diff --git a/src/cluster_legacy.c b/src/cluster_legacy.c
index bcde3b68dd..6431ab62ef 100644
--- a/src/cluster_legacy.c
+++ b/src/cluster_legacy.c
@@ -116,6 +116,7 @@ int auxTcpPortPresent(clusterNode *n);
 int auxTlsPortSetter(clusterNode *n, void *value, size_t length);
 sds auxTlsPortGetter(clusterNode *n, sds s);
 int auxTlsPortPresent(clusterNode *n);
+static void clusterBuildMessageHdrLight(clusterMsgLight *hdr, int type, size_t msglen);
 static void clusterBuildMessageHdr(clusterMsg *hdr, int type, size_t msglen);
 void freeClusterLink(clusterLink *link);
 int verifyClusterNodeId(const char *name, int length);
@@ -421,7 +422,7 @@ typedef struct {
     int refcount;  /* Number of cluster link send msg queues containing the message */
     union {
         clusterMsg msg;
-        clusterMsgLight light_msg;
+        clusterMsgLight msg_light;
     };
 } clusterMsgSendBlock;
 
@@ -1268,7 +1269,11 @@ static clusterMsgSendBlock *createClusterMsgSendBlock(int type, uint32_t msglen)
     msgblock->refcount = 1;
     msgblock->totlen = blocklen;
     server.stat_cluster_links_memory += blocklen;
-    clusterBuildMessageHdr(&msgblock->msg, type, msglen);
+    if IS_LIGHT_MESSAGE (type) {
+        clusterBuildMessageHdrLight(&msgblock->msg_light, type, msglen);
+    } else {
+        clusterBuildMessageHdr(&msgblock->msg, type, msglen);
+    }
     return msgblock;
 }
 
@@ -2895,13 +2900,11 @@ void processLightPacket(clusterLink *link, uint16_t type) {
     }
 }
 
-inline int messageTypeSupportsLightHdr(uint16_t type) {
+static inline int messageTypeSupportsLightHdr(uint16_t type) {
     switch (type) {
     case CLUSTERMSG_TYPE_PUBLISH: return 1;
     case CLUSTERMSG_TYPE_PUBLISHSHARD: return 1;
     }
-    serverLog(LL_NOTICE, "--- Packet of type %s does not support light cluster header",
-              clusterGetMessageTypeString(type));
     return 0;
 }
 
@@ -2909,11 +2912,13 @@ inline int messageTypeSupportsLightHdr(uint16_t type) {
 int clusterIsValidPacket(clusterLink *link) {
     clusterMsg *hdr = (clusterMsg *)link->rcvbuf;
     uint32_t totlen = ntohl(hdr->totlen);
-    uint16_t type = ntohs(hdr->type);
-    int is_light = IS_LIGHT_MESSAGE(type);
-    if (is_light) {
-        type &= ~CLUSTERMSG_LIGHT;
-        serverAssert(messageTypeSupportsLightHdr(type));
+    int is_light = IS_LIGHT_MESSAGE(ntohs(hdr->type));
+    uint16_t type = ntohs(hdr->type) & ~CLUSTERMSG_MODIFIER_MASK;
+
+    if (is_light && !messageTypeSupportsLightHdr(type)) {
+        serverLog(LL_NOTICE, "--- Packet of type %s does not support light cluster header",
+                  clusterGetMessageTypeString(type));
+        return 0;
     }
 
     if (type < CLUSTERMSG_TYPE_COUNT) server.cluster->stats_bus_messages_received[type]++;
@@ -3028,12 +3033,11 @@ int clusterProcessPacket(clusterLink *link) {
     }
 
     clusterMsg *hdr = (clusterMsg *)link->rcvbuf;
-    uint16_t type = ntohs(hdr->type);
     mstime_t now = mstime();
-    int is_light = IS_LIGHT_MESSAGE(type);
+    int is_light = IS_LIGHT_MESSAGE(ntohs(hdr->type));
+    uint16_t type = ntohs(hdr->type) & ~CLUSTERMSG_MODIFIER_MASK;
 
     if (is_light) {
-        type &= ~CLUSTERMSG_LIGHT;
         if (!link->node || nodeInHandshake(link->node)) {
             freeClusterLink(link);
             serverLog(
@@ -3717,24 +3721,21 @@ void clusterBroadcastMessage(clusterMsgSendBlock *msgblock) {
     dictReleaseIterator(di);
 }
 
