diff --git a/src/common/capwap_protocol.c b/src/common/capwap_protocol.c
index 9bcd456..97b691e 100644
--- a/src/common/capwap_protocol.c
+++ b/src/common/capwap_protocol.c
@@ -597,7 +597,7 @@ struct capwap_packet_txmng* capwap_packet_txmng_create_data_message(struct capwa
 	txmngpacket->isctrlpacket = 0;
 	if (IS_FLAG_K_HEADER(txmngpacket->header)) {
 		txmngpacket->datamsg = (struct capwap_data_message*)&fragmentpacket->buffer[fragmentpacket->offset];
-		txmngpacket->datamsg->length = CAPWAP_DATA_MESSAGE_KEEPALIVE_MIN_LENGTH;
+		txmngpacket->datamsg->length = htons(CAPWAP_DATA_MESSAGE_KEEPALIVE_MIN_LENGTH);		/* sizeof(Msg Element Length) */
 		fragmentpacket->offset += sizeof(struct capwap_data_message);
 	}