diff --git a/include/libnetlink.h b/include/libnetlink.h
index e9a63dbca259..d6322190afaa 100644
--- a/include/libnetlink.h
+++ b/include/libnetlink.h
@@ -96,9 +96,6 @@ int rtnl_dump_filter_nc(struct rtnl_handle *rth,
 int rtnl_talk(struct rtnl_handle *rtnl, struct nlmsghdr *n,
 	      struct nlmsghdr **answer)
 	__attribute__((warn_unused_result));
-int rtnl_talk_msg(struct rtnl_handle *rtnl, struct msghdr *m,
-		  struct nlmsghdr **answer)
-	__attribute__((warn_unused_result));
 int rtnl_talk_iov(struct rtnl_handle *rtnl, struct iovec *iovec, size_t iovlen,
 		  struct nlmsghdr **answer)
 	__attribute__((warn_unused_result));
diff --git a/lib/libnetlink.c b/lib/libnetlink.c
index 183825c7fe0e..cb1990fcbf1c 100644
--- a/lib/libnetlink.c
+++ b/lib/libnetlink.c
@@ -581,38 +581,40 @@ static void rtnl_talk_error(struct nlmsghdr *h, struct nlmsgerr *err,
 		strerror(-err->error));
 }
 
-static int __rtnl_talk_msg(struct rtnl_handle *rtnl, struct msghdr *m,
-			   struct nlmsghdr **answer,
+
+static int __rtnl_talk_iov(struct rtnl_handle *rtnl, struct iovec *iov,
+			   size_t iovlen, struct nlmsghdr **answer,
 			   bool show_rtnl_err, nl_ext_ack_fn_t errfn)
 {
 	struct sockaddr_nl nladdr = { .nl_family = AF_NETLINK };
-	int i, status, iovlen = m->msg_iovlen;
-	struct iovec iov;
+	int i, status;
+	struct iovec riov;
 	struct msghdr msg = {
 		.msg_name = &nladdr,
 		.msg_namelen = sizeof(nladdr),
-		.msg_iov = &iov,
-		.msg_iovlen = 1,
+		.msg_iov = iov,
+		.msg_iovlen = iovlen,
 	};
 	unsigned int seq = 0;
 	struct nlmsghdr *h;
 	char *buf;
 
 	for (i = 0; i < iovlen; i++) {
-		struct iovec *v;
-		v = &m->msg_iov[i];
-		h = v->iov_base;
+		h = iov[i].iov_base;
 		h->nlmsg_seq = seq = ++rtnl->seq;
 		if (answer == NULL)
 			h->nlmsg_flags |= NLM_F_ACK;
 	}
 
-	status = sendmsg(rtnl->fd, m, 0);
+	status = sendmsg(rtnl->fd, &msg, 0);
 	if (status < 0) {
 		perror("Cannot talk to rtnetlink");
 		return -1;
 	}
 
+	/* change msg to use the response iov */
+	msg.msg_iov = &riov;
+	msg.msg_iovlen = 1;
 	i = 0;
 	while (1) {
 next:
@@ -705,21 +707,6 @@ static int __rtnl_talk_msg(struct rtnl_handle *rtnl, struct msghdr *m,
 	}
 }
 
-static int __rtnl_talk_iov(struct rtnl_handle *rtnl, struct iovec *msg_iov,
-			   size_t iovlen, struct nlmsghdr **answer,
-			   bool show_rtnl_err, nl_ext_ack_fn_t errfn)
-{
-	struct sockaddr_nl nladdr = { .nl_family = AF_NETLINK };
-	struct msghdr msg = {
-		.msg_name = &nladdr,
-		.msg_namelen = sizeof(nladdr),
-		.msg_iov = msg_iov,
-		.msg_iovlen = iovlen,
-	};
-
-	return __rtnl_talk_msg(rtnl, &msg, answer, show_rtnl_err, errfn);
-}
-
 static int __rtnl_talk(struct rtnl_handle *rtnl, struct nlmsghdr *n,
 		       struct nlmsghdr **answer,
 		       bool show_rtnl_err, nl_ext_ack_fn_t errfn)
@@ -738,12 +725,6 @@ int rtnl_talk(struct rtnl_handle *rtnl, struct nlmsghdr *n,
 	return __rtnl_talk(rtnl, n, answer, true, NULL);
 }
 
-int rtnl_talk_msg(struct rtnl_handle *rtnl, struct msghdr *m,
-		  struct nlmsghdr **answer)
-{
-	return __rtnl_talk_msg(rtnl, m, answer, true, NULL);
-}
-
 int rtnl_talk_iov(struct rtnl_handle *rtnl, struct iovec *iovec, size_t iovlen,
 		  struct nlmsghdr **answer)
 {