-/* Build the message header. hdr must point to a buffer at least
- * sizeof(clusterMsg) in bytes. */
-static void clusterBuildMessageHdr(clusterMsg *hdr, int type, size_t msglen) {
+static void clusterBuildMessageHdrLight(clusterMsgLight *hdr, int type, size_t msglen) {
     hdr->ver = htons(CLUSTER_PROTO_VER);
     hdr->sig[0] = 'R';
     hdr->sig[1] = 'C';
     hdr->sig[2] = 'm';
     hdr->sig[3] = 'b';
     hdr->type = htons(type);
+    hdr->notused1 = 0;
+    hdr->notused2 = 0;
     hdr->totlen = htonl(msglen);
+}
 
-    if (IS_LIGHT_MESSAGE(type)) {
-        clusterMsgLight *hdr_light = (clusterMsgLight *)hdr;
-        hdr_light->notused1 = 0;
-        hdr_light->notused2 = 0;
-        return;
-    }
-
+/* Build the message header. hdr must point to a buffer at least
+ * sizeof(clusterMsg) in bytes. */
+static void clusterBuildMessageHdr(clusterMsg *hdr, int type, size_t msglen) {
     uint64_t offset;
     clusterNode *primary;
 
@@ -3744,6 +3745,12 @@ static void clusterBuildMessageHdr(clusterMsg *hdr, int type, size_t msglen) {
      * in charge for this slots. */
     primary = (nodeIsReplica(myself) && myself->replicaof) ? myself->replicaof : myself;
 
+    hdr->ver = htons(CLUSTER_PROTO_VER);
+    hdr->sig[0] = 'R';
+    hdr->sig[1] = 'C';
+    hdr->sig[2] = 'm';
+    hdr->sig[3] = 'b';
+    hdr->type = htons(type);
     memcpy(hdr->sender, myself->name, CLUSTER_NAMELEN);
 
     /* If cluster-announce-ip option is enabled, force the receivers of our
@@ -3785,6 +3792,8 @@ static void clusterBuildMessageHdr(clusterMsg *hdr, int type, size_t msglen) {
 
     /* Set the message flags. */
     if (clusterNodeIsPrimary(myself) && server.cluster->mf_end) hdr->mflags[0] |= CLUSTERMSG_FLAG0_PAUSED;
+
+    hdr->totlen = htonl(msglen);
 }
 
 /* Set the i-th entry of the gossip section in the message pointed by 'hdr'
@@ -4013,7 +4022,7 @@ clusterMsgSendBlock *clusterCreatePublishMsgBlock(robj *channel, robj *message,
     clusterMsgSendBlock *msgblock = createClusterMsgSendBlock(type, msglen);
     clusterMsgDataPublish *hdr_data_msg;
     if (is_light) {
-        clusterMsgLight *hdr_light = &msgblock->light_msg;
+        clusterMsgLight *hdr_light = &msgblock->msg_light;
         hdr_data_msg = &hdr_light->data.publish.msg;
     } else {
         clusterMsg *hdr = &msgblock->msg;
diff --git a/src/cluster_legacy.h b/src/cluster_legacy.h
index 1121091003..c7cc25ba14 100644
--- a/src/cluster_legacy.h
+++ b/src/cluster_legacy.h
@@ -96,6 +96,8 @@ typedef struct clusterNodeFailReport {
 
 #define CLUSTERMSG_LIGHT 0x8000 /* Modifier bit for message types that support light header */
 
+#define CLUSTERMSG_MODIFIER_MASK (CLUSTERMSG_LIGHT) /* Modifier bit for message types that support light header */
+
 /* We check for the modifier bit to determine if the message is sent using light header.*/
 #define IS_LIGHT_MESSAGE(type) ((type) & CLUSTERMSG_LIGHT)