diff --git a/include/linux/skbuff.h b/include/linux/skbuff.h
index c45ad1263271..2e7405500626 100644
--- a/include/linux/skbuff.h
+++ b/include/linux/skbuff.h
@@ -179,6 +179,16 @@ enum {
 	SKB_GSO_TCPV6 = 1 << 4,
 };
 
+#if BITS_PER_LONG > 32
+#define NET_SKBUFF_DATA_USES_OFFSET 1
+#endif
+
+#ifdef NET_SKBUFF_DATA_USES_OFFSET
+typedef unsigned int sk_buff_data_t;
+#else
+typedef unsigned char *sk_buff_data_t;
+#endif
+
 /** 
  *	struct sk_buff - socket buffer
  *	@next: Next buffer in list
@@ -236,9 +246,9 @@ struct sk_buff {
 	int			iif;
 	/* 4 byte hole on 64 bit*/
 
-	unsigned char		*transport_header;
-	unsigned char		*network_header;
-	unsigned char		*mac_header;
+	sk_buff_data_t		transport_header;
+	sk_buff_data_t		network_header;
+	sk_buff_data_t		mac_header;
 	struct  dst_entry	*dst;
 	struct	sec_path	*sp;
 
@@ -942,6 +952,63 @@ static inline void skb_reserve(struct sk_buff *skb, int len)
 	skb->tail += len;
 }
 
+#ifdef NET_SKBUFF_DATA_USES_OFFSET
+static inline unsigned char *skb_transport_header(const struct sk_buff *skb)
+{
+	return skb->head + skb->transport_header;
+}
+
+static inline void skb_reset_transport_header(struct sk_buff *skb)
+{
+	skb->transport_header = skb->data - skb->head;
+}
+
+static inline void skb_set_transport_header(struct sk_buff *skb,
+					    const int offset)
+{
+	skb_reset_transport_header(skb);
+	skb->transport_header += offset;
+}
+
+static inline unsigned char *skb_network_header(const struct sk_buff *skb)
+{
+	return skb->head + skb->network_header;
+}
+
+static inline void skb_reset_network_header(struct sk_buff *skb)
+{
+	skb->network_header = skb->data - skb->head;
+}
+
+static inline void skb_set_network_header(struct sk_buff *skb, const int offset)
+{
+	skb_reset_network_header(skb);
+	skb->network_header += offset;
+}
+
+static inline unsigned char *skb_mac_header(const struct sk_buff *skb)
+{
+	return skb->head + skb->mac_header;
+}
+
+static inline int skb_mac_header_was_set(const struct sk_buff *skb)
+{
+	return skb->mac_header != ~0U;
+}
+
+static inline void skb_reset_mac_header(struct sk_buff *skb)
+{
+	skb->mac_header = skb->data - skb->head;
+}
+
+static inline void skb_set_mac_header(struct sk_buff *skb, const int offset)
+{
+	skb_reset_mac_header(skb);
+	skb->mac_header += offset;
+}
+
+#else /* NET_SKBUFF_DATA_USES_OFFSET */
+
 static inline unsigned char *skb_transport_header(const struct sk_buff *skb)
 {
 	return skb->transport_header;
@@ -958,11 +1025,6 @@ static inline void skb_set_transport_header(struct sk_buff *skb,
 	skb->transport_header = skb->data + offset;
 }
 
-static inline int skb_transport_offset(const struct sk_buff *skb)
-{
-	return skb->transport_header - skb->data;
-}
-
 static inline unsigned char *skb_network_header(const struct sk_buff *skb)
 {
 	return skb->network_header;
@@ -978,16 +1040,6 @@ static inline void skb_set_network_header(struct sk_buff *skb, const int offset)
 	skb->network_header = skb->data + offset;
 }
 
-static inline int skb_network_offset(const struct sk_buff *skb)
-{
-	return skb->network_header - skb->data;
-}
-
-static inline u32 skb_network_header_len(const struct sk_buff *skb)
-{
-	return skb->transport_header - skb->network_header;
-}
-
 static inline unsigned char *skb_mac_header(const struct sk_buff *skb)
 {
 	return skb->mac_header;
@@ -1007,6 +1059,22 @@ static inline void skb_set_mac_header(struct sk_buff *skb, const int offset)
 {
 	skb->mac_header = skb->data + offset;
 }
+#endif /* NET_SKBUFF_DATA_USES_OFFSET */
+
+static inline int skb_transport_offset(const struct sk_buff *skb)
+{
+	return skb_transport_header(skb) - skb->data;
+}
+
+static inline u32 skb_network_header_len(const struct sk_buff *skb)
+{
+	return skb->transport_header - skb->network_header;
+}
+
+static inline int skb_network_offset(const struct sk_buff *skb)
+{
+	return skb_network_header(skb) - skb->data;
+}
 
