diff --git a/pkg/network/filter/packet_source_linux.go b/pkg/network/filter/packet_source_linux.go
index d0d493f82987a..b272a984b86f9 100644
--- a/pkg/network/filter/packet_source_linux.go
+++ b/pkg/network/filter/packet_source_linux.go
@@ -129,8 +129,15 @@ func (p *AFPacketSource) SetBPF(filter []bpf.RawInstruction) error {
 	return p.TPacket.SetBPF(filter)
 }
 
-// VisitPackets starts reading packets from the source
-func (p *AFPacketSource) VisitPackets(exit <-chan struct{}, visit func(data []byte, info PacketInfo, t time.Time) error) error {
+type zeroCopyPacketReader interface {
+	ZeroCopyReadPacketData() (data []byte, ci gopacket.CaptureInfo, err error)
+}
+
+// AFPacketVisitor is the callback that AFPacketSource will trigger for packets
+// The data buffer is reused between calls, so be careful
+type AFPacketVisitor = func(data []byte, info PacketInfo, t time.Time) error
+
+func visitPackets(p zeroCopyPacketReader, exit <-chan struct{}, visit AFPacketVisitor) error {
 	pktInfo := &AFPacketInfo{}
 	for {
 		// allow the read loop to be prematurely interrupted
@@ -169,6 +176,11 @@ func (p *AFPacketSource) VisitPackets(exit <-chan struct{}, visit func(data []by
 	}
 }
 
+// VisitPackets starts reading packets from the source
+func (p *AFPacketSource) VisitPackets(exit <-chan struct{}, visit AFPacketVisitor) error {
+	return visitPackets(p, exit, visit)
+}
+
 // LayerType is the gopacket.LayerType for this source
 func (p *AFPacketSource) LayerType() gopacket.LayerType {
 	return layers.LayerTypeEthernet
diff --git a/pkg/network/filter/packet_source_linux_test.go b/pkg/network/filter/packet_source_linux_test.go
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000000..23342d6aa5b57
--- /dev/null
+++ b/pkg/network/filter/packet_source_linux_test.go
@@ -0,0 +1,104 @@
+// Unless explicitly stated otherwise all files in this repository are licensed
+// under the Apache License Version 2.0.
+// This product includes software developed at Datadog (https://www.datadoghq.com/).
+// Copyright 2024-present Datadog, Inc.
+
+//go:build linux
+
+package filter
+
+import (
+	"github.com/google/gopacket"
+	"github.com/google/gopacket/afpacket"
+	"github.com/stretchr/testify/assert"
+	"github.com/stretchr/testify/require"
+	"golang.org/x/sys/unix"
+	"testing"
+	"time"
+)
+
+type mockPacketReader struct {
+	data []byte
+	ci   gopacket.CaptureInfo
+	err  error
+}
+
+func (m *mockPacketReader) ZeroCopyReadPacketData() (data []byte, ci gopacket.CaptureInfo, err error) {
+	return m.data, m.ci, m.err
+}
+
+func mockCaptureInfo(ancillaryData []interface{}) gopacket.CaptureInfo {
+	return gopacket.CaptureInfo{
+		Timestamp:      time.Now(),
+		CaptureLength:  0,
+		Length:         0,
+		InterfaceIndex: 0,
+		AncillaryData:  ancillaryData,
+	}
+}
+
+func expectAncillaryPktType(t *testing.T, ancillaryData []interface{}, pktType uint8) {
+	exit := make(chan struct{})
+
+	p := mockPacketReader{
+		data: []byte{},
+		ci:   mockCaptureInfo(ancillaryData),
+		err:  nil,
+	}
+
+	visited := false
+
+	err := visitPackets(&p, exit, func(_ []byte, info PacketInfo, _ time.Time) error {
+		// make sure the callback ran since it's responsible for the require call
+		visited = true
+
+		// convert to linux packet info
+		pktInfo := info.(*AFPacketInfo)
+		// use assert so that we close the exit channel on failure
+		assert.Equal(t, pktType, pktInfo.PktType)
+
+		// trigger exit so it only reads one packet
+		close(exit)
+		return nil
+	})
+	require.NoError(t, err)
+	require.True(t, visited)
+}
+
+func TestVisitingRegularPacketOutgoing(t *testing.T) {
+	expectAncillaryPktType(t, []interface{}{
+		afpacket.AncillaryPktType{
+			Type: unix.PACKET_OUTGOING,
+		},
+	}, unix.PACKET_OUTGOING)
+}
+
+func TestVisitingVLANPacketOutgoing(t *testing.T) {
+	expectAncillaryPktType(t, []interface{}{
+		afpacket.AncillaryVLAN{
+			VLAN: 0,
+		},
+		afpacket.AncillaryPktType{
+			Type: unix.PACKET_OUTGOING,
+		},
+	}, unix.PACKET_OUTGOING)
+}
+
+func TestVisitingRegularPacketIncoming(t *testing.T) {
+	expectAncillaryPktType(t, []interface{}{
+		afpacket.AncillaryPktType{
+			Type: unix.PACKET_HOST,
+		},
+	}, unix.PACKET_HOST)
+}
+
+func TestVisitingVLANPacketIncoming(t *testing.T) {
+	expectAncillaryPktType(t, []interface{}{
+		afpacket.AncillaryVLAN{
+			VLAN: 0,
+		},
+		afpacket.AncillaryPktType{
+			Type: unix.PACKET_HOST,
+		},
+	}, unix.PACKET_HOST)
+}