diff --git a/src/libsystemd/sd-netlink/netlink-message-rtnl.c b/src/libsystemd/sd-netlink/netlink-message-rtnl.c
index 29c3af1fec..986e10c623 100644
--- a/src/libsystemd/sd-netlink/netlink-message-rtnl.c
+++ b/src/libsystemd/sd-netlink/netlink-message-rtnl.c
@@ -342,7 +342,7 @@ int sd_rtnl_message_new_link(sd_netlink *rtnl, sd_netlink_message **ret, uint16_
         if (r < 0)
                 return r;
 
-        if (nlmsg_type == RTM_NEWLINK)
+        if (nlmsg_type == RTM_NEWLINK && ifindex == 0)
                 (*ret)->hdr->nlmsg_flags |= NLM_F_CREATE | NLM_F_EXCL;
         else if (nlmsg_type == RTM_NEWLINKPROP)
                 (*ret)->hdr->nlmsg_flags |= NLM_F_CREATE | NLM_F_EXCL | NLM_F_APPEND;
diff --git a/src/network/netdev/bridge.c b/src/network/netdev/bridge.c
index 4dfc393830..da5b332277 100644
--- a/src/network/netdev/bridge.c
+++ b/src/network/netdev/bridge.c
@@ -166,10 +166,6 @@ static int netdev_bridge_post_create(NetDev *netdev, Link *link) {
         if (r < 0)
                 return log_netdev_error_errno(netdev, r, "Could not allocate netlink message: %m");
 
-        r = sd_netlink_message_set_flags(req, NLM_F_REQUEST | NLM_F_ACK);
-        if (r < 0)
-                return log_link_error_errno(link, r, "Could not set netlink message flags: %m");
-
         r = netdev_bridge_post_create_message(netdev, req);
         if (r < 0)
                 return log_netdev_error_errno(netdev, r, "Could not create netlink message: %m");
diff --git a/src/network/netdev/ipoib.c b/src/network/netdev/ipoib.c
index 0065a5452e..6932c62e2a 100644
--- a/src/network/netdev/ipoib.c
+++ b/src/network/netdev/ipoib.c
@@ -53,10 +53,6 @@ int ipoib_set_netlink_message(Link *link, sd_netlink_message *m) {
         assert(link->network);
         assert(m);
 
-        r = sd_netlink_message_set_flags(m, NLM_F_REQUEST | NLM_F_ACK);
-        if (r < 0)
-                return r;
-
         r = sd_netlink_message_open_container(m, IFLA_LINKINFO);
         if (r < 0)
                 return r;
diff --git a/src/network/networkd-can.c b/src/network/networkd-can.c
index a5b003ad22..9457104a0e 100644
--- a/src/network/networkd-can.c
+++ b/src/network/networkd-can.c
@@ -20,10 +20,6 @@ int can_set_netlink_message(Link *link, sd_netlink_message *m) {
         assert(link->network);
         assert(m);
 
-        r = sd_netlink_message_set_flags(m, NLM_F_REQUEST | NLM_F_ACK);
-        if (r < 0)
-                return r;
-
         r = sd_netlink_message_open_container(m, IFLA_LINKINFO);
         if (r < 0)
                 return r;
diff --git a/src/network/networkd-setlink.c b/src/network/networkd-setlink.c
index b1a2623dcd..8519e6e7a0 100644
--- a/src/network/networkd-setlink.c
+++ b/src/network/networkd-setlink.c
@@ -191,10 +191,6 @@ static int link_configure_fill_message(
                         return r;
                 break;
         case REQUEST_TYPE_SET_LINK_BOND:
-                r = sd_netlink_message_set_flags(req, NLM_F_REQUEST | NLM_F_ACK);
-                if (r < 0)
-                        return r;
-
                 r = sd_netlink_message_open_container(req, IFLA_LINKINFO);
                 if (r < 0)
                         return r;