diff --git a/zebra/if_netlink.c b/zebra/if_netlink.c
index fca03e55bf..873aea236d 100644
--- a/zebra/if_netlink.c
+++ b/zebra/if_netlink.c
@@ -103,7 +103,7 @@ static void set_ifindex(struct interface *ifp, ifindex_t ifi_index,
 					EC_LIB_INTERFACE,
 					"interface rename detected on up interface: index %d was renamed from %s to %s, results are uncertain!",
 					ifi_index, oifp->name, ifp->name);
-			if_delete_update(oifp);
+			if_delete_update(&oifp);
 		}
 	}
 	if_set_index(ifp, ifi_index);
@@ -2144,7 +2144,7 @@ int netlink_link_change(struct nlmsghdr *h, ns_id_t ns_id, int startup)
 		else if (IS_ZEBRA_IF_VXLAN(ifp))
 			zebra_l2_vxlanif_del(ifp);
 
-		if_delete_update(ifp);
+		if_delete_update(&ifp);
 
 		/* If VRF, delete the VRF structure itself. */
 		if (zif_type == ZEBRA_IF_VRF && !vrf_is_backend_netns())
diff --git a/zebra/interface.c b/zebra/interface.c
index 69d611e583..a70326ebb3 100644
--- a/zebra/interface.c
+++ b/zebra/interface.c
@@ -806,9 +806,10 @@ static void if_delete_connected(struct interface *ifp)
 }
 
 /* Handle an interface delete event */
-void if_delete_update(struct interface *ifp)
+void if_delete_update(struct interface **pifp)
 {
 	struct zebra_if *zif;
+	struct interface *ifp = *pifp;
 
 	if (if_is_up(ifp)) {
 		flog_err(
@@ -871,7 +872,7 @@ void if_delete_update(struct interface *ifp)
 		if (IS_ZEBRA_DEBUG_KERNEL)
 			zlog_debug("interface %s is being deleted from the system",
 				   ifp->name);
-		if_delete(&ifp);
+		if_delete(pifp);
 	}
 }
 
diff --git a/zebra/interface.h b/zebra/interface.h
index 4b06603e7f..c6930ce816 100644
--- a/zebra/interface.h
+++ b/zebra/interface.h
@@ -492,7 +492,7 @@ extern void if_nbr_ipv6ll_to_ipv4ll_neigh_update(struct interface *ifp,
 						 struct in6_addr *address,
 						 int add);
 extern void if_nbr_ipv6ll_to_ipv4ll_neigh_del_all(struct interface *ifp);
-extern void if_delete_update(struct interface *ifp);
+extern void if_delete_update(struct interface **ifp);
 extern void if_add_update(struct interface *ifp);
 extern void if_up(struct interface *ifp, bool install_connected);
 extern void if_down(struct interface *);
diff --git a/zebra/kernel_socket.c b/zebra/kernel_socket.c
index 6583af0a54..0d2830a39c 100644
--- a/zebra/kernel_socket.c
+++ b/zebra/kernel_socket.c
@@ -450,12 +450,13 @@ static int ifan_read(struct if_announcemsghdr *ifan)
 		if_get_metric(ifp);
 		if_add_update(ifp);
 	} else if (ifp != NULL && ifan->ifan_what == IFAN_DEPARTURE)
-		if_delete_update(ifp);
-
-	if_get_flags(ifp);
-	if_get_mtu(ifp);
-	if_get_metric(ifp);
+		if_delete_update(&ifp);
 
+	if (ifp) {
+		if_get_flags(ifp);
+		if_get_mtu(ifp);
+		if_get_metric(ifp);
+	}
 	if (IS_ZEBRA_DEBUG_KERNEL)
 		zlog_debug("%s: interface %s index %d", __func__,
 			   ifan->ifan_name, ifan->ifan_index);
@@ -722,10 +723,10 @@ int ifm_read(struct if_msghdr *ifm)
 			 * will still behave correctly if run on a platform
 			 * without
 			 */
-			if_delete_update(ifp);
+			if_delete_update(&ifp);
 		}
 #endif /* RTM_IFANNOUNCE */
-		if (if_is_up(ifp)) {
+		if (ifp && if_is_up(ifp)) {
 #if defined(__bsdi__)
 			if_kvm_get_mtu(ifp);
 #else
@@ -735,14 +736,16 @@ int ifm_read(struct if_msghdr *ifm)
 		}
 	}
 
+	if (ifp) {
 #ifdef HAVE_NET_RT_IFLIST
-	ifp->stats = ifm->ifm_data;
+		ifp->stats = ifm->ifm_data;
 #endif /* HAVE_NET_RT_IFLIST */
-	ifp->speed = ifm->ifm_data.ifi_baudrate / 1000000;
+		ifp->speed = ifm->ifm_data.ifi_baudrate / 1000000;
 
-	if (IS_ZEBRA_DEBUG_KERNEL)
-		zlog_debug("%s: interface %s index %d", __func__, ifp->name,
-			   ifp->ifindex);
+		if (IS_ZEBRA_DEBUG_KERNEL)
+			zlog_debug("%s: interface %s index %d", __func__,
+				   ifp->name, ifp->ifindex);
+	}
 
 	return 0;
 }
diff --git a/zebra/zebra_netns_notify.c b/zebra/zebra_netns_notify.c
index 7cb1906895..af6046c9ad 100644
--- a/zebra/zebra_netns_notify.c
+++ b/zebra/zebra_netns_notify.c
@@ -179,7 +179,7 @@ static int zebra_ns_delete(char *name)
 		}
 
 		UNSET_FLAG(ifp->flags, IFF_UP);
-		if_delete_update(ifp);
+		if_delete_update(&ifp);
 	}
 
 	ns = (struct ns *)vrf->ns_ctxt;