diff --git a/net/netfilter/nf_tables_api.c b/net/netfilter/nf_tables_api.c
index a019a87e58ee8151620eb3d8500979d02dba54c1..6e07c214c2086f32799a8ebf115ccde67a2b89c7 100644
--- a/net/netfilter/nf_tables_api.c
+++ b/net/netfilter/nf_tables_api.c
@@ -696,10 +696,7 @@ static int nf_tables_newtable(struct net *net, struct sock *nlsk,
 	if (IS_ERR(table)) {
 		if (PTR_ERR(table) != -ENOENT)
 			return PTR_ERR(table);
-		table = NULL;
-	}
-
-	if (table != NULL) {
+	} else {
 		if (nlh->nlmsg_flags & NLM_F_EXCL)
 			return -EEXIST;
 		if (nlh->nlmsg_flags & NLM_F_REPLACE)
@@ -2963,10 +2960,7 @@ static int nf_tables_newset(struct net *net, struct sock *nlsk,
 	if (IS_ERR(set)) {
 		if (PTR_ERR(set) != -ENOENT)
 			return PTR_ERR(set);
-		set = NULL;
-	}
-
-	if (set != NULL) {
+	} else {
 		if (nlh->nlmsg_flags & NLM_F_EXCL)
 			return -EEXIST;
 		if (nlh->nlmsg_flags & NLM_F_REPLACE)
@@ -4153,10 +4147,7 @@ static int nf_tables_newobj(struct net *net, struct sock *nlsk,
 		if (err != -ENOENT)
 			return err;
 
-		obj = NULL;
-	}
-
-	if (obj != NULL) {
+	} else {
 		if (nlh->nlmsg_flags & NLM_F_EXCL)
 			return -EEXIST;