diff --git a/conf/plugins/kernel-netlink.opt b/conf/plugins/kernel-netlink.opt
index 39fdf5b99..9310a3022 100644
--- a/conf/plugins/kernel-netlink.opt
+++ b/conf/plugins/kernel-netlink.opt
@@ -1,14 +1,6 @@
 charon.plugins.kernel-netlink.buflen = <min(PAGE_SIZE, 8192)>
 	Buffer size for received Netlink messages.
 
-charon.plugins.kernel-netlink.force_receive_buffer_size = no
-	Force maximum Netlink receive buffer on Netlink socket.
-
-	If the maximum Netlink socket receive buffer in bytes set by
-	_receive_buffer_size_ exceeds the system-wide maximum from
-	/proc/sys/net/core/rmem_max, this option can be used to override the limit.
-	Enabling this option requires special privileges (CAP_NET_ADMIN).
-
 charon.plugins.kernel-netlink.fwmark =
 	Firewall mark to set on the routing rule that directs traffic to our routing
 	table.
@@ -74,14 +66,16 @@ charon.plugins.kernel-netlink.process_rules = no
 	currently only useful if the kernel based route lookup is used (i.e. if
 	route installation is disabled or an inverted fwmark match is configured).
 
-charon.plugins.kernel-netlink.receive_buffer_size = 0
+charon.plugins.kernel-netlink.receive_buffer_size = 8388608
 	Maximum Netlink socket receive buffer in bytes.
 
 	Maximum Netlink socket receive buffer in bytes. This value controls how many
-	bytes of Netlink messages can be received on a Netlink socket. The default
-	value is set by /proc/sys/net/core/rmem_default. The specified value cannot
-	exceed the system-wide maximum from /proc/sys/net/core/rmem_max, unless
-	_force_receive_buffer_size_	is enabled.
+	bytes of Netlink messages can be queued to a Netlink socket. If set to 0,
+	the default from /proc/sys/net/core/rmem_default will apply. Note that the
+	kernel doubles the configured value to account for overhead. To exceed the
+	system-wide	maximum from /proc/sys/net/core/rmem_max, special privileges
+	(CAP_NET_ADMIN) are necessary, otherwise, the kernel silently caps the
+	value.
 
 charon.plugins.kernel-netlink.roam_events = yes
 	Whether to trigger roam events when interfaces, addresses or routes change.
diff --git a/src/libcharon/plugins/kernel_netlink/kernel_netlink_shared.c b/src/libcharon/plugins/kernel_netlink/kernel_netlink_shared.c
index cb0944640..eb20a8515 100644
--- a/src/libcharon/plugins/kernel_netlink/kernel_netlink_shared.c
+++ b/src/libcharon/plugins/kernel_netlink/kernel_netlink_shared.c
@@ -57,6 +57,13 @@
 #define SOL_NETLINK 270
 #endif
 
+/**
+ * Default receive buffer size
+ */
+#ifndef NETLINK_RCVBUF_DEFAULT
+#define NETLINK_RCVBUF_DEFAULT (8 * 1024 * 1024)
+#endif
+
 typedef struct private_netlink_socket_t private_netlink_socket_t;
 typedef struct private_netlink_event_socket_t private_netlink_event_socket_t;
 
@@ -656,7 +663,6 @@ netlink_socket_t *netlink_socket_create(int protocol, enum_name_t *names,
 	struct sockaddr_nl addr = {
 		.nl_family = AF_NETLINK,
 	};
-	bool force_buf = FALSE;
 	int on = 1, rcvbuf_size = 0;
 
 	INIT(this,
@@ -707,21 +713,16 @@ netlink_socket_t *netlink_socket_create(int protocol, enum_name_t *names,
 
 	rcvbuf_size = lib->settings->get_int(lib->settings,
 						"%s.plugins.kernel-netlink.receive_buffer_size",
-						rcvbuf_size, lib->ns);
+						NETLINK_RCVBUF_DEFAULT, lib->ns);
 	if (rcvbuf_size)
 	{
-		int optname;
-
-		force_buf = lib->settings->get_bool(lib->settings,
-						"%s.plugins.kernel-netlink.force_receive_buffer_size",
-						force_buf, lib->ns);
-		optname = force_buf ? SO_RCVBUFFORCE : SO_RCVBUF;
-
-		if (setsockopt(this->socket, SOL_SOCKET, optname, &rcvbuf_size,
+		if (setsockopt(this->socket, SOL_SOCKET, SO_RCVBUFFORCE, &rcvbuf_size,
+					   sizeof(rcvbuf_size)) == -1 &&
+			setsockopt(this->socket, SOL_SOCKET, SO_RCVBUF, &rcvbuf_size,
 					   sizeof(rcvbuf_size)) == -1)
 		{
-			DBG1(DBG_KNL, "failed to %supdate receive buffer size to %d: %s",
-					force_buf ? "forcibly " : "", rcvbuf_size, strerror(errno));
+			DBG1(DBG_KNL, "failed to set receive buffer size to %d: %s",
+				 rcvbuf_size, strerror(errno));
 		}
 	}
 	if (this->parallel)