip/transport/tcp/forwarder.go
@@ -61,7 +61,7 @@ func NewForwarder(s *stack.Stack, rcvWnd, maxInFlight int, handler func(*Forward
 //
 // This function is expected to be passed as an argument to the
 // stack.SetTransportProtocolHandler function.
-func (f *Forwarder) HandlePacket(r *stack.Route, id stack.TransportEndpointID, pkt stack.PacketBuffer) bool {
+func (f *Forwarder) HandlePacket(r *stack.Route, id stack.TransportEndpointID, pkt *stack.PacketBuffer) bool {
 	s := newSegment(r, id, pkt)
 	defer s.decRef()
 
diff --git a/pkg/tcpip/transport/tcp/protocol.go b/pkg/tcpip/transport/tcp/protocol.go
index 2a2a7ddeb..c827d0277 100644
--- a/pkg/tcpip/transport/tcp/protocol.go
+++ b/pkg/tcpip/transport/tcp/protocol.go
@@ -206,7 +206,7 @@ func (*protocol) ParsePorts(v buffer.View) (src, dst uint16, err *tcpip.Error) {
 // to a specific processing queue. Each queue is serviced by its own processor
 // goroutine which is responsible for dequeuing and doing full TCP dispatch of
 // the packet.
-func (p *protocol) QueuePacket(r *stack.Route, ep stack.TransportEndpoint, id stack.TransportEndpointID, pkt stack.PacketBuffer) {
+func (p *protocol) QueuePacket(r *stack.Route, ep stack.TransportEndpoint, id stack.TransportEndpointID, pkt *stack.PacketBuffer) {
 	p.dispatcher.queuePacket(r, ep, id, pkt)
 }
 
@@ -217,7 +217,7 @@ func (p *protocol) QueuePacket(r *stack.Route, ep stack.TransportEndpoint, id st
 // a reset is sent in response to any incoming segment except another reset. In
 // particular, SYNs addressed to a non-existent connection are rejected by this
 // means."
-func (*protocol) HandleUnknownDestinationPacket(r *stack.Route, id stack.TransportEndpointID, pkt stack.PacketBuffer) bool {
+func (*protocol) HandleUnknownDestinationPacket(r *stack.Route, id stack.TransportEndpointID, pkt *stack.PacketBuffer) bool {
 	s := newSegment(r, id, pkt)
 	defer s.decRef()
 
diff --git a/pkg/tcpip/transport/tcp/segment.go b/pkg/tcpip/transport/tcp/segment.go
index 074edded6..0c099e2fd 100644
--- a/pkg/tcpip/transport/tcp/segment.go
+++ b/pkg/tcpip/transport/tcp/segment.go
@@ -60,7 +60,7 @@ type segment struct {
 	xmitCount uint32
 }
 
-func newSegment(r *stack.Route, id stack.TransportEndpointID, pkt stack.PacketBuffer) *segment {
+func newSegment(r *stack.Route, id stack.TransportEndpointID, pkt *stack.PacketBuffer) *segment {
 	s := &segment{
 		refCnt: 1,
 		id:     id,
diff --git a/pkg/tcpip/transport/tcp/testing/context/context.go b/pkg/tcpip/transport/tcp/testing/context/context.go
index 7b1d72cf4..9721f6caf 100644
--- a/pkg/tcpip/transport/tcp/testing/context/context.go
+++ b/pkg/tcpip/transport/tcp/testing/context/context.go
@@ -316,7 +316,7 @@ func (c *Context) SendICMPPacket(typ header.ICMPv4Type, code uint8, p1, p2 []byt
 	copy(icmp[header.ICMPv4PayloadOffset:], p2)
 
