Porous media placed in the entrance of capillaries were found to reduce the pressure drop across the capillaries (▵Pc) by a factor of two or three for polystyrene. The reduction in ▵Pcwas found to be a function of the distance of the porous media from the capillary entrance, the type of porous media, the length of the capillary, and the rheological properties of the polymer melt. No significant reduction in ▵Pcwas observed for a polymer melt such as polyethyleneterephthalate (PET) which is nearly devoid of memory. The apparent shear rate for the onset of melt fracture was extended by a factor of three when polystyrene passed through the porous media before entering the capillary. No significant difference in die swell values was observed with the use of porous media in the entrance of the capillaries. The mechanism which accounts for these phenomena is believed to be associated with the break up of the entanglement network in the porous medium which temporarily changes the rheological properties of the polymer melt.