--- a/src/network/model/packet.cc	
+++ a/src/network/model/packet.cc	
@@ -138,6 +138,7 @@ 
      * global UID
      */
     m_metadata (static_cast<uint64_t> (Simulator::GetSystemId ()) << 32 | m_globalUid, 0),
+    m_dirtyMetadata (false),
     m_nixVector (0)
 {
   m_globalUid++;
@@ -147,7 +148,8 @@ 
   : m_buffer (o.m_buffer),
     m_byteTagList (o.m_byteTagList),
     m_packetTagList (o.m_packetTagList),
-    m_metadata (o.m_metadata)
+    m_metadata (o.m_metadata),
+    m_dirtyMetadata (o.m_dirtyMetadata)
 {
   o.m_nixVector ? m_nixVector = o.m_nixVector->Copy ()
     : m_nixVector = 0;
@@ -164,6 +166,7 @@ 
   m_byteTagList = o.m_byteTagList;
   m_packetTagList = o.m_packetTagList;
   m_metadata = o.m_metadata;
+  m_dirtyMetadata = o.m_dirtyMetadata;
   o.m_nixVector ? m_nixVector = o.m_nixVector->Copy () 
     : m_nixVector = 0;
   return *this;
@@ -180,6 +183,7 @@ 
      * global UID
      */
     m_metadata (static_cast<uint64_t> (Simulator::GetSystemId ()) << 32 | m_globalUid, size),
+    m_dirtyMetadata (false),
     m_nixVector (0)
 {
   m_globalUid++;
@@ -189,6 +193,7 @@ 
     m_byteTagList (),
     m_packetTagList (),
     m_metadata (0,0),
+    m_dirtyMetadata (false),
     m_nixVector (0)
 {
   NS_ASSERT (magic);
@@ -206,6 +211,7 @@ 
      * global UID
      */
     m_metadata (static_cast<uint64_t> (Simulator::GetSystemId ()) << 32 | m_globalUid, size),
+    m_dirtyMetadata (true),
     m_nixVector (0)
 {
   m_globalUid++;
@@ -220,6 +226,7 @@ 
     m_byteTagList (byteTagList),
     m_packetTagList (packetTagList),
     m_metadata (metadata),
+    m_dirtyMetadata (false),
     m_nixVector (0)
 {
 }
@@ -270,7 +277,10 @@ 
   uint32_t deserialized = header.Deserialize (m_buffer.Begin ());
   NS_LOG_FUNCTION (this << header.GetInstanceTypeId ().GetName () << deserialized);
   m_buffer.RemoveAtStart (deserialized);
-  m_metadata.RemoveHeader (header, deserialized);
+  if (!m_dirtyMetadata)
+    {
+      m_metadata.RemoveHeader (header, deserialized);
+    }
   return deserialized;
 }
 uint32_t
@@ -302,7 +312,10 @@ 
   uint32_t deserialized = trailer.Deserialize (m_buffer.End ());
   NS_LOG_FUNCTION (this << trailer.GetInstanceTypeId ().GetName () << deserialized);
   m_buffer.RemoveAtEnd (deserialized);
-  m_metadata.RemoveTrailer (trailer, deserialized);
+  if (!m_dirtyMetadata)
+    {
+      m_metadata.RemoveTrailer (trailer, deserialized);
+    }
   return deserialized;
 }
 uint32_t
@@ -764,11 +777,11 @@ 
 
   size -= metaSize;
 
-  uint32_t metadataDeserialized = 
+  uint32_t metadataDeserialized =
     m_metadata.Deserialize (reinterpret_cast<const uint8_t *> (p), metaSize);
   if (!metadataDeserialized)
     {
-      // meta-data not deserialized 
+      // meta-data not deserialized
       // completely
       return 0;
     }
--- a/src/network/model/packet.h	
+++ a/src/network/model/packet.h	
@@ -697,6 +697,7 @@ 
   ByteTagList m_byteTagList;      //!< the ByteTag list
   PacketTagList m_packetTagList;  //!< the packet's Tag list
   PacketMetadata m_metadata;      //!< the packet's metadata
+  bool m_dirtyMetadata;           //!< the packet's metadata are not check-safe
 
   /* Please see comments above about nix-vector */
   Ptr<NixVector> m_nixVector; //!< the packet's Nix vector