diff --git a/libraries/networking/src/NLPacket.cpp b/libraries/networking/src/NLPacket.cpp
index 4f17d3d754..711114cc1e 100644
--- a/libraries/networking/src/NLPacket.cpp
+++ b/libraries/networking/src/NLPacket.cpp
@@ -29,11 +29,17 @@ qint64 NLPacket::localHeaderSize() const {
     return localHeaderSize(_type);
 }
 
-std::unique_ptr<NLPacket> NLPacket::create(PacketType::Value type, int64_t size) {
-    if (size > maxPayloadSize(type)) {
-        return std::unique_ptr<NLPacket>();
+std::unique_ptr<NLPacket> NLPacket::create(PacketType::Value type, qint64 size) {
+    auto maxPayload = maxPayloadSize(type);
+    if (size == -1) {
+        // default size of -1, means biggest packet possible
+        size = maxPayload;
     }
-
+    
+    // Fail with invalid size
+    Q_ASSERT(size >= 0 || size < maxPayload);
+    
+    // allocate memory
     return std::unique_ptr<NLPacket>(new NLPacket(type, size));
 }