Minimum size of unencrypted payload

[Christian Huitema]

I have a question regarding minimal size of packets. If you read 
https://datatracker.ietf.org/doc/html/rfc9001#section-5.4.2, it has text 
explaining that "packets are padded so that the combined lengths of the 
encoded packet number and protected payload is at least 4 bytes longer 
than the sample required for header protection". I am under the 
impression that the "protected payload" length includes the length of 
the AEAD checksum, and that when the checksum length is more than 4 
bytes no padding is ever necessary. Am I wrong?

-- Christian Huitema