diff --git a/Cargo.lock b/Cargo.lock
index 81dfb0c..ec47a1a 100644
--- a/Cargo.lock
+++ b/Cargo.lock
@@ -2753,9 +2753,9 @@ checksum = "0b928f33d975fc6ad9f86c8f283853ad26bdd5b10b7f1542aa2fa15e2289105a"
 
 [[package]]
 name = "vmnet"
-version = "0.4.2"
+version = "0.5.0"
 source = "registry+https://github.com/rust-lang/crates.io-index"
-checksum = "c96eae216a9fa27c8e458ee5ef56dfc92d43fc8c25d67ade4a7fa83f0cb8b21b"
+checksum = "4d88878a5583a43715c9f6de9b4cf94bc1af1dfec2a6abd75fd821de623f693b"
 dependencies = [
  "bitflags 1.3.2",
  "block",
@@ -2771,9 +2771,9 @@ dependencies = [
 
 [[package]]
 name = "vmnet-derive"
-version = "0.4.2"
+version = "0.5.0"
 source = "registry+https://github.com/rust-lang/crates.io-index"
-checksum = "fa20b8d2b5b0504355848b99b54fda9411f8201f44c1a9ee5a2d3c3134d31297"
+checksum = "9ee4569490df90dfa2cfeda38230905b2331e72a16fa62a8f5d31069ea024db2"
 dependencies = [
  "darling",
  "proc-macro2",
diff --git a/Cargo.toml b/Cargo.toml
index fccfbb4..f34f345 100644
--- a/Cargo.toml
+++ b/Cargo.toml
@@ -16,7 +16,7 @@ smoltcp = "0"
 libc = "0"
 polling = "3"
 dhcproto = { git = "https://github.com/bluecatengineering/dhcproto.git", branch = "master" }
-vmnet = "0"
+vmnet = "0.5.0"
 clap = { version = "4", features = ["derive"] }
 mac_address = "1"
 privdrop = "0"
diff --git a/lib/host.rs b/lib/host.rs
index c8fcb02..7b2ee66 100644
--- a/lib/host.rs
+++ b/lib/host.rs
@@ -9,7 +9,7 @@ use std::sync::mpsc::{SyncSender, sync_channel};
 use vmnet::mode::Mode;
 use vmnet::parameters::{Parameter, ParameterKind};
 use vmnet::port_forwarding::{AddressFamily, Protocol};
-use vmnet::{Events, Options};
+use vmnet::{Batch, Events, Options};
 
 #[derive(ValueEnum, Clone, Debug)]
 pub enum NetType {
@@ -29,6 +29,7 @@ pub struct Host {
     callback_can_continue_tx: SyncSender<()>,
     pub gateway_ip: smoltcp::wire::Ipv4Address,
     pub max_packet_size: u64,
+    pub read_max_packets: u64,
     finalized: bool,
 }
 
@@ -67,6 +68,15 @@ impl Host {
             ));
         };
 
+        // Retrieve read max packets for this interface
+        let Some(Parameter::ReadMaxPackets(read_max_packets)) =
+            interface.parameters().get(ParameterKind::ReadMaxPackets)
+        else {
+            return Err(anyhow!(
+                "failed to retrieve vmnet's interface read max packets"
+            ));
+        };
+
         // Set up a socketpair() to emulate polling of the vmnet interface
         let (new_packets_tx, new_packets_rx) = UnixDatagram::pair()?;
         new_packets_rx.set_nonblocking(true)?;
@@ -96,6 +106,7 @@ impl Host {
             callback_can_continue_tx,
             gateway_ip,
             max_packet_size,
+            read_max_packets,
             finalized: false,
         })
     }
@@ -133,14 +144,14 @@ impl Host {
             .map_err(|err| anyhow!("failed to remove port forwarding rule {details}: {err}"))
     }
 
-    pub fn read(&mut self, buf: &mut [u8]) -> vmnet::Result<usize> {
+    pub fn read(&mut self, batch: &mut Batch, bufs: &mut [Vec<u8>]) -> vmnet::Result<usize> {
         // Dequeue dummy datagram from the socket (if any)
         // to free up buffer space and reduce false-positives
         // when polling
         let mut buf_to_be_discarded: [u8; 1] = [0; 1];
         let _ = self.new_packets_rx.recv(&mut buf_to_be_discarded);
 
-        let result = self.interface.read(buf);
+        let result = self.interface.read_batch(batch, bufs);
 
         if let Err(vmnet::Error::VmnetReadNothing) = result {
             // We've emptied everything, unlock the callback
diff --git a/lib/proxy/mod.rs b/lib/proxy/mod.rs
index 39f0347..e5f6655 100644
--- a/lib/proxy/mod.rs
+++ b/lib/proxy/mod.rs
@@ -18,6 +18,7 @@ use prefix_trie::{Prefix, PrefixMap, PrefixSet};
 use smoltcp::wire::EthernetFrame;
 use std::io::ErrorKind;
 use std::os::unix::io::{AsRawFd, RawFd};
+use vmnet::Batch;
 
 pub struct Proxy<'proxy> {
     vm: VM,
@@ -76,8 +77,16 @@ impl Proxy<'_> {
     }
 
     pub fn run(&mut self) -> Result<()> {
+        // Create a single buffer from reading from the VM
         let mut buf: Vec<u8> = vec![0; self.host.max_packet_size as usize];
 
+        // Create multiple buffers and a batch for reading from the host
+        let mut bufs = vec![
+            vec![0u8; self.host.max_packet_size as usize];
+            self.host.read_max_packets as usize
+        ];
+        let mut batch = Batch::preallocate(bufs.len());
+
         self.poller.arm()?;
 
         loop {
@@ -88,7 +97,7 @@ impl Proxy<'_> {
             }
 
             if host_readable {
-                self.read_from_host(buf.as_mut_slice())?;
+                self.read_from_host(&mut batch, &mut bufs)?;
             }
 
             // Graceful termination
@@ -125,12 +134,14 @@ impl Proxy<'_> {
         }
     }
 
-    fn read_from_host(&mut self, buf: &mut [u8]) -> Result<()> {
+    fn read_from_host(&mut self, batch: &mut Batch, bufs: &mut [Vec<u8>]) -> Result<()> {
         loop {
-            match self.host.read(buf) {
-                Ok(n) => {
-                    if let Ok(pkt) = EthernetFrame::new_checked(&buf[..n]) {
-                        self.process_frame_from_host(&pkt)?;
+            match self.host.read(batch, bufs) {
+                Ok(pktcnt) => {
+                    for buf in batch.packet_sized_bufs(bufs).take(pktcnt) {
+                        if let Ok(pkt) = EthernetFrame::new_checked(buf) {
+                            self.process_frame_from_host(&pkt)?;
+                        }
                     }
                 }
                 Err(err) => {