diff --git a/net/batman-adv/soft-interface.c b/net/batman-adv/soft-interface.c
index 9426b83caab6917912dd66963f8c819e5edf75d4..50cf722f4e1bc704b51a52f9b350816112ba3652 100644
--- a/net/batman-adv/soft-interface.c
+++ b/net/batman-adv/soft-interface.c
@@ -818,7 +818,7 @@ static int batadv_softif_slave_add(struct net_device *dev,
 	int ret = -EINVAL;
 
 	hard_iface = batadv_hardif_get_by_netdev(slave_dev);
-	if (!hard_iface || hard_iface->soft_iface != NULL)
+	if (!hard_iface || hard_iface->soft_iface)
 		goto out;
 
 	ret = batadv_hardif_enable_interface(hard_iface, dev->name);