diff --git a/src/core/thread/mesh_forwarder.cpp b/src/core/thread/mesh_forwarder.cpp
index 85ec64880..a9c0356ce 100644
--- a/src/core/thread/mesh_forwarder.cpp
+++ b/src/core/thread/mesh_forwarder.cpp
@@ -1364,11 +1364,22 @@ void MeshForwarder::HandleLowpanHC(uint8_t *               aFrame,
                                    const Mac::Address &    aMacDest,
                                    const otThreadLinkInfo &aLinkInfo)
 {
-    ThreadNetif &netif = GetNetif();
-    otError      error = OT_ERROR_NONE;
-    Message *    message;
+    ThreadNetif &netif   = GetNetif();
+    otError      error   = OT_ERROR_NONE;
+    Message *    message = NULL;
     int          headerLength;
 
+#if OPENTHREAD_FTD
+    if (!aMacDest.IsBroadcast() && aMacSource.IsShort())
+    {
+        Ip6::Header ip6header;
+
+        VerifyOrExit(netif.GetLowpan().DecompressBaseHeader(ip6header, aMacSource, aMacDest, aFrame, aFrameLength) > 0,
+                     error = OT_ERROR_PARSE);
+        netif.GetAddressResolver().UpdateCacheEntry(ip6header.GetSource(), aMacSource.GetShort());
+    }
+#endif
+
     VerifyOrExit((message = GetInstance().GetMessagePool().New(Message::kTypeIp6, 0)) != NULL,
                  error = OT_ERROR_NO_BUFS);
     message->SetLinkSecurityEnabled(aLinkInfo.mLinkSecurity);
diff --git a/src/core/thread/mesh_forwarder_ftd.cpp b/src/core/thread/mesh_forwarder_ftd.cpp
index 725fd5c06..a5829238f 100644
--- a/src/core/thread/mesh_forwarder_ftd.cpp
+++ b/src/core/thread/mesh_forwarder_ftd.cpp
@@ -979,11 +979,11 @@ void MeshForwarder::UpdateRoutes(uint8_t *           aFrame,
 
     VerifyOrExit(netif.GetLowpan().DecompressBaseHeader(ip6Header, aMeshSource, aMeshDest, aFrame, aFrameLength) > 0);
 
+    netif.GetAddressResolver().UpdateCacheEntry(ip6Header.GetSource(), meshHeader.GetSource());
+
     neighbor = netif.GetMle().GetNeighbor(ip6Header.GetSource());
     VerifyOrExit(neighbor != NULL && !neighbor->IsFullThreadDevice());
 
-    netif.GetAddressResolver().UpdateCacheEntry(ip6Header.GetSource(), meshHeader.GetSource());
-
     if (Mle::Mle::GetRouterId(meshHeader.GetSource()) != Mle::Mle::GetRouterId(GetNetif().GetMac().GetShortAddress()))
     {
         netif.GetMle().RemoveNeighbor(*neighbor);