A method and apparatus for prioritizing data packets when stateful compression is enabled for wireless communications is disclosed. For example, the aspects include receiving a plurality of data packets scheduled in a first order for transmission. The described aspects further include prioritizing one or more data packets of the plurality of data packets as one or more prioritized data packets, each prioritized data packet being scheduled in an order for transmission different from the first order for transmission. The described aspects further include compressing one or more unprioritized data packets of the plurality of data packets into one or more compressed unprioritized data packets. The described aspects further include scheduling the one or more prioritized data packets and the one or more compressed unprioritized data packets in a second order for transmission, the second order differing from the first order.