 	// Inject packet.
-	c.linkEP.InjectInbound(ipv4.ProtocolNumber, stack.PacketBuffer{
+	c.linkEP.InjectInbound(ipv4.ProtocolNumber, &stack.PacketBuffer{
 		Data: buf.ToVectorisedView(),
 	})
 }
@@ -372,7 +372,7 @@ func (c *Context) BuildSegmentWithAddrs(payload []byte, h *Headers, src, dst tcp
 // SendSegment sends a TCP segment that has already been built and written to a
 // buffer.VectorisedView.
 func (c *Context) SendSegment(s buffer.VectorisedView) {
-	c.linkEP.InjectInbound(ipv4.ProtocolNumber, stack.PacketBuffer{
+	c.linkEP.InjectInbound(ipv4.ProtocolNumber, &stack.PacketBuffer{
 		Data: s,
 	})
 }
@@ -380,7 +380,7 @@ func (c *Context) SendSegment(s buffer.VectorisedView) {
 // SendPacket builds and sends a TCP segment(with the provided payload & TCP
 // headers) in an IPv4 packet via the link layer endpoint.
 func (c *Context) SendPacket(payload []byte, h *Headers) {
-	c.linkEP.InjectInbound(ipv4.ProtocolNumber, stack.PacketBuffer{
+	c.linkEP.InjectInbound(ipv4.ProtocolNumber, &stack.PacketBuffer{
 		Data: c.BuildSegment(payload, h),
 	})
 }
@@ -389,7 +389,7 @@ func (c *Context) SendPacket(payload []byte, h *Headers) {
 // & TCPheaders) in an IPv4 packet via the link layer endpoint using the
 // provided source and destination IPv4 addresses.
 func (c *Context) SendPacketWithAddrs(payload []byte, h *Headers, src, dst tcpip.Address) {
-	c.linkEP.InjectInbound(ipv4.ProtocolNumber, stack.PacketBuffer{
+	c.linkEP.InjectInbound(ipv4.ProtocolNumber, &stack.PacketBuffer{
 		Data: c.BuildSegmentWithAddrs(payload, h, src, dst),
 	})
 }
@@ -564,7 +564,7 @@ func (c *Context) SendV6PacketWithAddrs(payload []byte, h *Headers, src, dst tcp
 	t.SetChecksum(^t.CalculateChecksum(xsum))
 
 	// Inject packet.
-	c.linkEP.InjectInbound(ipv6.ProtocolNumber, stack.PacketBuffer{
+	c.linkEP.InjectInbound(ipv6.ProtocolNumber, &stack.PacketBuffer{
 		Data: buf.ToVectorisedView(),
 	})
 }
diff --git a/pkg/tcpip/transport/udp/endpoint.go b/pkg/tcpip/transport/udp/endpoint.go
index 647b2067a..79faa7869 100644
--- a/pkg/tcpip/transport/udp/endpoint.go
+++ b/pkg/tcpip/transport/udp/endpoint.go
@@ -921,7 +921,11 @@ func sendUDP(r *stack.Route, data buffer.VectorisedView, localPort, remotePort u
 	if useDefaultTTL {
 		ttl = r.DefaultTTL()
 	}
-	if err := r.WritePacket(nil /* gso */, stack.NetworkHeaderParams{Protocol: ProtocolNumber, TTL: ttl, TOS: tos}, stack.PacketBuffer{
+	if err := r.WritePacket(nil /* gso */, stack.NetworkHeaderParams{
+		Protocol: ProtocolNumber,
+		TTL:      ttl,
+		TOS:      tos,
+	}, &stack.PacketBuffer{
 		Header:          hdr,
 		Data:            data,
 		TransportHeader: buffer.View(udp),
@@ -1269,7 +1273,7 @@ func (e *endpoint) Readiness(mask waiter.EventMask) waiter.EventMask {
 
 // HandlePacket is called by the stack when new packets arrive to this transport
 // endpoint.
-func (e *endpoint) HandlePacket(r *stack.Route, id stack.TransportEndpointID, pkt stack.PacketBuffer) {
+func (e *endpoint) HandlePacket(r *stack.Route, id stack.TransportEndpointID, pkt *stack.PacketBuffer) {
 	// Get the header then trim it from the view.
 	hdr, ok := pkt.Data.PullUp(header.UDPMinimumSize)
 	if !ok || int(header.UDP(hdr).Length()) > pkt.Data.Size() {
@@ -1336,7 +1340,7 @@ func (e *endpoint) HandlePacket(r *stack.Route, id stack.TransportEndpointID, pk
 }
 
 // HandleControlPacket implements stack.TransportEndpoint.HandleControlPacket.
-func (e *endpoint) HandleControlPacket(id stack.TransportEndpointID, typ stack.ControlType, extra uint32, pkt stack.PacketBuffer) {
+func (e *endpoint) HandleControlPacket(id stack.TransportEndpointID, typ stack.ControlType, extra uint32, pkt *stack.PacketBuffer) {
 	if typ == stack.ControlPortUnreachable {
 		e.mu.RLock()
 		defer e.mu.RUnlock()
diff --git a/pkg/tcpip/transport/udp/forwarder.go b/pkg/tcpip/transport/udp/forwarder.go
index a674ceb68..7abfa0ed2 100644
--- a/pkg/tcpip/transport/udp/forwarder.go
+++ b/pkg/tcpip/transport/udp/forwarder.go
@@ -43,7 +43,7 @@ func NewForwarder(s *stack.Stack, handler func(*ForwarderRequest)) *Forwarder {
 //
 // This function is expected to be passed as an argument to the
 // stack.SetTransportProtocolHandler function.
-func (f *Forwarder) HandlePacket(r *stack.Route, id stack.TransportEndpointID, pkt stack.PacketBuffer) bool {
+func (f *Forwarder) HandlePacket(r *stack.Route, id stack.TransportEndpointID, pkt *stack.PacketBuffer) bool {
 	f.handler(&ForwarderRequest{
 		stack: f.stack,
 		route: r,
@@ -61,7 +61,7 @@ type ForwarderRequest struct {
 	stack *stack.Stack
 	route *stack.Route
 	id    stack.TransportEndpointID
-	pkt   stack.PacketBuffer
+	pkt   *stack.PacketBuffer
 }
 
