diff --git a/ip/link_gre.c b/ip/link_gre.c
index 2397920a..f55c40c7 100644
--- a/ip/link_gre.c
+++ b/ip/link_gre.c
@@ -75,7 +75,7 @@ static int gre_parse_opt(struct link_util *lu, int argc, char **argv,
 		.i.ifi_family = preferred_family,
 		.i.ifi_index = ifi->ifi_index,
 	};
-	struct nlmsghdr *answer = NULL;
+	struct nlmsghdr *answer;
 	struct rtattr *tb[IFLA_MAX + 1];
 	struct rtattr *linkinfo[IFLA_INFO_MAX+1];
 	struct rtattr *greinfo[IFLA_GRE_MAX + 1];
@@ -104,7 +104,6 @@ static int gre_parse_opt(struct link_util *lu, int argc, char **argv,
 get_failed:
 			fprintf(stderr,
 				"Failed to get existing tunnel info.\n");
-			free(answer);
 			return -1;
 		}
 
diff --git a/ip/link_gre6.c b/ip/link_gre6.c
index 7190ada9..a3e8e088 100644
--- a/ip/link_gre6.c
+++ b/ip/link_gre6.c
@@ -86,7 +86,7 @@ static int gre_parse_opt(struct link_util *lu, int argc, char **argv,
 		.i.ifi_family = preferred_family,
 		.i.ifi_index = ifi->ifi_index,
 	};
-	struct nlmsghdr *answer = NULL;
+	struct nlmsghdr *answer;
 	struct rtattr *tb[IFLA_MAX + 1];
 	struct rtattr *linkinfo[IFLA_INFO_MAX+1];
 	struct rtattr *greinfo[IFLA_GRE_MAX + 1];
@@ -114,7 +114,6 @@ static int gre_parse_opt(struct link_util *lu, int argc, char **argv,
 get_failed:
 			fprintf(stderr,
 				"Failed to get existing tunnel info.\n");
-			free(answer);
 			return -1;
 		}
 
diff --git a/ip/link_ip6tnl.c b/ip/link_ip6tnl.c
index f11ddd59..0a471c2d 100644
--- a/ip/link_ip6tnl.c
+++ b/ip/link_ip6tnl.c
@@ -83,7 +83,7 @@ static int ip6tunnel_parse_opt(struct link_util *lu, int argc, char **argv,
 		.i.ifi_family = preferred_family,
 		.i.ifi_index = ifi->ifi_index,
 	};
-	struct nlmsghdr *answer = NULL;
+	struct nlmsghdr *answer;
 	struct rtattr *tb[IFLA_MAX + 1];
 	struct rtattr *linkinfo[IFLA_INFO_MAX+1];
 	struct rtattr *iptuninfo[IFLA_IPTUN_MAX + 1];
@@ -108,7 +108,6 @@ static int ip6tunnel_parse_opt(struct link_util *lu, int argc, char **argv,
 get_failed:
 			fprintf(stderr,
 				"Failed to get existing tunnel info.\n");
-			free(answer);
 			return -1;
 		}
 
diff --git a/ip/link_iptnl.c b/ip/link_iptnl.c
index 5e4dffa6..8a8f5dd0 100644
--- a/ip/link_iptnl.c
+++ b/ip/link_iptnl.c
@@ -83,7 +83,7 @@ static int iptunnel_parse_opt(struct link_util *lu, int argc, char **argv,
 		.i.ifi_family = preferred_family,
 		.i.ifi_index = ifi->ifi_index,
 	};
-	struct nlmsghdr *answer = NULL;
+	struct nlmsghdr *answer;
 	struct rtattr *tb[IFLA_MAX + 1];
 	struct rtattr *linkinfo[IFLA_INFO_MAX+1];
 	struct rtattr *iptuninfo[IFLA_IPTUN_MAX + 1];
@@ -112,7 +112,6 @@ static int iptunnel_parse_opt(struct link_util *lu, int argc, char **argv,
 get_failed:
 			fprintf(stderr,
 				"Failed to get existing tunnel info.\n");
-			free(answer);
 			return -1;
 		}
 
diff --git a/ip/link_vti.c b/ip/link_vti.c
index 6c5469ff..2b0fab27 100644
--- a/ip/link_vti.c
+++ b/ip/link_vti.c
@@ -60,7 +60,7 @@ static int vti_parse_opt(struct link_util *lu, int argc, char **argv,
 		.i.ifi_family = preferred_family,
 		.i.ifi_index = ifi->ifi_index,
 	};
-	struct nlmsghdr *answer = NULL;
+	struct nlmsghdr *answer;
 	struct rtattr *tb[IFLA_MAX + 1];
 	struct rtattr *linkinfo[IFLA_INFO_MAX+1];
 	struct rtattr *vtiinfo[IFLA_VTI_MAX + 1];
@@ -77,7 +77,6 @@ static int vti_parse_opt(struct link_util *lu, int argc, char **argv,
 get_failed:
 			fprintf(stderr,
 				"Failed to get existing tunnel info.\n");
-			free(answer);
 			return -1;
 		}
 
diff --git a/ip/link_vti6.c b/ip/link_vti6.c
index 4136b0e7..74c246d3 100644
--- a/ip/link_vti6.c
+++ b/ip/link_vti6.c
@@ -55,7 +55,7 @@ static int vti6_parse_opt(struct link_util *lu, int argc, char **argv,
 		.i.ifi_family = preferred_family,
 		.i.ifi_index = ifi->ifi_index,
 	};
-	struct nlmsghdr *answer = NULL;
+	struct nlmsghdr *answer;
 	struct rtattr *tb[IFLA_MAX + 1];
 	struct rtattr *linkinfo[IFLA_INFO_MAX+1];
 	struct rtattr *vtiinfo[IFLA_VTI_MAX + 1];
@@ -72,7 +72,6 @@ static int vti6_parse_opt(struct link_util *lu, int argc, char **argv,
 get_failed:
 			fprintf(stderr,
 				"Failed to get existing tunnel info.\n");
-			free(answer);
 			return -1;
 		}