diff --git a/include/net/6lowpan.h b/include/net/6lowpan.h
index aa5a82380e4e..6f1e0bd3d211 100644
--- a/include/net/6lowpan.h
+++ b/include/net/6lowpan.h
@@ -258,7 +258,7 @@ struct lowpan_802154_cb *lowpan_802154_cb(const struct sk_buff *skb)
 #ifdef DEBUG
 /* print data in line */
 static inline void raw_dump_inline(const char *caller, char *msg,
-				   unsigned char *buf, int len)
+				   const unsigned char *buf, int len)
 {
 	if (msg)
 		pr_debug("%s():%s: ", caller, msg);
@@ -273,7 +273,7 @@ static inline void raw_dump_inline(const char *caller, char *msg,
  * ...
  */
 static inline void raw_dump_table(const char *caller, char *msg,
-				  unsigned char *buf, int len)
+				  const unsigned char *buf, int len)
 {
 	if (msg)
 		pr_debug("%s():%s:\n", caller, msg);
@@ -282,9 +282,9 @@ static inline void raw_dump_table(const char *caller, char *msg,
 }
 #else
 static inline void raw_dump_table(const char *caller, char *msg,
-				  unsigned char *buf, int len) { }
+				  const unsigned char *buf, int len) { }
 static inline void raw_dump_inline(const char *caller, char *msg,
-				   unsigned char *buf, int len) { }
+				   const unsigned char *buf, int len) { }
 #endif
 
 static inline int lowpan_fetch_skb_u8(struct sk_buff *skb, u8 *val)
@@ -325,8 +325,24 @@ lowpan_header_decompress(struct sk_buff *skb, struct net_device *dev,
 			 const u8 saddr_len, const u8 *daddr,
 			 const u8 daddr_type, const u8 daddr_len,
 			 u8 iphc0, u8 iphc1);
-int lowpan_header_compress(struct sk_buff *skb, struct net_device *dev,
-			unsigned short type, const void *_daddr,
-			const void *_saddr, unsigned int len);
+
+/**
+ * lowpan_header_compress - replace IPv6 header with 6LoWPAN header
+ *
+ * This function replaces the IPv6 header which should be pointed at
+ * skb->data and skb_network_header, with the IPHC 6LoWPAN header.
+ * The caller need to be sure that the sk buffer is not shared and at have
+ * at least a headroom which is smaller or equal LOWPAN_IPHC_MAX_HEADER_LEN,
+ * which is the IPHC "more bytes than IPv6 header" at worst case.
+ *
+ * @skb: the buffer which should be manipulate.
+ * @dev: the lowpan net device pointer.
+ * @daddr: destination lladdr of mac header which is used for compression
+ *	methods.
+ * @saddr: source lladdr of mac header which is used for compression
+ *	methods.
+ */
+int lowpan_header_compress(struct sk_buff *skb, const struct net_device *dev,
+			   const void *daddr, const void *saddr);
 
 #endif /* __6LOWPAN_H__ */
diff --git a/net/6lowpan/iphc.c b/net/6lowpan/iphc.c
index dd5f27d5358e..4e4af8c82296 100644
--- a/net/6lowpan/iphc.c
+++ b/net/6lowpan/iphc.c
@@ -423,16 +423,15 @@ static u8 lowpan_compress_addr_64(u8 **hc_ptr, u8 shift,
 	return rol8(val, shift);
 }
 
-int lowpan_header_compress(struct sk_buff *skb, struct net_device *dev,
-			   unsigned short type, const void *_daddr,
-			   const void *_saddr, unsigned int len)
+int lowpan_header_compress(struct sk_buff *skb, const struct net_device *dev,
+			   const void *daddr, const void *saddr)
 {
 	u8 tmp, iphc0, iphc1, *hc_ptr;
 	struct ipv6hdr *hdr;
 	u8 head[LOWPAN_IPHC_MAX_HC_BUF_LEN] = {};
 	int ret, addr_type;
 
