diff --git a/hw/net/cadence_gem.c b/hw/net/cadence_gem.c
index dceafb5d90ed1e2e1eb442b3f793e1e00490c351..58d9b63e7edd4004c31387957f11b1a66f5a8b6c 100644
--- a/hw/net/cadence_gem.c
+++ b/hw/net/cadence_gem.c
@@ -243,6 +243,7 @@
 
 #define R_DESC_1_RX_SAR_SHIFT           25
 #define R_DESC_1_RX_SAR_LENGTH          2
+#define R_DESC_1_RX_SAR_MATCH           (1 << 27)
 #define R_DESC_1_RX_UNICAST_HASH        (1 << 29)
 #define R_DESC_1_RX_MULTICAST_HASH      (1 << 30)
 #define R_DESC_1_RX_BROADCAST           (1 << 31)
@@ -345,6 +346,7 @@ static inline void rx_desc_set_sar(unsigned *desc, int sar_idx)
 {
     desc[1] = deposit32(desc[1], R_DESC_1_RX_SAR_SHIFT, R_DESC_1_RX_SAR_LENGTH,
                         sar_idx);
+    desc[1] |= R_DESC_1_RX_SAR_MATCH;
 }
 
 #define TYPE_CADENCE_GEM "cadence_gem"