diff --git a/src/libsystemd/sd-netlink/rtnl-message.c b/src/libsystemd/sd-netlink/rtnl-message.c
index d14fa1a5cb..ead1967258 100644
--- a/src/libsystemd/sd-netlink/rtnl-message.c
+++ b/src/libsystemd/sd-netlink/rtnl-message.c
@@ -447,7 +447,7 @@ int sd_rtnl_message_new_neigh(sd_netlink *rtnl, sd_netlink_message **ret, uint16
                 return r;
 
         if (nlmsg_type == RTM_NEWNEIGH)
-                (*ret)->hdr->nlmsg_flags |= NLM_F_CREATE | NLM_F_APPEND;
+                (*ret)->hdr->nlmsg_flags |= NLM_F_CREATE | NLM_F_REPLACE;
 
         ndm = NLMSG_DATA((*ret)->hdr);
 
diff --git a/src/network/networkd-neighbor.c b/src/network/networkd-neighbor.c
index f54a2f9c99..ef09665a85 100644
--- a/src/network/networkd-neighbor.c
+++ b/src/network/networkd-neighbor.c
@@ -258,10 +258,6 @@ static int neighbor_configure(Neighbor *neighbor, Link *link) {
         if (r < 0)
                 return log_link_error_errno(link, r, "Could not set state: %m");
 
-        r = sd_netlink_message_set_flags(req, NLM_F_REQUEST | NLM_F_ACK | NLM_F_CREATE | NLM_F_REPLACE);
-        if (r < 0)
-                return log_link_error_errno(link, r, "Could not set flags: %m");
-
         r = sd_netlink_message_append_data(req, NDA_LLADDR, &neighbor->lladdr, neighbor->lladdr_size);
         if (r < 0)
                 return log_link_error_errno(link, r, "Could not append NDA_LLADDR attribute: %m");