diff --git a/sys/netlink/netlink_snl.h b/sys/netlink/netlink_snl.h
--- a/sys/netlink/netlink_snl.h
+++ b/sys/netlink/netlink_snl.h
@@ -1036,19 +1036,23 @@
 	if (nw->error)
 		return (false);
 
-	void *new_base = snl_allocz(nw->ss, new_size);
-	if (new_base == NULL) {
+	if (snl_allocz(nw->ss, new_size) == NULL) {
 		nw->error = true;
 		return (false);
 	}
+	nw->size = new_size;
 
-	memcpy(new_base, nw->base, nw->offset);
-	if (nw->hdr != NULL) {
-		int hdr_off = (char *)(nw->hdr) - nw->base;
+	void *new_base = nw->ss->lb->base;
+	if (new_base != nw->base) {
+		memcpy(new_base, nw->base, nw->offset);
+		if (nw->hdr != NULL) {
+			int hdr_off = (char *)(nw->hdr) - nw->base;
 
-		nw->hdr = (struct nlmsghdr *)(void *)((char *)new_base + hdr_off);
+			nw->hdr = (struct nlmsghdr *)
+			    (void *)((char *)new_base + hdr_off);
+		}
+		nw->base = new_base;
 	}
-	nw->base = new_base;
 
 	return (true);
 }