diff --git a/src/mem/packet_queue.hh b/src/mem/packet_queue.hh
--- a/src/mem/packet_queue.hh
+++ b/src/mem/packet_queue.hh
@@ -89,6 +89,13 @@
     /** Event used to call processSendEvent. */
     EventWrapper<PacketQueue, &PacketQueue::processSendEvent> sendEvent;
 
+     /*
+      * Optionally disable the sanity check
+      * on the size of the transmitList. The
+      * sanity check will be enabled by default.
+      */
+    bool _disableSanityCheck;
+
   protected:
 
     /** Label to use for print request packets label stack. */
@@ -123,8 +130,11 @@
      *
      * @param _em Event manager used for scheduling this queue
      * @param _label Label to push on the label stack for print request packets
+     * @param disable_sanity_check Flag used to disable the sanity check
+     *        on the size of the transmitList. The check is enabled by default.
      */
-    PacketQueue(EventManager& _em, const std::string& _label);
+    PacketQueue(EventManager& _em, const std::string& _label,
+                bool disable_sanity_check = false);
 
     /**
      * Virtual desctructor since the class may be used as a base class.
@@ -187,6 +197,14 @@
      */
     void retry();
 
+    /**
+      * This allows a user to explicitly disable the sanity check
+      * on the size of the transmitList, which is enabled by default.
+      * Users must use this function to explicitly disable the sanity
+      * check.
+      */
+    void disableSanityCheck() { _disableSanityCheck = true; }
+
     DrainState drain() override;
 };
 
# Node ID 7b7e352f8d7f30c67def98382d9b8bf4a63ac8a9
# Parent  2375b33bddc61ea484b3bd194ba02f7889095624
diff --git a/src/mem/packet_queue.cc b/src/mem/packet_queue.cc
--- a/src/mem/packet_queue.cc
+++ b/src/mem/packet_queue.cc
@@ -48,9 +48,10 @@
 
 using namespace std;
 
-PacketQueue::PacketQueue(EventManager& _em, const std::string& _label)
-    : em(_em), sendEvent(this), label(_label),
-      waitingOnRetry(false)
+PacketQueue::PacketQueue(EventManager& _em, const std::string& _label,
+                         bool disable_sanity_check)
+    : em(_em), sendEvent(this), _disableSanityCheck(disable_sanity_check),
+      label(_label), waitingOnRetry(false)
 {
 }
 
@@ -114,7 +115,7 @@
 
     // add a very basic sanity check on the port to ensure the
     // invisible buffer is not growing beyond reasonable limits
-    if (transmitList.size() > 100) {
+    if (!_disableSanityCheck && transmitList.size() > 100) {
         panic("Packet queue %s has grown beyond 100 packets\n",
               name());
     }