-	if (type != ETH_P_IPV6)
+	if (skb->protocol != htons(ETH_P_IPV6))
 		return -EINVAL;
 
 	hdr = ipv6_hdr(skb);
@@ -456,10 +455,8 @@ int lowpan_header_compress(struct sk_buff *skb, struct net_device *dev,
 
 	/* TODO: context lookup */
 
-	raw_dump_inline(__func__, "saddr",
-			(unsigned char *)_saddr, IEEE802154_ADDR_LEN);
-	raw_dump_inline(__func__, "daddr",
-			(unsigned char *)_daddr, IEEE802154_ADDR_LEN);
+	raw_dump_inline(__func__, "saddr", saddr, EUI64_ADDR_LEN);
+	raw_dump_inline(__func__, "daddr", daddr, EUI64_ADDR_LEN);
 
 	raw_dump_table(__func__, "sending raw skb network uncompressed packet",
 		       skb->data, skb->len);
@@ -544,7 +541,7 @@ int lowpan_header_compress(struct sk_buff *skb, struct net_device *dev,
 		if (addr_type & IPV6_ADDR_LINKLOCAL) {
 			iphc1 |= lowpan_compress_addr_64(&hc_ptr,
 							 LOWPAN_IPHC_SAM_BIT,
-							 &hdr->saddr, _saddr);
+							 &hdr->saddr, saddr);
 			pr_debug("source address unicast link-local %pI6c iphc1 0x%02x\n",
 				 &hdr->saddr, iphc1);
 		} else {
@@ -589,7 +586,7 @@ int lowpan_header_compress(struct sk_buff *skb, struct net_device *dev,
 		if (addr_type & IPV6_ADDR_LINKLOCAL) {
 			/* TODO: context lookup */
 			iphc1 |= lowpan_compress_addr_64(&hc_ptr,
-				LOWPAN_IPHC_DAM_BIT, &hdr->daddr, _daddr);
+				LOWPAN_IPHC_DAM_BIT, &hdr->daddr, daddr);
 			pr_debug("dest address unicast link-local %pI6c "
 				 "iphc1 0x%02x\n", &hdr->daddr, iphc1);
 		} else {
diff --git a/net/bluetooth/6lowpan.c b/net/bluetooth/6lowpan.c
index 665bf38bd03b..e2b66f3b0a49 100644
--- a/net/bluetooth/6lowpan.c
+++ b/net/bluetooth/6lowpan.c
@@ -489,8 +489,7 @@ static int setup_header(struct sk_buff *skb, struct net_device *netdev,
 		status = 1;
 	}
 
-	lowpan_header_compress(skb, netdev, ETH_P_IPV6, daddr,
-			       dev->netdev->dev_addr, skb->len);
+	lowpan_header_compress(skb, netdev, daddr, dev->netdev->dev_addr);
 
 	err = dev_hard_header(skb, netdev, ETH_P_IPV6, NULL, NULL, 0);
 	if (err < 0)
diff --git a/net/ieee802154/6lowpan/tx.c b/net/ieee802154/6lowpan/tx.c
index 62a21f6f021e..2a5b2c2b922b 100644
--- a/net/ieee802154/6lowpan/tx.c
+++ b/net/ieee802154/6lowpan/tx.c
@@ -218,7 +218,7 @@ static int lowpan_header(struct sk_buff *skb, struct net_device *ldev,
 	saddr = &info.saddr.u.extended_addr;
 
 	*dgram_size = skb->len;
-	lowpan_header_compress(skb, ldev, ETH_P_IPV6, daddr, saddr, skb->len);
+	lowpan_header_compress(skb, ldev, daddr, saddr);
 	/* dgram_offset = (saved bytes after compression) + lowpan header len */
 	*dgram_offset = (*dgram_size - skb->len) + skb_network_header_len(skb);