Embodiments associated with enabling Quality of Service (QoS) for MACsec protected frames are described. One example method includes identifying a security indicator in an encrypted network communication and selectively forwarding the encrypted network communication according to a QoS policy. The example method may also include selectively storing a control packet security indicator sniffed from a control packet network communication in response to determining that a match exists between a control packet identification field and a QoS database entry.