 /*
  * CPUs often take a performance hit when accessing unaligned memory
diff --git a/net/core/skbuff.c b/net/core/skbuff.c
index 1e71764be4a4..a48b08681261 100644
--- a/net/core/skbuff.c
+++ b/net/core/skbuff.c
@@ -448,11 +448,12 @@ struct sk_buff *skb_clone(struct sk_buff *skb, gfp_t gfp_mask)
 
 static void copy_skb_header(struct sk_buff *new, const struct sk_buff *old)
 {
+#ifndef NET_SKBUFF_DATA_USES_OFFSET
 	/*
 	 *	Shift between the two data areas in bytes
 	 */
 	unsigned long offset = new->data - old->data;
-
+#endif
 	new->sk		= NULL;
 	new->dev	= old->dev;
 	new->priority	= old->priority;
@@ -461,9 +462,15 @@ static void copy_skb_header(struct sk_buff *new, const struct sk_buff *old)
 #ifdef CONFIG_INET
 	new->sp		= secpath_get(old->sp);
 #endif
-	new->transport_header = old->transport_header + offset;
-	new->network_header   = old->network_header + offset;
-	new->mac_header	      = old->mac_header + offset;
+	new->transport_header = old->transport_header;
+	new->network_header   = old->network_header;
+	new->mac_header	      = old->mac_header;
+#ifndef NET_SKBUFF_DATA_USES_OFFSET
+	/* {transport,network,mac}_header are relative to skb->head */
+	new->transport_header += offset;
+	new->network_header   += offset;
+	new->mac_header	      += offset;
+#endif
 	memcpy(new->cb, old->cb, sizeof(old->cb));
 	new->local_df	= old->local_df;
 	new->fclone	= SKB_FCLONE_UNAVAILABLE;
@@ -639,9 +646,12 @@ int pskb_expand_head(struct sk_buff *skb, int nhead, int ntail,
 	skb->end      = data + size;
 	skb->data    += off;
 	skb->tail    += off;
+#ifndef NET_SKBUFF_DATA_USES_OFFSET
+	/* {transport,network,mac}_header are relative to skb->head */
 	skb->transport_header += off;
 	skb->network_header   += off;
 	skb->mac_header	      += off;
+#endif
 	skb->cloned   = 0;
 	skb->nohdr    = 0;
 	atomic_set(&skb_shinfo(skb)->dataref, 1);
diff --git a/net/ipv4/ipvs/ip_vs_xmit.c b/net/ipv4/ipvs/ip_vs_xmit.c
index fded9b2f227c..900ce29db382 100644
--- a/net/ipv4/ipvs/ip_vs_xmit.c
+++ b/net/ipv4/ipvs/ip_vs_xmit.c
@@ -323,7 +323,7 @@ ip_vs_tunnel_xmit(struct sk_buff *skb, struct ip_vs_conn *cp,
 	struct iphdr  *old_iph = ip_hdr(skb);
 	u8     tos = old_iph->tos;
 	__be16 df = old_iph->frag_off;
-	unsigned char *old_transport_header = skb->transport_header;
+	sk_buff_data_t old_transport_header = skb->transport_header;
 	struct iphdr  *iph;			/* Our new IP header */
 	int    max_headroom;			/* The extra header space needed */
 	int    mtu;
diff --git a/net/sctp/input.c b/net/sctp/input.c
index 87feee166da9..1ff47b18724a 100644
--- a/net/sctp/input.c
+++ b/net/sctp/input.c
@@ -513,7 +513,7 @@ void sctp_v4_err(struct sk_buff *skb, __u32 info)
 	struct sctp_association *asoc = NULL;
 	struct sctp_transport *transport;
 	struct inet_sock *inet;
-	char *saveip, *savesctp;
+	sk_buff_data_t saveip, savesctp;
 	int err;
 
 	if (skb->len < ihlen + 8) {
@@ -527,7 +527,7 @@ void sctp_v4_err(struct sk_buff *skb, __u32 info)
 	skb_reset_network_header(skb);
 	skb_set_transport_header(skb, ihlen);
 	sk = sctp_err_lookup(AF_INET, skb, sctp_hdr(skb), &asoc, &transport);
-	/* Put back, the original pointers. */
+	/* Put back, the original values. */
 	skb->network_header = saveip;
 	skb->transport_header = savesctp;
 	if (!sk) {
diff --git a/net/sctp/ipv6.c b/net/sctp/ipv6.c
index afcb0093c290..5b0cdda4b449 100644
--- a/net/sctp/ipv6.c
+++ b/net/sctp/ipv6.c
@@ -126,7 +126,7 @@ SCTP_STATIC void sctp_v6_err(struct sk_buff *skb, struct inet6_skb_parm *opt,
 	struct sctp_association *asoc;
 	struct sctp_transport *transport;
 	struct ipv6_pinfo *np;
-	char *saveip, *savesctp;
+	sk_buff_data_t saveip, savesctp;
 	int err;
 
 	idev = in6_dev_get(skb->dev);