Embodiments disclose systems, methods, and computer program products to perform an operation for generating entropy values for packets in an overlay network. The operation generally includes generating a first entropy value for each packet in a first group of packets received in a sequence of packets from a host, and detecting an idle amount of time between the the first group of packets in the sequence of packets and a second group of packets in the sequence of packets received from the host. The operation also includes upon determining that the idle amount of time is greater than a first threshold, generating a second entropy value for each packet in the second group of packets. The operation further includes inserting the second entropy value in an outer header of each packet in the second group of packets, and transmitting the second group of packets to the underlay network.