diff --git a/src/lp/packet.cpp b/src/lp/packet.cpp
index 67957af..82b7821 100644
--- a/src/lp/packet.cpp
+++ b/src/lp/packet.cpp
@@ -63,13 +63,21 @@
 template size_t
 Packet::wireEncode<encoding::EstimatorTag>(EncodingImpl<encoding::EstimatorTag>& encoder) const;
 
-const Block&
+const Block
 Packet::wireEncode() const
 {
   if (m_wire.hasWire()) {
     return m_wire;
   }
 
+  // If no header or trailer, return bare network packet
+  Block::element_container elements = m_wire.elements();
+  if (elements.size() == 1 && elements.front().type() == FragmentField::TlvType::value) {
+    elements.front().parse();
+    elements.front().elements().front().parse();
+    return elements.front().elements().front();
+  }
+
   EncodingEstimator estimator;
   size_t estimatedSize = wireEncode(estimator);