diff --git a/evdns.c b/evdns.c
index 3cf6ef09..db25ad54 100644
--- a/evdns.c
+++ b/evdns.c
@@ -1299,14 +1299,12 @@ request_parse(u8 *packet, int length, struct evdns_server_port *port, struct soc
 
 	return 0;
 err:
-	if (server_req) {
-		if (server_req->base.questions) {
-			for (i = 0; i < server_req->base.nquestions; ++i)
-				mm_free(server_req->base.questions[i]);
-			mm_free(server_req->base.questions);
-		}
-		mm_free(server_req);
+	if (server_req->base.questions) {
+		for (i = 0; i < server_req->base.nquestions; ++i)
+			mm_free(server_req->base.questions[i]);
+		mm_free(server_req->base.questions);
 	}
+	mm_free(server_req);
 	return -1;
 
 #undef SKIP_NAME
diff --git a/evrpc.c b/evrpc.c
index 68fa1b90..4a60ca5f 100644
--- a/evrpc.c
+++ b/evrpc.c
@@ -892,8 +892,7 @@ evrpc_reply_done(struct evhttp_request *req, void *arg)
 			 * layer is going to free it.  we need to
 			 * request ownership explicitly
 			 */
-			if (req != NULL)
-				evhttp_request_own(req);
+			evhttp_request_own(req);
 
 			evrpc_pause_request(pool, ctx,
 			    evrpc_reply_done_closure);