diff --git a/sys/compat/linsysfs/linsysfs.c b/sys/compat/linsysfs/linsysfs.c
--- a/sys/compat/linsysfs/linsysfs.c
+++ b/sys/compat/linsysfs/linsysfs.c
@@ -98,13 +98,11 @@
 linsysfs_ifnet_flags(PFS_FILL_ARGS)
 {
 	struct ifnet *ifp;
-	unsigned short flags;
 
 	ifp = ifname_linux_to_bsd(td, pn->pn_parent->pn_name, NULL);
 	if (ifp == NULL)
 		return (ENOENT);
-	linux_ifflags(ifp, &flags);
-	sbuf_printf(sb, "0x%x\n", flags);
+	sbuf_printf(sb, "0x%x\n", linux_ifflags(ifp));
 	return (0);
 }
 
diff --git a/sys/compat/linux/linux.c b/sys/compat/linux/linux.c
--- a/sys/compat/linux/linux.c
+++ b/sys/compat/linux/linux.c
@@ -416,33 +416,34 @@
 	return (arg.ifp);
 }
 
-void
-linux_ifflags(struct ifnet *ifp, short *flags)
+unsigned short
+linux_ifflags(struct ifnet *ifp)
 {
-	unsigned short fl;
+	unsigned short fl, flags;
 
 	fl = (if_getflags(ifp) | if_getdrvflags(ifp)) & 0xffff;
-	*flags = 0;
+	flags = 0;
 	if (fl & IFF_UP)
-		*flags |= LINUX_IFF_UP;
+		flags |= LINUX_IFF_UP;
 	if (fl & IFF_BROADCAST)
-		*flags |= LINUX_IFF_BROADCAST;
+		flags |= LINUX_IFF_BROADCAST;
 	if (fl & IFF_DEBUG)
-		*flags |= LINUX_IFF_DEBUG;
+		flags |= LINUX_IFF_DEBUG;
 	if (fl & IFF_LOOPBACK)
-		*flags |= LINUX_IFF_LOOPBACK;
+		flags |= LINUX_IFF_LOOPBACK;
 	if (fl & IFF_POINTOPOINT)
-		*flags |= LINUX_IFF_POINTOPOINT;
+		flags |= LINUX_IFF_POINTOPOINT;
 	if (fl & IFF_DRV_RUNNING)
-		*flags |= LINUX_IFF_RUNNING;
+		flags |= LINUX_IFF_RUNNING;
 	if (fl & IFF_NOARP)
-		*flags |= LINUX_IFF_NOARP;
+		flags |= LINUX_IFF_NOARP;
 	if (fl & IFF_PROMISC)
-		*flags |= LINUX_IFF_PROMISC;
+		flags |= LINUX_IFF_PROMISC;
 	if (fl & IFF_ALLMULTI)
-		*flags |= LINUX_IFF_ALLMULTI;
+		flags |= LINUX_IFF_ALLMULTI;
 	if (fl & IFF_MULTICAST)
-		*flags |= LINUX_IFF_MULTICAST;
+		flags |= LINUX_IFF_MULTICAST;
+	return (flags);
 }
 
 static u_int
diff --git a/sys/compat/linux/linux_common.h b/sys/compat/linux/linux_common.h
--- a/sys/compat/linux/linux_common.h
+++ b/sys/compat/linux/linux_common.h
@@ -36,7 +36,7 @@
 
 struct ifnet	*ifname_linux_to_bsd(struct thread *td,
 		    const char *lxname, char *bsdname);
-void		linux_ifflags(struct ifnet *ifp, short *flags);
+unsigned short	linux_ifflags(struct ifnet *);
 int		linux_ifhwaddr(struct ifnet *ifp, struct l_sockaddr *lsa);
 
 int		linux_to_bsd_domain(int domain);
diff --git a/sys/compat/linux/linux_ioctl.c b/sys/compat/linux/linux_ioctl.c
--- a/sys/compat/linux/linux_ioctl.c
+++ b/sys/compat/linux/linux_ioctl.c
@@ -2237,9 +2237,9 @@
 static int
 linux_gifflags(struct thread *td, struct ifnet *ifp, struct l_ifreq *ifr)
 {
-	l_short flags;
+	unsigned short flags;
 
-	linux_ifflags(ifp, &flags);
+	flags = linux_ifflags(ifp);
 
 	return (copyout(&flags, &ifr->ifr_flags, sizeof(flags)));
 }