diff --git a/keepalived/core/keepalived_netlink.c b/keepalived/core/keepalived_netlink.c
index 4b9058caa0..d9cc381eb9 100644
--- a/keepalived/core/keepalived_netlink.c
+++ b/keepalived/core/keepalived_netlink.c
@@ -1027,22 +1027,25 @@ netlink_if_address_filter(__attribute__((unused)) struct sockaddr_nl *snl, struc
 							 !__test_bit(VRRP_VMAC_XMITBASE_BIT, &vrrp->flags) &&
 							 ifa->ifa_family == AF_INET6 &&
 							 vrrp->ifp->is_ours) {
-								inet_ip6tosockaddr(addr.in6, &vrrp->saddr);
+								if (vrrp->saddr.ss_family == AF_UNSPEC) {
+									inet_ip6tosockaddr(addr.in6, &vrrp->saddr);
+									if (
 #if 0
-								if (IN6_IS_ADDR_UNSPECIFIED(&vrrp->ifp->sin6_addr)) {
-									/* This should never happen with the current code since we always
-									 * create a link local address on the VMAC interface.
-									 * However, if in future it is decided not to automatically create
-									 * a link local address on the VMAC interface if the parent interface
-									 * does not have one, then we will need the following code
-									 */
-									if (add_link_local_address(vrrp->ifp, addr.in6) &&
+										/* This should never happen with the current code since we always
+										 * create a link local address on the VMAC interface.
+										 * However, if in future it is decided not to automatically create
+										 * a link local address on the VMAC interface if the parent interface
+										 * does not have one, then we will need the following code
+										 */
+									    add_link_local_address(vrrp->ifp, addr.in6) &&
+#endif
 									    vrrp->num_script_if_fault &&
 									    (!__test_bit(VRRP_FLAG_SADDR_FROM_CONFIG, &vrrp->flags) || is_tracking_saddr))
 										try_up_instance(vrrp, false);
-								} else
-#endif
+								} else {
+									inet_ip6tosockaddr(addr.in6, &vrrp->saddr);
 									reset_link_local_address(&vrrp->ifp->sin6_addr, vrrp);
+								}
 						}
 #endif
 					}