diff --git a/sys/netlink/netlink_snl.h b/sys/netlink/netlink_snl.h
index 2861ea93baf..d10852ac7a3 100644
--- a/sys/netlink/netlink_snl.h
+++ b/sys/netlink/netlink_snl.h
@@ -1261,9 +1261,13 @@ snl_end_attr_nested(const struct snl_writer *nw, int off)
 static inline struct nlmsghdr *
 snl_create_msg_request(struct snl_writer *nw, int nlmsg_type)
 {
+	struct nlmsghdr *hdr;
+
 	assert(nw->hdr == NULL);
 
-	struct nlmsghdr *hdr = snl_reserve_msg_object(nw, struct nlmsghdr);
+	if (__predict_false((hdr =
+	    snl_reserve_msg_object(nw, struct nlmsghdr)) == NULL))
+		return (NULL);
 	hdr->nlmsg_type = nlmsg_type;
 	hdr->nlmsg_flags = NLM_F_REQUEST | NLM_F_ACK;
 	nw->hdr = hdr;