diff --git a/sys/netinet/in_pcb.c b/sys/netinet/in_pcb.c
index 7d5da0e8e0eb..da64dd31a07c 100644
--- a/sys/netinet/in_pcb.c
+++ b/sys/netinet/in_pcb.c
@@ -1299,10 +1299,7 @@ in_pcbfree(struct inpcb *inp)
 	if (inp->inp_moptions != NULL)
 		inp_freemoptions(inp->inp_moptions);
 #endif
-	if (inp->inp_route.ro_rt) {
-		RTFREE(inp->inp_route.ro_rt);
-		inp->inp_route.ro_rt = (struct rtentry *)NULL;
-	}
+	RO_RTFREE(&inp->inp_route);
 	if (inp->inp_route.ro_lle)
 		LLE_FREE(inp->inp_route.ro_lle);	/* zeros ro_lle */
 
@@ -2242,10 +2239,7 @@ void
 in_losing(struct inpcb *inp)
 {
 
-	if (inp->inp_route.ro_rt) {
-		RTFREE(inp->inp_route.ro_rt);
-		inp->inp_route.ro_rt = (struct rtentry *)NULL;
-	}
+	RO_RTFREE(&inp->inp_route);
 	if (inp->inp_route.ro_lle)
 		LLE_FREE(inp->inp_route.ro_lle);	/* zeros ro_lle */
 	return;
diff --git a/sys/netinet/ip_output.c b/sys/netinet/ip_output.c
index b0973b4d780e..04fa7256b002 100644
--- a/sys/netinet/ip_output.c
+++ b/sys/netinet/ip_output.c
@@ -704,11 +704,7 @@ ip_output(struct mbuf *m, struct mbuf *opt, struct route *ro, int flags,
 		IPSTAT_INC(ips_fragmented);
 
 done:
-	/*
-	 * Release the route if using our private route, or if
-	 * (with flowtable) we don't have our own reference.
-	 */
-	if (ro == &iproute || ro->ro_flags & RT_NORTREF)
+	if (ro == &iproute)
 		RO_RTFREE(ro);
 	else if (rte == NULL)
 		/*
diff --git a/sys/netinet6/ip6_output.c b/sys/netinet6/ip6_output.c
index 7b71abd4657a..6045ee1e185b 100644
--- a/sys/netinet6/ip6_output.c
+++ b/sys/netinet6/ip6_output.c
@@ -1064,12 +1064,7 @@ ip6_output(struct mbuf *m0, struct ip6_pktopts *opt,
 		IP6STAT_INC(ip6s_fragmented);
 
 done:
-	/*
-	 * Release the route if using our private route, or if
-	 * (with flowtable) we don't have our own reference.
-	 */
-	if (ro == &ip6route ||
-	    (ro != NULL && ro->ro_flags & RT_NORTREF))
+	if (ro == &ip6route)
 		RO_RTFREE(ro);
 	return (error);