diff --git a/net/ipv4/af_inet.c b/net/ipv4/af_inet.c
index 1d0c3adb6f349..8a556643b8741 100644
--- a/net/ipv4/af_inet.c
+++ b/net/ipv4/af_inet.c
@@ -1043,22 +1043,16 @@ void inet_register_protosw(struct inet_protosw *p)
 		goto out_illegal;
 
 	/* If we are trying to override a permanent protocol, bail. */
-	answer = NULL;
 	last_perm = &inetsw[p->type];
 	list_for_each(lh, &inetsw[p->type]) {
 		answer = list_entry(lh, struct inet_protosw, list);
-
 		/* Check only the non-wild match. */
-		if (INET_PROTOSW_PERMANENT & answer->flags) {
-			if (protocol == answer->protocol)
-				break;
-			last_perm = lh;
-		}
-
-		answer = NULL;
+		if ((INET_PROTOSW_PERMANENT & answer->flags) == 0)
+			break;
+		if (protocol == answer->protocol)
+			goto out_permanent;
+		last_perm = lh;
 	}
-	if (answer)
-		goto out_permanent;
 
 	/* Add the new entry after the last permanent entry if any, so that
 	 * the new entry does not override a permanent entry when matched with