diff --git a/tc/m_pedit.c b/tc/m_pedit.c
index dfe9b2eb..4fdd189d 100644
--- a/tc/m_pedit.c
+++ b/tc/m_pedit.c
@@ -160,17 +160,9 @@ pack_key32(__u32 retain,struct tc_pedit_sel *sel,struct tc_pedit_key *tkey)
 int
 pack_key16(__u32 retain,struct tc_pedit_sel *sel,struct tc_pedit_key *tkey)
 {
-	int ind = 0, stride = 0;
+	int ind, stride;
 	__u32 m[4] = {0xFFFF0000,0xFF0000FF,0x0000FFFF};
 
-	if (0 > tkey->off) {
-		ind = tkey->off + 1;
-		if (0 > ind)
-			ind = -1*ind;
-	} else {
-		ind = tkey->off;
-	}
-
 	if (tkey->val > 0xFFFF || tkey->mask > 0xFFFF) {
 		fprintf(stderr, "pack_key16 bad value\n");
 		return -1;
@@ -178,18 +170,16 @@ pack_key16(__u32 retain,struct tc_pedit_sel *sel,struct tc_pedit_key *tkey)
 
 	ind = tkey->off & 3;
 
-	if (0 > ind || 2 < ind) {
+	if (ind == 3) {
 		fprintf(stderr, "pack_key16 bad index value %d\n",ind);
 		return -1;
 	}
 
 	stride = 8 * ind;
 	tkey->val = htons(tkey->val);
-	if (stride > 0) {
-		tkey->val <<= stride;
-		tkey->mask <<= stride;
-		retain <<= stride;
-	}
+	tkey->val <<= stride;
+	tkey->mask <<= stride;
+	retain <<= stride;
 	tkey->mask = retain|m[ind];
 
 	tkey->off &= ~3;
@@ -203,28 +193,22 @@ pack_key16(__u32 retain,struct tc_pedit_sel *sel,struct tc_pedit_key *tkey)
 int
 pack_key8(__u32 retain,struct tc_pedit_sel *sel,struct tc_pedit_key *tkey)
 {
-	int ind = 0, stride = 0;
+	int ind, stride;
 	__u32 m[4] = {0xFFFFFF00,0xFFFF00FF,0xFF00FFFF,0x00FFFFFF};
 
-	if (0 > tkey->off) {
-		ind = tkey->off + 1;
-		if (0 > ind)
-			ind = -1*ind;
-	} else {
-		ind = tkey->off;
-	}
-
 	if (tkey->val > 0xFF || tkey->mask > 0xFF) {
 		fprintf(stderr, "pack_key8 bad value (val %x mask %x\n", tkey->val, tkey->mask);
 		return -1;
 	}
 
 	ind = tkey->off & 3;
+
 	stride = 8 * ind;
 	tkey->val <<= stride;
 	tkey->mask <<= stride;
 	retain <<= stride;
 	tkey->mask = retain|m[ind];
+
 	tkey->off &= ~3;
 
 	if (pedit_debug)