 // ID returns the 4-tuple (src address, src port, dst address, dst port) that
diff --git a/pkg/tcpip/transport/udp/protocol.go b/pkg/tcpip/transport/udp/protocol.go
index 52af6de22..e320c5758 100644
--- a/pkg/tcpip/transport/udp/protocol.go
+++ b/pkg/tcpip/transport/udp/protocol.go
@@ -66,7 +66,7 @@ func (*protocol) ParsePorts(v buffer.View) (src, dst uint16, err *tcpip.Error) {
 
 // HandleUnknownDestinationPacket handles packets targeted at this protocol but
 // that don't match any existing endpoint.
-func (p *protocol) HandleUnknownDestinationPacket(r *stack.Route, id stack.TransportEndpointID, pkt stack.PacketBuffer) bool {
+func (p *protocol) HandleUnknownDestinationPacket(r *stack.Route, id stack.TransportEndpointID, pkt *stack.PacketBuffer) bool {
 	// Get the header then trim it from the view.
 	h, ok := pkt.Data.PullUp(header.UDPMinimumSize)
 	if !ok {
@@ -140,7 +140,7 @@ func (p *protocol) HandleUnknownDestinationPacket(r *stack.Route, id stack.Trans
 		pkt.SetType(header.ICMPv4DstUnreachable)
 		pkt.SetCode(header.ICMPv4PortUnreachable)
 		pkt.SetChecksum(header.ICMPv4Checksum(pkt, payload))
-		r.WritePacket(nil /* gso */, stack.NetworkHeaderParams{Protocol: header.ICMPv4ProtocolNumber, TTL: r.DefaultTTL(), TOS: stack.DefaultTOS}, stack.PacketBuffer{
+		r.WritePacket(nil /* gso */, stack.NetworkHeaderParams{Protocol: header.ICMPv4ProtocolNumber, TTL: r.DefaultTTL(), TOS: stack.DefaultTOS}, &stack.PacketBuffer{
 			Header: hdr,
 			Data:   payload,
 		})
@@ -177,7 +177,7 @@ func (p *protocol) HandleUnknownDestinationPacket(r *stack.Route, id stack.Trans
 		pkt.SetType(header.ICMPv6DstUnreachable)
 		pkt.SetCode(header.ICMPv6PortUnreachable)
 		pkt.SetChecksum(header.ICMPv6Checksum(pkt, r.LocalAddress, r.RemoteAddress, payload))
-		r.WritePacket(nil /* gso */, stack.NetworkHeaderParams{Protocol: header.ICMPv6ProtocolNumber, TTL: r.DefaultTTL(), TOS: stack.DefaultTOS}, stack.PacketBuffer{
+		r.WritePacket(nil /* gso */, stack.NetworkHeaderParams{Protocol: header.ICMPv6ProtocolNumber, TTL: r.DefaultTTL(), TOS: stack.DefaultTOS}, &stack.PacketBuffer{
 			Header: hdr,
 			Data:   payload,
 		})
diff --git a/pkg/tcpip/transport/udp/udp_test.go b/pkg/tcpip/transport/udp/udp_test.go
index 8acaa607a..e8ade882b 100644
--- a/pkg/tcpip/transport/udp/udp_test.go
+++ b/pkg/tcpip/transport/udp/udp_test.go
@@ -440,7 +440,7 @@ func (c *testContext) injectV6Packet(payload []byte, h *header4Tuple, valid bool
 	u.SetChecksum(^u.CalculateChecksum(xsum))
 
 	// Inject packet.
-	c.linkEP.InjectInbound(ipv6.ProtocolNumber, stack.PacketBuffer{
+	c.linkEP.InjectInbound(ipv6.ProtocolNumber, &stack.PacketBuffer{
 		Data:            buf.ToVectorisedView(),
 		NetworkHeader:   buffer.View(ip),
 		TransportHeader: buffer.View(u),
@@ -487,7 +487,7 @@ func (c *testContext) injectV4Packet(payload []byte, h *header4Tuple, valid bool
 
 	// Inject packet.
 
-	c.linkEP.InjectInbound(ipv4.ProtocolNumber, stack.PacketBuffer{
+	c.linkEP.InjectInbound(ipv4.ProtocolNumber, &stack.PacketBuffer{
 		Data:            buf.ToVectorisedView(),
 		NetworkHeader:   buffer.View(ip),
 		TransportHeader: buffer.View(u),