diff --git a/src/network/netdev/netdev.c b/src/network/netdev/netdev.c
index 9f9519fa50..b4121dd473 100644
--- a/src/network/netdev/netdev.c
+++ b/src/network/netdev/netdev.c
@@ -612,26 +612,20 @@ int netdev_join(NetDev *netdev, Link *link, link_netlink_message_handler_t callb
 }
 
 static bool netdev_is_ready_to_create(NetDev *netdev, Link *link) {
-        Request req;
-
         assert(netdev);
         assert(link);
 
         if (netdev->state != NETDEV_STATE_LOADING)
                 return false;
-        if (!IN_SET(link->state, LINK_STATE_INITIALIZED, LINK_STATE_CONFIGURING, LINK_STATE_CONFIGURED))
+
+        if (!IN_SET(link->state, LINK_STATE_CONFIGURING, LINK_STATE_CONFIGURED))
                 return false;
+
         if (netdev_get_create_type(netdev) == NETDEV_CREATE_AFTER_CONFIGURED &&
             link->state != LINK_STATE_CONFIGURED)
                 return false;
 
-        req = (Request) {
-                .link = link,
-                .type = REQUEST_TYPE_SET_LINK,
-                .set_link_operation_ptr = INT_TO_PTR(SET_LINK_MTU),
-        };
-
-        if (ordered_set_contains(link->manager->request_queue, &req))
+        if (link->set_link_messages > 0)
                 return false;
 
         return true;
diff --git a/src/network/networkd-link.c b/src/network/networkd-link.c
index f0e1d9bcd4..c2b632ba5b 100644
--- a/src/network/networkd-link.c
+++ b/src/network/networkd-link.c
@@ -172,9 +172,6 @@ bool link_is_ready_to_configure(Link *link, bool allow_unmanaged) {
         if (link->set_link_messages > 0)
                 return false;
 
-        if (!link->stacked_netdevs_created)
-                return false;
-
         if (!link->activated)
                 return false;
 
@@ -441,6 +438,9 @@ void link_check_ready(Link *link) {
                 return;
         }
 
+        if (!link->stacked_netdevs_created)
+                return (void) log_link_debug(link, "%s(): stacked netdevs are not created.", __func__);
+
         if (!link->static_addresses_configured)
                 return (void) log_link_debug(link, "%s(): static addresses are not configured.", __func__);
 
diff --git a/src/network/networkd-setlink.c b/src/network/networkd-setlink.c
index ff4eecf9b3..77451e39ae 100644
--- a/src/network/networkd-setlink.c
+++ b/src/network/networkd-setlink.c
@@ -568,12 +568,19 @@ static bool link_is_ready_to_call_set_link(Request *req) {
                 break;
         case SET_LINK_MASTER: {
                 uint32_t m = 0;
+                Request req_mac = {
+                        .link = link,
+                        .type = REQUEST_TYPE_SET_LINK,
+                        .set_link_operation_ptr = INT_TO_PTR(SET_LINK_MAC),
+                };
 
                 if (link->network->batadv) {
                         if (!netdev_is_ready(link->network->batadv))
                                 return false;
                         m = link->network->batadv->ifindex;
                 } else if (link->network->bond) {
+                        if (ordered_set_contains(link->manager->request_queue, &req_mac))
+                                return false;
                         if (!netdev_is_ready(link->network->bond))
                                 return false;
                         m = link->network->bond->ifindex;
@@ -589,6 +596,8 @@ static bool link_is_ready_to_call_set_link(Request *req) {
                                 }
                         }
                 } else if (link->network->bridge) {
+                        if (ordered_set_contains(link->manager->request_queue, &req_mac))
+                                return false;
                         if (!netdev_is_ready(link->network->bridge))
                                 return false;
                         m = link->network->bridge->ifindex;