diff --git a/src/platform/nm-linux-platform.c b/src/platform/nm-linux-platform.c
index adb624612..b63ef1342 100644
--- a/src/platform/nm-linux-platform.c
+++ b/src/platform/nm-linux-platform.c
@@ -886,14 +886,6 @@ link_change (NMPlatform *platform, int ifindex, struct rtnl_link *change)
 
 	nle = rtnl_link_change (priv->nlh, rtnllink, change, 0);
 
-	/* When netlink returns this error, it usually means it failed to find
-	 * firmware for the device, especially on nm_platform_link_set_up ().
-	 * This is basically the same check as in the original code and could
-	 * potentially be improved.
-	 */
-	if (nle == -NLE_NOT_FOUND)
-		return NM_PLATFORM_ERROR_NO_FIRMWARE;
-
 	return refresh_object (platform, (struct nl_object *) rtnllink, nle);
 }
 
diff --git a/src/platform/nm-platform.c b/src/platform/nm-platform.c
index 823090d7d..6aeb39a45 100644
--- a/src/platform/nm-platform.c
+++ b/src/platform/nm-platform.c
@@ -177,8 +177,6 @@ nm_platform_get_error_msg (void)
 		return "object already exists";
 	case NM_PLATFORM_ERROR_NOT_SLAVE:
 		return "link not a slave";
-	case NM_PLATFORM_ERROR_NO_FIRMWARE:
-		return "firmware not found";
 	default:
 		return "invalid error number";
 	}
diff --git a/src/platform/nm-platform.h b/src/platform/nm-platform.h
index 95a106bb7..eee526bd5 100644
--- a/src/platform/nm-platform.h
+++ b/src/platform/nm-platform.h
@@ -43,8 +43,6 @@ typedef enum {
 	NM_PLATFORM_ERROR_EXISTS,
 	/* object is not a slave */
 	NM_PLATFORM_ERROR_NOT_SLAVE
-	/* firmware is not found */
-	NM_PLATFORM_ERROR_NO_FIRMWARE
 } NMPlatformError;
 
 typedef enum {