A method for specifying packet address range cacheability is provided. The method includes passing a memory allocation request from an application running on a network element configured to implement packet forwarding operations to an operating system of a network element, the memory allocation request including a table ID associated with an application table to be stored using the memory allocation. The method also includes allocating a memory address range by the operating system to the application in response to the memory allocation request, and inserting an entry in a cacheability register, the entry including the table ID included in the memory allocation request and the memory address range allocated in response to the memory allocation request.