diff --git a/src/libsystemd-network/sd-lldp-rx.c b/src/libsystemd-network/sd-lldp-rx.c
index af4bd62762..05dec99d51 100644
--- a/src/libsystemd-network/sd-lldp-rx.c
+++ b/src/libsystemd-network/sd-lldp-rx.c
@@ -426,6 +426,7 @@ static int lldp_rx_start_timer(sd_lldp_rx *lldp_rx, sd_lldp_neighbor *neighbor)
         sd_lldp_neighbor *n;
 
         assert(lldp_rx);
+        assert(lldp_rx->event);
 
         if (neighbor)
                 lldp_neighbor_start_ttl(neighbor);
@@ -434,9 +435,6 @@ static int lldp_rx_start_timer(sd_lldp_rx *lldp_rx, sd_lldp_neighbor *neighbor)
         if (!n)
                 return event_source_disable(lldp_rx->timer_event_source);
 
-        if (!lldp_rx->event)
-                return 0;
-
         return event_reset_time(lldp_rx->event, &lldp_rx->timer_event_source,
                                 clock_boottime_or_monotonic(),
                                 n->until, 0,