diff --git a/usr.bin/genl/genl.c b/usr.bin/genl/genl.c
--- a/usr.bin/genl/genl.c
+++ b/usr.bin/genl/genl.c
@@ -303,11 +303,13 @@
 
 	if (!snl_init(&ss, NETLINK_GENERIC))
 		err(EXIT_FAILURE, "snl_init()");
-	snl_init_writer(&ss, &nw);
-	snl_create_genl_msg_request(&nw, GENL_ID_CTRL, CTRL_CMD_GETFAMILY);
-	snl_add_msg_attr_string(&nw, CTRL_ATTR_FAMILY_NAME, argv[0]);
-	if ((hdr = snl_finalize_msg(&nw)) == NULL)
-		err(EXIT_FAILURE, "snl_finalize_msg");
+	if (!snl_init_writer(&ss, &nw))
+		err(EXIT_FAILURE, "snl_init_writer");
+	if (!snl_create_genl_msg_request(&nw, GENL_ID_CTRL, CTRL_CMD_GETFAMILY))
+		err(EXIT_FAILURE, "snl_create_genl_msg_request");
+	if (!snl_add_msg_attr_string(&nw, CTRL_ATTR_FAMILY_NAME, argv[0]))
+		err(EXIT_FAILURE, "snl_add_msg_attr_string");
+	hdr = snl_finalize_msg(&nw);
 	if (!snl_send_message(&ss, hdr))
 		err(EXIT_FAILURE, "snl_send_message");
 	hdr = snl_read_reply(&ss, hdr->nlmsg_seq);
@@ -381,11 +383,11 @@
 	if (!snl_init(&ss, NETLINK_GENERIC))
 		err(EXIT_FAILURE, "snl_init()");
 
-	snl_init_writer(&ss, &nw);
-	hdr = snl_create_genl_msg_request(&nw, GENL_ID_CTRL,
-	    CTRL_CMD_GETFAMILY);
-	if ((hdr = snl_finalize_msg(&nw)) == NULL)
-		err(EXIT_FAILURE, "snl_finalize_msg");
+	if (!snl_init_writer(&ss, &nw))
+		err(EXIT_FAILURE, "snl_init_writer");
+	if (!snl_create_genl_msg_request(&nw, GENL_ID_CTRL, CTRL_CMD_GETFAMILY))
+		err(EXIT_FAILURE, "snl_create_genl_msg_request");
+	hdr = snl_finalize_msg(&nw);
 	seq_id = hdr->nlmsg_seq;
 	if (!snl_send_message(&ss, hdr))
 		err(EXIT_FAILURE, "snl_send_message");