diff --git a/src/decode.h b/src/decode.h
index a0127f5f3e..4814afc586 100644
--- a/src/decode.h
+++ b/src/decode.h
@@ -42,6 +42,7 @@ typedef enum {
 #include "source-nfq.h"
 #include "source-ipfw.h"
 #include "source-pcap.h"
+#include "source-af-packet.h"
 
 #include "action-globals.h"
 
@@ -370,6 +371,9 @@ typedef struct Packet_
 #ifdef IPFW
         IPFWPacketVars ipfw_v;
 #endif /* IPFW */
+#ifdef AF_PACKET
+        AFPPacketVars afp_v;
+#endif
 
         /** libpcap vars: shared by Pcap Live mode and Pcap File mode */
         PcapPacketVars pcap_v;
@@ -385,6 +389,9 @@ typedef struct Packet_
     int debuglog_flowbits_names_len;
     const char **debuglog_flowbits_names;
 
+    /** The release function for packet data */
+    TmEcode (*ReleaseData)(ThreadVars *, struct Packet_ *);
+
     /* pkt vars */
     PktVar *pktvar;
 
diff --git a/src/source-af-packet.c b/src/source-af-packet.c
index 82e5c345ee..6fa02c5983 100644
--- a/src/source-af-packet.c
+++ b/src/source-af-packet.c
@@ -368,6 +368,17 @@ int AFPRead(AFPThreadVars *ptv)
     SCReturnInt(AFP_READ_OK);
 }
 
+TmEcode AFPReleaseDataFromRing(ThreadVars *t, Packet *p)
+{
+    if (p->afp_v.relptr) {
+        union thdr h;
+        h.raw = p->afp_v.relptr;
+        h.h2->tp_status = TP_STATUS_KERNEL;
+        return TM_ECODE_OK;
+    }
+    return TM_ECODE_FAILED;
+}
+
 /**
  * \brief AF packet read function for ring
  *
@@ -388,6 +399,11 @@ int AFPReadFromRing(AFPThreadVars *ptv)
         h.raw = (((union thdr **)ptv->frame_buf)[ptv->frame_offset]);
         if (h.raw == NULL) {
             SCReturnInt(AFP_FAILURE);
+        } else {
+            if (ptv->flags & AFP_RING_MODE) {
+                p->afp_v.relptr = h.raw;
+                p->ReleaseData = AFPReleaseDataFromRing;
+            }
         }
         if (h.h2->tp_status == TP_STATUS_KERNEL) {
             SCReturnInt(AFP_READ_OK);
@@ -1013,6 +1029,13 @@ TmEcode ReceiveAFPThreadInit(ThreadVars *tv, void *initdata, void **data) {
         SCLogInfo("Enabling zero copy mode");
     }
 
+    /* If we are in RING mode, then we can use ZERO copy
+     * by using the data release mechanism */
+    if (ptv->flags & AFP_RING_MODE) {
+        ptv->flags |= AFP_ZERO_COPY;
+        SCLogInfo("Enabling zero copy mode by using data release call");
+    }
+
     r = AFPCreateSocket(ptv, ptv->iface, 1);
     if (r < 0) {
         SCLogError(SC_ERR_AFP_CREATE, "Couldn't init AF_PACKET socket");
diff --git a/src/source-af-packet.h b/src/source-af-packet.h
index 02b1d63a2f..97dc2c29c7 100644
--- a/src/source-af-packet.h
+++ b/src/source-af-packet.h
@@ -67,6 +67,13 @@ typedef struct AFPIfaceConfig_
     void (*DerefFunc)(void *);
 } AFPIfaceConfig;
 
+/* per packet AF_PACKET vars */
+typedef struct AFPPacketVars_
+{
+    void *relptr;
+} AFPPacketVars;
+
+
 void TmModuleReceiveAFPRegister (void);
 void TmModuleDecodeAFPRegister (void);
 
diff --git a/src/tmqh-packetpool.c b/src/tmqh-packetpool.c
index 1e5a5cd136..1844f7cc12 100644
--- a/src/tmqh-packetpool.c
+++ b/src/tmqh-packetpool.c
@@ -250,8 +250,16 @@ void TmqhOutputPacketpool(ThreadVars *t, Packet *p)
 
         FlowDecrUsecnt(p->root->flow);
         /* if p->root uses extended data, free them */
+        if (p->root->ReleaseData) {
+            if (p->root->ReleaseData(t, p->root) == TM_ECODE_FAILED) {
+                SCLogWarning(SC_ERR_INVALID_ACTION,
+                        "Unable to release packet data");
+            }
+        }
         if (p->root->ext_pkt) {
-            SCFree(p->root->ext_pkt);
+            if (!(p->root->flags & PKT_ZERO_COPY)) {
+                SCFree(p->root->ext_pkt);
+            }
             p->root->ext_pkt = NULL;
         }
         if (p->root->flags & PKT_ALLOC) {
@@ -262,6 +270,13 @@ void TmqhOutputPacketpool(ThreadVars *t, Packet *p)
             PACKET_RECYCLE(p->root);
             RingBufferMrMwPut(ringbuffer, (void *)p->root);
         }
+
+    }
+
+    if (p->ReleaseData) {
+        if (p->ReleaseData(t, p) == TM_ECODE_FAILED) {
+            SCLogWarning(SC_ERR_INVALID_ACTION, "Unable to release packet data");
+        }
     }
 
     /* if p uses extended data, free them */