diff --git a/include/net/addrconf.h b/include/net/addrconf.h
index 59940e230b78..53627afab104 100644
--- a/include/net/addrconf.h
+++ b/include/net/addrconf.h
@@ -403,6 +403,9 @@ 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;
 }