diff --git a/device_mapper/ioctl/libdm-iface.c b/device_mapper/ioctl/libdm-iface.c
index ba5ad382c..dc7abb389 100644
--- a/device_mapper/ioctl/libdm-iface.c
+++ b/device_mapper/ioctl/libdm-iface.c
@@ -247,6 +247,16 @@ static int _control_device_number(uint32_t *major, uint32_t *minor)
 	return 1;
 }
 
+static int _control_unlink(const char *control)
+{
+	if (unlink(control) && (errno != ENOENT)) {
+		log_sys_error("unlink", control);
+		return -1;
+	}
+
+	return 0;
+}
+
 /*
  * Returns 1 if it exists on returning; 0 if it doesn't; -1 if it's wrong.
  */
@@ -262,10 +272,7 @@ static int _control_exists(const char *control, uint32_t major, uint32_t minor)
 
 	if (!S_ISCHR(buf.st_mode)) {
 		log_verbose("%s: Wrong inode type", control);
-		if (!unlink(control))
-			return 0;
-		log_sys_error("unlink", control);
-		return -1;
+		return _control_unlink(control);
 	}
 
 	if (major && buf.st_rdev != MKDEV(major, minor)) {
@@ -273,10 +280,7 @@ static int _control_exists(const char *control, uint32_t major, uint32_t minor)
 			    "(%u, %u)", control,
 			    MAJOR(buf.st_mode), MINOR(buf.st_mode),
 			    major, minor);
-		if (!unlink(control))
-			return 0;
-		log_sys_error("unlink", control);
-		return -1;
+		return _control_unlink(control);
 	}
 
 	return 1;
diff --git a/device_mapper/libdm-common.c b/device_mapper/libdm-common.c
index 9d672e833..de63eb424 100644
--- a/device_mapper/libdm-common.c
+++ b/device_mapper/libdm-common.c
@@ -1060,9 +1060,8 @@ static int _add_dev_node(const char *dev_name, uint32_t major, uint32_t minor,
 		if (info.st_rdev == dev)
 			return 1;
 
-		if (unlink(path) < 0) {
-			log_error("Unable to unlink device node for '%s'",
-				  dev_name);
+		if (unlink(path) && (errno != ENOENT)) {
+			log_sys_error("unlink", path);
 			return 0;
 		}
 	} else if (_warn_if_op_needed(warn_if_udev_failed))
@@ -1106,8 +1105,8 @@ static int _rm_dev_node(const char *dev_name, int warn_if_udev_failed)
 			 "Falling back to direct node removal.", path);
 
 	/* udev may already have deleted the node. Ignore ENOENT. */
-	if (unlink(path) < 0 && errno != ENOENT) {
-		log_error("Unable to unlink device node for '%s'", dev_name);
+	if (unlink(path) && (errno != ENOENT)) {
+		log_sys_error("unlink", path);
 		return 0;
 	}
 
diff --git a/libdm/ioctl/libdm-iface.c b/libdm/ioctl/libdm-iface.c
index d9ba0849a..5bb385366 100644
--- a/libdm/ioctl/libdm-iface.c
+++ b/libdm/ioctl/libdm-iface.c
@@ -246,6 +246,16 @@ static int _control_device_number(uint32_t *major, uint32_t *minor)
 	return 1;
 }
 
+static int _control_unlink(const char *control)
+{
+	if (unlink(control) && (errno != ENOENT)) {
+		log_sys_error("unlink", control);
+		return -1;
+	}
+
+	return 0;
+}
+
 /*
  * Returns 1 if it exists on returning; 0 if it doesn't; -1 if it's wrong.
  */
@@ -261,10 +271,7 @@ static int _control_exists(const char *control, uint32_t major, uint32_t minor)
 
 	if (!S_ISCHR(buf.st_mode)) {
 		log_verbose("%s: Wrong inode type", control);
-		if (!unlink(control))
-			return 0;
-		log_sys_error("unlink", control);
-		return -1;
+		return _control_unlink(control);
 	}
 
 	if (major && buf.st_rdev != MKDEV(major, minor)) {
@@ -272,10 +279,7 @@ static int _control_exists(const char *control, uint32_t major, uint32_t minor)
 			    "(%u, %u)", control,
 			    MAJOR(buf.st_mode), MINOR(buf.st_mode),
 			    major, minor);
-		if (!unlink(control))
-			return 0;
-		log_sys_error("unlink", control);
-		return -1;
+		return _control_unlink(control);
 	}
 
 	return 1;
diff --git a/libdm/libdm-common.c b/libdm/libdm-common.c
index 363358802..d0e4c995d 100644
--- a/libdm/libdm-common.c
+++ b/libdm/libdm-common.c
@@ -1058,9 +1058,8 @@ static int _add_dev_node(const char *dev_name, uint32_t major, uint32_t minor,
 		if (info.st_rdev == dev)
 			return 1;
 
-		if (unlink(path) < 0) {
-			log_error("Unable to unlink device node for '%s'",
-				  dev_name);
+		if (unlink(path) && (errno != ENOENT)) {
+			log_sys_error("unlink", path);
 			return 0;
 		}
 	} else if (_warn_if_op_needed(warn_if_udev_failed))
@@ -1104,8 +1103,8 @@ static int _rm_dev_node(const char *dev_name, int warn_if_udev_failed)
 			 "Falling back to direct node removal.", path);
 
 	/* udev may already have deleted the node. Ignore ENOENT. */
-	if (unlink(path) < 0 && errno != ENOENT) {
-		log_error("Unable to unlink device node for '%s'", dev_name);
+	if (unlink(path) && (errno != ENOENT)) {
+		log_sys_error("unlink", path);
 		return 0;
 	}