diff --git a/sys/dev/netmap/netmap.c b/sys/dev/netmap/netmap.c
--- a/sys/dev/netmap/netmap.c
+++ b/sys/dev/netmap/netmap.c
@@ -2806,18 +2806,6 @@
 				}
 #endif /* WITH_EXTMEM */
 
-				if (nmd == NULL && req->nr_mem_id) {
-					/* find the allocator and get a reference */
-					nmd = netmap_mem_find(req->nr_mem_id);
-					if (nmd == NULL) {
-						if (netmap_verbose) {
-							nm_prerr("%s: failed to find mem_id %u",
-									hdr->nr_name, req->nr_mem_id);
-						}
-						error = EINVAL;
-						break;
-					}
-				}
 				/* find the interface and a reference */
 				error = netmap_get_na(hdr, &na, &ifp, nmd,
 						      1 /* create */); /* keep reference */