diff --git a/drivers/net/ethernet/intel/ixgbe/ixgbe.h b/drivers/net/ethernet/intel/ixgbe/ixgbe.h
index b1ecc2627a5a..656ca8f69768 100644
--- a/drivers/net/ethernet/intel/ixgbe/ixgbe.h
+++ b/drivers/net/ethernet/intel/ixgbe/ixgbe.h
@@ -86,17 +86,62 @@
 
 /* Supported Rx Buffer Sizes */
 #define IXGBE_RXBUFFER_256    256  /* Used for skb receive header */
+#define IXGBE_RXBUFFER_1536  1536
 #define IXGBE_RXBUFFER_2K    2048
 #define IXGBE_RXBUFFER_3K    3072
 #define IXGBE_RXBUFFER_4K    4096
 #define IXGBE_MAX_RXBUFFER  16384  /* largest size for a single descriptor */
 
-#define IXGBE_SKB_PAD		(NET_SKB_PAD + NET_IP_ALIGN)
+/* Attempt to maximize the headroom available for incoming frames.  We
+ * use a 2K buffer for receives and need 1536/1534 to store the data for
+ * the frame.  This leaves us with 512 bytes of room.  From that we need
+ * to deduct the space needed for the shared info and the padding needed
+ * to IP align the frame.
+ *
+ * Note: For cache line sizes 256 or larger this value is going to end
+ *	 up negative.  In these cases we should fall back to the 3K
+ *	 buffers.
+ */
 #if (PAGE_SIZE < 8192)
-#define IXGBE_MAX_FRAME_BUILD_SKB \
-	(SKB_WITH_OVERHEAD(IXGBE_RXBUFFER_2K) - IXGBE_SKB_PAD)
+#define IXGBE_MAX_2K_FRAME_BUILD_SKB (IXGBE_RXBUFFER_1536 - NET_IP_ALIGN)
+#define IXGBE_2K_TOO_SMALL_WITH_PADDING \
+((NET_SKB_PAD + IXGBE_RXBUFFER_1536) > SKB_WITH_OVERHEAD(IXGBE_RXBUFFER_2K))
+
+static inline int ixgbe_compute_pad(int rx_buf_len)
+{
+	int page_size, pad_size;
+
+	page_size = ALIGN(rx_buf_len, PAGE_SIZE / 2);
+	pad_size = SKB_WITH_OVERHEAD(page_size) - rx_buf_len;
+
+	return pad_size;
+}
+
+static inline int ixgbe_skb_pad(void)
+{
+	int rx_buf_len;
+
+	/* If a 2K buffer cannot handle a standard Ethernet frame then
+	 * optimize padding for a 3K buffer instead of a 1.5K buffer.
+	 *
+	 * For a 3K buffer we need to add enough padding to allow for
+	 * tailroom due to NET_IP_ALIGN possibly shifting us out of
+	 * cache-line alignment.
+	 */
+	if (IXGBE_2K_TOO_SMALL_WITH_PADDING)
+		rx_buf_len = IXGBE_RXBUFFER_3K + SKB_DATA_ALIGN(NET_IP_ALIGN);
+	else
+		rx_buf_len = IXGBE_RXBUFFER_1536;
+
+	/* if needed make room for NET_IP_ALIGN */
+	rx_buf_len -= NET_IP_ALIGN;
+
+	return ixgbe_compute_pad(rx_buf_len);
+}
+
+#define IXGBE_SKB_PAD	ixgbe_skb_pad()
 #else
-#define IXGBE_MAX_FRAME_BUILD_SKB IXGBE_RXBUFFER_2K
+#define IXGBE_SKB_PAD	(NET_SKB_PAD + NET_IP_ALIGN)
 #endif
 
 /*
@@ -361,7 +406,7 @@ static inline unsigned int ixgbe_rx_bufsz(struct ixgbe_ring *ring)
 		return IXGBE_RXBUFFER_3K;
 #if (PAGE_SIZE < 8192)
 	if (ring_uses_build_skb(ring))
-		return IXGBE_MAX_FRAME_BUILD_SKB;
+		return IXGBE_MAX_2K_FRAME_BUILD_SKB;
 #endif
 	return IXGBE_RXBUFFER_2K;
 }
diff --git a/drivers/net/ethernet/intel/ixgbe/ixgbe_main.c b/drivers/net/ethernet/intel/ixgbe/ixgbe_main.c
index dcc8a5c26276..536dd9b1ad97 100644
--- a/drivers/net/ethernet/intel/ixgbe/ixgbe_main.c
+++ b/drivers/net/ethernet/intel/ixgbe/ixgbe_main.c
@@ -3813,7 +3813,7 @@ void ixgbe_configure_rx_ring(struct ixgbe_adapter *adapter,
 		/* Limit the maximum frame size so we don't overrun the skb */
 		if (ring_uses_build_skb(ring) &&
 		    !test_bit(__IXGBE_RX_3K_BUFFER, &ring->state))
-			rxdctl |= IXGBE_MAX_FRAME_BUILD_SKB |
+			rxdctl |= IXGBE_MAX_2K_FRAME_BUILD_SKB |
 				  IXGBE_RXDCTL_RLPML_EN;
 #endif
 	}
@@ -3983,8 +3983,8 @@ static void ixgbe_set_rx_buffer_len(struct ixgbe_adapter *adapter)
 		if (adapter->flags2 & IXGBE_FLAG2_RSC_ENABLED)
 			set_bit(__IXGBE_RX_3K_BUFFER, &rx_ring->state);
 
-		if ((max_frame > (ETH_FRAME_LEN + ETH_FCS_LEN)) ||
-		    (max_frame > IXGBE_MAX_FRAME_BUILD_SKB))
+		if (IXGBE_2K_TOO_SMALL_WITH_PADDING ||
+		    (max_frame > (ETH_FRAME_LEN + ETH_FCS_LEN)))
 			set_bit(__IXGBE_RX_3K_BUFFER, &rx_ring->state);
 #endif
 	}