diff --git a/etc/schema.json b/etc/schema.json
index 74439841a22f..4ccb864844bd 100644
--- a/etc/schema.json
+++ b/etc/schema.json
@@ -3465,6 +3465,10 @@
             "properties": {
                 "linktype": {
                     "type": "integer"
+                },
+                "linktype_name": {
+                    "type": "string",
+                    "description": "the descriptive name of the linktype"
                 }
             },
             "additionalProperties": false
diff --git a/src/output-json.c b/src/output-json.c
index b18ecadc5c9d..8a80d70696bc 100644
--- a/src/output-json.c
+++ b/src/output-json.c
@@ -438,8 +438,15 @@ void EvePacket(const Packet *p, JsonBuilder *js, unsigned long max_length)
         return;
     }
     if (!jb_set_uint(js, "linktype", p->datalink)) {
+        jb_close(js);
         return;
     }
+
+    const char *dl_name = pcap_datalink_val_to_name(p->datalink);
+    // Intentionally ignore the return value from jb_set_string and proceed
+    // so the jb object is closed
+    jb_set_string(js, "linktype_name", dl_name == NULL ? "n/a" : dl_name);
+
     jb_close(js);
 }