diff --git a/src/common/packet.cc b/src/common/packet.cc
index 4796d86e6..f27136fd9 100644
--- a/src/common/packet.cc
+++ b/src/common/packet.cc
@@ -141,4 +141,10 @@ Packet::Print (std::ostream &os, const PacketPrinter &printer) const
   m_history.Print (os, m_buffer, printer);
 }
 
+void
+Packet::EnableMetadata (void)
+{
+  PacketHistory::Enable ();
+}
+
 }; // namespace ns3
diff --git a/src/common/packet.h b/src/common/packet.h
index db4d8cb74..921e3f968 100644
--- a/src/common/packet.h
+++ b/src/common/packet.h
@@ -257,6 +257,8 @@ public:
 
   void Print (std::ostream &os) const;
   void Print (std::ostream &os, const PacketPrinter &printer) const;
+
+  static void EnableMetadata (void);
 private:
   Packet (Buffer buffer, Tags tags, PacketHistory history, uint32_t uid);
   Buffer m_buffer;
diff --git a/utils/bench-packets.cc b/utils/bench-packets.cc
index 2e3e0e490..e3c66011c 100644
--- a/utils/bench-packets.cc
+++ b/utils/bench-packets.cc
@@ -179,9 +179,9 @@ int main (int argc, char *argv[])
           char const *nAscii = argv[0] + strlen ("--n=");
           n = atoi (nAscii);
         }
-      if (strncmp ("--enable-history", argv[0], strlen ("--enable-history")) == 0)
+      if (strncmp ("--enable-history", argv[0], strlen ("--enable-metadata")) == 0)
         {
-          PacketHistory::Enable ();          
+          Packet::EnableMetadata ();
         }
       argc--;
       argv++;