diff --git a/nbd/server.c b/nbd/server.c
index cf38a104d9a..5812a773ace 100644
--- a/nbd/server.c
+++ b/nbd/server.c
@@ -2316,6 +2316,8 @@ static int coroutine_fn nbd_co_receive_request(NBDRequestData *req, NBDRequest *
                                                Error **errp)
 {
     NBDClient *client = req->client;
+    bool extended_with_payload;
+    int payload_len = 0;
     int valid_flags;
     int ret;

@@ -2329,27 +2331,41 @@ static int coroutine_fn nbd_co_receive_request(NBDRequestData *req, NBDRequest *
     trace_nbd_co_receive_request_decode_type(request->handle, request->type,
                                              nbd_cmd_lookup(request->type));

-    if (request->type != NBD_CMD_WRITE) {
-        /* No payload, we are ready to read the next request.  */
-        req->complete = true;
-    }
-
     if (request->type == NBD_CMD_DISC) {
         /* Special case: we're going to disconnect without a reply,
          * whether or not flags, from, or len are bogus */
+        req->complete = true;
         return -EIO;
     }

+    /* Payload and buffer handling. */
+    extended_with_payload = client->header_style >= NBD_HEADER_EXTENDED &&
+        (request->flags & NBD_CMD_FLAG_PAYLOAD_LEN);
     if (request->type == NBD_CMD_READ || request->type == NBD_CMD_WRITE ||
-        request->type == NBD_CMD_CACHE)
-    {
+        request->type == NBD_CMD_CACHE || extended_with_payload) {
         if (request->len > NBD_MAX_BUFFER_SIZE) {
             error_setg(errp, "len (%" PRIu64" ) is larger than max len (%u)",
                        request->len, NBD_MAX_BUFFER_SIZE);
             return -EINVAL;
         }

-        if (request->type != NBD_CMD_CACHE) {
+        if (request->type == NBD_CMD_WRITE || extended_with_payload) {
+            payload_len = request->len;
+            if (request->type != NBD_CMD_WRITE) {
+                /*
+                 * For now, we don't support payloads on other
+                 * commands; but we can keep the connection alive.
+                 */
+                request->len = 0;
+            } else if (client->header_style >= NBD_HEADER_EXTENDED &&
+                       !extended_with_payload) {
+                /* The client is noncompliant. Trace it, but proceed. */
+                trace_nbd_co_receive_ext_payload_compliance(request->from,
+                                                            request->len);
+            }
+        }
+
+        if (request->type == NBD_CMD_WRITE || request->type == NBD_CMD_READ) {
             req->data = blk_try_blockalign(client->exp->common.blk,
                                            request->len);
             if (req->data == NULL) {
@@ -2359,18 +2375,20 @@ static int coroutine_fn nbd_co_receive_request(NBDRequestData *req, NBDRequest *
         }
     }

-    if (request->type == NBD_CMD_WRITE) {
-        assert(request->len <= NBD_MAX_BUFFER_SIZE);
-        if (nbd_read(client->ioc, req->data, request->len, "CMD_WRITE data",
-                     errp) < 0)
-        {
+    if (payload_len) {
+        if (req->data) {
+            ret = nbd_read(client->ioc, req->data, payload_len,
+                           "CMD_WRITE data", errp);
+        } else {
+            ret = nbd_drop(client->ioc, payload_len, errp);
+        }
+        if (ret < 0) {
             return -EIO;
         }
-        req->complete = true;
-
         trace_nbd_co_receive_request_payload_received(request->handle,
-                                                      request->len);
+                                                      payload_len);
     }
+    req->complete = true;

     /* Sanity checks. */
     if (client->exp->nbdflags & NBD_FLAG_READ_ONLY &&
@@ -2400,7 +2418,10 @@ static int coroutine_fn nbd_co_receive_request(NBDRequestData *req, NBDRequest *
                                               client->check_align);
     }
     valid_flags = NBD_CMD_FLAG_FUA;
-    if (request->type == NBD_CMD_READ &&
+    if (request->type == NBD_CMD_WRITE &&
+        client->header_style >= NBD_HEADER_EXTENDED) {
+        valid_flags |= NBD_CMD_FLAG_PAYLOAD_LEN;
+    } else if (request->type == NBD_CMD_READ &&
         client->header_style >= NBD_HEADER_STRUCTURED) {
         valid_flags |= NBD_CMD_FLAG_DF;
     } else if (request->type == NBD_CMD_WRITE_ZEROES) {
diff --git a/nbd/trace-events b/nbd/trace-events
index e2c1d68688d..adf5666e207 100644
--- a/nbd/trace-events
+++ b/nbd/trace-events
@@ -71,6 +71,7 @@ nbd_co_send_extents(uint64_t handle, unsigned int extents, uint32_t id, uint64_t
 nbd_co_send_structured_error(uint64_t handle, int err, const char *errname, const char *msg) "Send structured error reply: handle = %" PRIu64 ", error = %d (%s), msg = '%s'"
 nbd_co_receive_request_decode_type(uint64_t handle, uint16_t type, const char *name) "Decoding type: handle = %" PRIu64 ", type = %" PRIu16 " (%s)"
 nbd_co_receive_request_payload_received(uint64_t handle, uint64_t len) "Payload received: handle = %" PRIu64 ", len = %" PRIu64
+nbd_co_receive_ext_payload_compliance(uint64_t from, uint64_t len) "client sent non-compliant write without payload flag: from=0x%" PRIx64 ", len=0x%" PRIx64
 nbd_co_receive_align_compliance(const char *op, uint64_t from, uint64_t len, uint32_t align) "client sent non-compliant unaligned %s request: from=0x%" PRIx64 ", len=0x%" PRIx64 ", align=0x%" PRIx32
 nbd_trip(void) "Reading request"

