diff --git a/overlay/tio/tio_gso_linux.go b/overlay/tio/tio_gso_linux.go
index 37a2f9f2..64ca75e6 100644
--- a/overlay/tio/tio_gso_linux.go
+++ b/overlay/tio/tio_gso_linux.go
@@ -276,22 +276,16 @@ func (r *Offload) decodeRead(pktLen int) error {
 }
 
 func (r *Offload) Write(buf []byte) (int, error) {
+	if len(buf) == 0 {
+		return 0, nil
+	}
 	iovs := [2]unix.Iovec{
 		{Base: &validVnetHdr[0]},
 		{Base: &buf[0]},
 	}
 	iovs[0].SetLen(virtio.Size)
 	iovs[1].SetLen(len(buf))
-	return r.writeWithScratch(buf, &iovs)
-}
-
-func (r *Offload) writeWithScratch(buf []byte, iovs *[2]unix.Iovec) (int, error) {
-	if len(buf) == 0 {
-		return 0, nil
-	}
-	iovs[1].Base = &buf[0]
-	iovs[1].SetLen(len(buf))
-	return r.rawWrite(unsafe.Slice(&iovs[0], len(iovs)))
+	return r.rawWrite(unsafe.Slice(&iovs[0], 2))
 }
 
 func (r *Offload) rawWrite(iovs []unix.Iovec) (int, error) {
diff --git a/overlay/tio/tun_linux_offload_test.go b/overlay/tio/tun_linux_offload_test.go
index d2b69fae..59d88cca 100644
--- a/overlay/tio/tun_linux_offload_test.go
+++ b/overlay/tio/tun_linux_offload_test.go
@@ -854,3 +854,15 @@ func TestDecodeReadFitsMaxTSOAtDrainThreshold(t *testing.T) {
 		t.Fatalf("got %d segments, want %d", gotSegs, wantSegs)
 	}
 }
+
+// TestOffloadWriteZeroLength: a zero-length Write must be a no-op, not a
+// panic. The guard used to live below the &buf[0] that tripped on it.
+func TestOffloadWriteZeroLength(t *testing.T) {
+	tf := &Offload{fd: -1} // any write reaching the fd would fail loudly
+	for _, buf := range [][]byte{nil, {}} {
+		n, err := tf.Write(buf)
+		if n != 0 || err != nil {
+			t.Errorf("Write(len=0) = (%d, %v), want (0, nil)", n, err)
+		}
+	}
+}