diff --git a/drivers/net/slip.c b/drivers/net/slip.c
index d724d47d254f18507a56024116ac1b802e9cae43..6f97c5983c551db16f8135e9d5609c556559fd51 100644
--- a/drivers/net/slip.c
+++ b/drivers/net/slip.c
@@ -726,9 +726,6 @@ static struct slip *sl_alloc(dev_t line)
 	struct net_device *dev = NULL;
 	struct slip       *sl;
 
-	if (slip_devs == NULL)
-		return NULL;	/* Master array missing ! */
-
 	for (i = 0; i < slip_maxdev; i++) {
 		dev = slip_devs[i];
 		if (dev == NULL)