diff --git a/sys/netlink/netlink_message_parser.h b/sys/netlink/netlink_message_parser.h
index 96fd1c7337b..3f64c1967f0 100644
--- a/sys/netlink/netlink_message_parser.h
+++ b/sys/netlink/netlink_message_parser.h
@@ -213,9 +213,19 @@ nl_parse_header(void *hdr, int len, const struct nlhdr_parser *parser,
 	int error;
 
 	if (__predict_false(len < parser->nl_hdr_off)) {
-		nlmsg_report_err_msg(npt, "header too short: expected %d, got %d",
-		    parser->nl_hdr_off, len);
-		return (EINVAL);
+		if (npt->strict) {
+			nlmsg_report_err_msg(npt, "header too short: expected %d, got %d",
+			    parser->nl_hdr_off, len);
+			return (EINVAL);
+		}
+
+		/* Compat with older applications: pretend there's a full header */
+		void *tmp_hdr = npt_alloc(npt, parser->nl_hdr_off);
+		if (tmp_hdr == NULL)
+			return (EINVAL);
+		memcpy(tmp_hdr, hdr, len);
+		hdr = tmp_hdr;
+		len = parser->nl_hdr_off;
 	}
 
 	if (npt->strict && parser->sp != NULL && !parser->sp(hdr, npt))
diff --git a/tests/sys/netlink/test_rtnl_ifaddr.py b/tests/sys/netlink/test_rtnl_ifaddr.py
index bd1c55e268e..ec349fcd6fd 100644
--- a/tests/sys/netlink/test_rtnl_ifaddr.py
+++ b/tests/sys/netlink/test_rtnl_ifaddr.py
@@ -8,6 +8,7 @@ from atf_python.sys.net.netlink import NetlinkTestTemplate
 from atf_python.sys.net.netlink import NlConst
 from atf_python.sys.net.netlink import NlHelper
 from atf_python.sys.net.netlink import NlmBaseFlags
+from atf_python.sys.net.netlink import Nlmsghdr
 from atf_python.sys.net.netlink import NlMsgType
 from atf_python.sys.net.netlink import NlRtMsgType
 from atf_python.sys.net.netlink import Nlsock
@@ -68,6 +69,25 @@ class TestRtNlIfaddr(NetlinkTestTemplate, SingleVnetTestTemplate):
         assert len([r for r in ret if r[0] == ifname and r[1] == socket.AF_INET6]) == 2
         assert len(ret) == 3
 
+    def test_46_filter_family_compat(self):
+        """Tests that family filtering works with the stripped header"""
+
+        hdr = Nlmsghdr(
+                nlmsg_len=17,
+                nlmsg_type=NlRtMsgType.RTM_GETADDR.value,
+                nlmsg_flags=NlmBaseFlags.NLM_F_ACK.value | NlmBaseFlags.NLM_F_REQUEST.value,
+                nlmsg_seq=self.helper.get_seq()
+                )
+        data = bytes(hdr) + struct.pack("@B", socket.AF_INET)
+        self.nlsock.write_data(data)
+
+        ret = []
+        for rx_msg in self.read_msg_list(hdr.nlmsg_seq, NlRtMsgType.RTM_NEWADDR):
+            ifname = socket.if_indextoname(rx_msg.base_hdr.ifa_index)
+            family = rx_msg.base_hdr.ifa_family
+            ret.append((ifname, family, rx_msg))
+        assert len(ret) == 2
+
     def filter_iface_family(self, family, num_items):
         """Tests that listing outputs IPv4 for the specific interface"""
         epair_ifname = self.vnet.iface_alias_map["if1"].name