diff --git a/include/net/addrconf.h b/include/net/addrconf.h
index e7ce719838b5..edba74a53683 100644
--- a/include/net/addrconf.h
+++ b/include/net/addrconf.h
@@ -405,6 +405,9 @@ static inline bool ip6_ignore_linkdown(const struct net_device *dev)
 {
 	const struct inet6_dev *idev = __in6_dev_get(dev);
 
+	if (unlikely(!idev))
+		return true;
+
 	return !!idev->cnf.ignore_routes_with_linkdown;
 }