diff --git a/p2p/discover/v4_udp.go b/p2p/discover/v4_udp.go
index 9fb5320824..8669563781 100644
--- a/p2p/discover/v4_udp.go
+++ b/p2p/discover/v4_udp.go
@@ -555,10 +555,8 @@ func (t *UDPv4) readLoop(unhandled chan<- ReadPacket) {
 		if err := t.handlePacket(from, buf[:nbytes]); err != nil && unhandled == nil {
 			t.log.Debug("Bad discv4 packet", "addr", from, "err", err)
 		} else if err != nil && unhandled != nil {
-			packet := make([]byte, nbytes)
-			copy(packet, buf[:nbytes])
-			select {
-			case unhandled <- ReadPacket{packet, from}:
+			p := ReadPacket{bytes.Clone(buf[:nbytes]), from}
+			case unhandled <- p:
 			default:
 			}
 		}