diff --git a/drivers/net/macvlan.c b/drivers/net/macvlan.c
index 34eb073cdd74..9a419d5102ce 100644
--- a/drivers/net/macvlan.c
+++ b/drivers/net/macvlan.c
@@ -542,12 +542,11 @@ static int macvlan_queue_xmit(struct sk_buff *skb, struct net_device *dev)
 static inline netdev_tx_t macvlan_netpoll_send_skb(struct macvlan_dev *vlan, struct sk_buff *skb)
 {
 #ifdef CONFIG_NET_POLL_CONTROLLER
-	if (vlan->netpoll)
-		netpoll_send_skb(vlan->netpoll, skb);
+	return netpoll_send_skb(vlan->netpoll, skb);
 #else
 	BUG();
-#endif
 	return NETDEV_TX_OK;
+#endif
 }
 
 static netdev_tx_t macvlan_start_xmit(struct sk_buff *skb,
diff --git a/include/linux/if_team.h b/include/linux/if_team.h
index ec7e4bd07f82..537dc2b8c879 100644
--- a/include/linux/if_team.h
+++ b/include/linux/if_team.h
@@ -102,10 +102,7 @@ static inline bool team_port_dev_txable(const struct net_device *port_dev)
 static inline void team_netpoll_send_skb(struct team_port *port,
 					 struct sk_buff *skb)
 {
-	struct netpoll *np = port->np;
-
-	if (np)
-		netpoll_send_skb(np, skb);
+	netpoll_send_skb(port->np, skb);
 }
 #else
 static inline void team_netpoll_send_skb(struct team_port *port,
diff --git a/include/net/bonding.h b/include/net/bonding.h
index 0b696da5c115..f211983cd52a 100644
--- a/include/net/bonding.h
+++ b/include/net/bonding.h
@@ -507,10 +507,7 @@ static inline unsigned long slave_last_rx(struct bonding *bond,
 static inline void bond_netpoll_send_skb(const struct slave *slave,
 					 struct sk_buff *skb)
 {
-	struct netpoll *np = slave->np;
-
-	if (np)
-		netpoll_send_skb(np, skb);
+	netpoll_send_skb(slave->np, skb);
 }
 #else
 static inline void bond_netpoll_send_skb(const struct slave *slave,
diff --git a/net/8021q/vlan_dev.c b/net/8021q/vlan_dev.c
index 319220b2341d..f00bb57f0f60 100644
--- a/net/8021q/vlan_dev.c
+++ b/net/8021q/vlan_dev.c
@@ -88,12 +88,11 @@ static int vlan_dev_hard_header(struct sk_buff *skb, struct net_device *dev,
 static inline netdev_tx_t vlan_netpoll_send_skb(struct vlan_dev_priv *vlan, struct sk_buff *skb)
 {
 #ifdef CONFIG_NET_POLL_CONTROLLER
-	if (vlan->netpoll)
-		netpoll_send_skb(vlan->netpoll, skb);
+	return netpoll_send_skb(vlan->netpoll, skb);
 #else
 	BUG();
-#endif
 	return NETDEV_TX_OK;
+#endif
 }
 
 static netdev_tx_t vlan_dev_hard_start_xmit(struct sk_buff *skb,
diff --git a/net/bridge/br_private.h b/net/bridge/br_private.h
index 78d3a951180d..4dc21e8f7e33 100644
--- a/net/bridge/br_private.h
+++ b/net/bridge/br_private.h
@@ -598,10 +598,7 @@ netdev_tx_t br_dev_xmit(struct sk_buff *skb, struct net_device *dev);
 static inline void br_netpoll_send_skb(const struct net_bridge_port *p,
 				       struct sk_buff *skb)
 {
-	struct netpoll *np = p->np;
-
-	if (np)
-		netpoll_send_skb(np, skb);
+	netpoll_send_skb(p->np, skb);
 }
 
 int br_netpoll_enable(struct net_bridge_port *p);
diff --git a/net/core/netpoll.c b/net/core/netpoll.c
index 40d2753aa47d..093e90e52bc2 100644
--- a/net/core/netpoll.c
+++ b/net/core/netpoll.c
@@ -367,9 +367,14 @@ netdev_tx_t netpoll_send_skb(struct netpoll *np, struct sk_buff *skb)
 	unsigned long flags;
 	netdev_tx_t ret;
 
-	local_irq_save(flags);
-	ret = __netpoll_send_skb(np, skb);
-	local_irq_restore(flags);
+	if (unlikely(!np)) {
+		dev_kfree_skb_irq(skb);
+		ret = NET_XMIT_DROP;
+	} else {
+		local_irq_save(flags);
+		ret = __netpoll_send_skb(np, skb);
+		local_irq_restore(flags);
+	}
 	return ret;
 }
 EXPORT_SYMBOL(netpoll_send_skb);
diff --git a/net/dsa/slave.c b/net/dsa/slave.c
index dfb4282fc339..61b0de52040a 100644
--- a/net/dsa/slave.c
+++ b/net/dsa/slave.c
@@ -445,12 +445,11 @@ static inline netdev_tx_t dsa_slave_netpoll_send_skb(struct net_device *dev,
 #ifdef CONFIG_NET_POLL_CONTROLLER
 	struct dsa_slave_priv *p = netdev_priv(dev);
 
-	if (p->netpoll)
-		netpoll_send_skb(p->netpoll, skb);
+	return netpoll_send_skb(p->netpoll, skb);
 #else
 	BUG();
-#endif
 	return NETDEV_TX_OK;
+#endif
 }
 
 static void dsa_skb_tx_timestamp(struct dsa_slave_priv *p,