diff --git a/src/network/networkd-address.c b/src/network/networkd-address.c
index 276aad0989..7ddc58337b 100644
--- a/src/network/networkd-address.c
+++ b/src/network/networkd-address.c
@@ -1403,7 +1403,7 @@ void address_cancel_request(Address *address) {
 int manager_rtnl_process_address(sd_netlink *rtnl, sd_netlink_message *message, Manager *m) {
         _cleanup_(address_freep) Address *tmp = NULL;
         struct ifa_cacheinfo cinfo;
-        Link *link = NULL;
+        Link *link;
         uint16_t type;
         Address *address = NULL;
         int ifindex, r;
@@ -1439,7 +1439,7 @@ int manager_rtnl_process_address(sd_netlink *rtnl, sd_netlink_message *message,
         }
 
         r = link_get_by_index(m, ifindex, &link);
-        if (r < 0 || !link) {
+        if (r < 0) {
                 /* when enumerating we might be out of sync, but we will get the address again, so just
                  * ignore it */
                 if (!m->enumerating)
diff --git a/src/network/networkd-neighbor.c b/src/network/networkd-neighbor.c
index e3c332eadb..05ad0738e6 100644
--- a/src/network/networkd-neighbor.c
+++ b/src/network/networkd-neighbor.c
@@ -490,7 +490,7 @@ int manager_rtnl_process_neighbor(sd_netlink *rtnl, sd_netlink_message *message,
         }
 
         r = link_get_by_index(m, ifindex, &link);
-        if (r < 0 || !link) {
+        if (r < 0) {
                 /* when enumerating we might be out of sync, but we will get the neighbor again. Also,
                  * kernel sends messages about neighbors after a link is removed. So, just ignore it. */
                 log_debug("rtnl: received neighbor for link '%d' we don't know about, ignoring.", ifindex);
diff --git a/src/network/networkd-nexthop.c b/src/network/networkd-nexthop.c
index eed28440c2..3eda1f1b7d 100644
--- a/src/network/networkd-nexthop.c
+++ b/src/network/networkd-nexthop.c
@@ -835,7 +835,7 @@ int manager_rtnl_process_nexthop(sd_netlink *rtnl, sd_netlink_message *message,
                 }
 
                 r = link_get_by_index(m, ifindex, &link);
-                if (r < 0 || !link) {
+                if (r < 0) {
                         if (!m->enumerating)
                                 log_warning("rtnl: received nexthop message for link (%"PRIu32") we do not know about, ignoring", ifindex);
                         return 0;
diff --git a/src/network/networkd-route.c b/src/network/networkd-route.c
index 44dc63b642..283d515b81 100644
--- a/src/network/networkd-route.c
+++ b/src/network/networkd-route.c
@@ -1719,7 +1719,7 @@ int manager_rtnl_process_route(sd_netlink *rtnl, sd_netlink_message *message, Ma
                 }
 
                 r = link_get_by_index(m, ifindex, &link);
-                if (r < 0 || !link) {
+                if (r < 0) {
                         /* when enumerating we might be out of sync, but we will
                          * get the route again, so just ignore it */
                         if (!m->enumerating)