diff --git a/src/nm-system.c b/src/nm-system.c
index f64f13ba61..3995fab5bb 100644
--- a/src/nm-system.c
+++ b/src/nm-system.c
@@ -1026,7 +1026,6 @@ gboolean
 nm_system_replace_default_ip4_route (int ifindex, guint32 gw, guint32 mss)
 {
 	struct rtnl_route *gw_route = NULL;
-	struct nl_handle *nlh;
 	gboolean success = FALSE;
 	const char *iface;
 	int err;
@@ -1034,9 +1033,6 @@ nm_system_replace_default_ip4_route (int ifindex, guint32 gw, guint32 mss)
 	iface = nm_netlink_index_to_iface (ifindex);
 	g_return_val_if_fail (iface != NULL, FALSE);
 
-	nlh = nm_netlink_get_default_handle ();
-	g_return_val_if_fail (nlh != NULL, FALSE);
-
 	err = replace_default_ip4_route (ifindex, gw, mss);
 	if (err == 0) {
 		return TRUE;
@@ -1177,7 +1173,6 @@ gboolean
 nm_system_replace_default_ip6_route (int ifindex, const struct in6_addr *gw)
 {
 	struct rtnl_route *gw_route = NULL;
-	struct nl_handle *nlh;
 	gboolean success = FALSE;
 	const char *iface;
 	int err;
@@ -1185,9 +1180,6 @@ nm_system_replace_default_ip6_route (int ifindex, const struct in6_addr *gw)
 	iface = nm_netlink_index_to_iface (ifindex);
 	g_return_val_if_fail (iface != NULL, FALSE);
 
-	nlh = nm_netlink_get_default_handle ();
-	g_return_val_if_fail (nlh != NULL, FALSE);
-
 	err = replace_default_ip6_route (ifindex, gw);
 	if (err == 0)
 		return TRUE;