diff --git a/src/libnm-platform/nm-platform.c b/src/libnm-platform/nm-platform.c
index 85ccde782c..6b1b395cbc 100644
--- a/src/libnm-platform/nm-platform.c
+++ b/src/libnm-platform/nm-platform.c
@@ -4431,7 +4431,7 @@ nm_platform_ip_address_get_prune_list(NMPlatform *self,
     const int                    IS_IPv4 = NM_IS_IPv4(addr_family);
     const NMDedupMultiHeadEntry *head_entry;
     NMPLookup                    lookup;
-    GPtrArray                   *result;
+    GPtrArray                   *result = NULL;
     CList                       *iter;
 
     nmp_lookup_init_object(&lookup, NMP_OBJECT_TYPE_IP_ADDRESS(NM_IS_IPv4(addr_family)), ifindex);
@@ -4441,8 +4441,6 @@ nm_platform_ip_address_get_prune_list(NMPlatform *self,
     if (!head_entry)
         return NULL;
 
-    result = g_ptr_array_new_full(head_entry->len, (GDestroyNotify) nmp_object_unref);
-
     c_list_for_each (iter, &head_entry->lst_entries_head) {
         const NMPObject *obj = c_list_entry(iter, NMDedupMultiEntry, lst_entries)->obj;
 
@@ -4452,13 +4450,12 @@ nm_platform_ip_address_get_prune_list(NMPlatform *self,
                 continue;
         }
 
+        if (!result)
+            result = g_ptr_array_new_full(head_entry->len, (GDestroyNotify) nmp_object_unref);
+
         g_ptr_array_add(result, (gpointer) nmp_object_ref(obj));
     }
 
-    if (result->len == 0) {
-        g_ptr_array_unref(result);
-        return NULL;
-    }
     return result;
 }
 
@@ -4469,7 +4466,7 @@ nm_platform_ip_route_get_prune_list(NMPlatform            *self,
                                     NMIPRouteTableSyncMode route_table_sync)
 {
     NMPLookup                    lookup;
-    GPtrArray                   *routes_prune;
+    GPtrArray                   *routes_prune = NULL;
     const NMDedupMultiHeadEntry *head_entry;
     CList                       *iter;
     NMPlatformIP4Route           rt_local4;
@@ -4501,8 +4498,6 @@ nm_platform_ip_route_get_prune_list(NMPlatform            *self,
     rt_local6.plen = 0;
     rt_mcast6.plen = 0;
 
-    routes_prune = g_ptr_array_new_full(head_entry->len, (GDestroyNotify) nm_dedup_multi_obj_unref);
-
     c_list_for_each (iter, &head_entry->lst_entries_head) {
         const NMPObject          *obj = c_list_entry(iter, NMDedupMultiEntry, lst_entries)->obj;
         const NMPlatformIPXRoute *rt  = NMP_OBJECT_CAST_IPX_ROUTE(obj);
@@ -4640,13 +4635,14 @@ nm_platform_ip_route_get_prune_list(NMPlatform            *self,
             break;
         }
 
+        if (!routes_prune) {
+            routes_prune =
+                g_ptr_array_new_full(head_entry->len, (GDestroyNotify) nm_dedup_multi_obj_unref);
+        }
+
         g_ptr_array_add(routes_prune, (gpointer) nmp_object_ref(obj));
     }
 
-    if (routes_prune->len == 0) {
-        g_ptr_array_unref(routes_prune);
-        return NULL;
-    }
     return routes_prune;
 }