diff --git a/src/basic/in-addr-util.c b/src/basic/in-addr-util.c
index 06b92db579..b6ca27e3e8 100644
--- a/src/basic/in-addr-util.c
+++ b/src/basic/in-addr-util.c
@@ -439,48 +439,38 @@ int in_addr_from_string_auto(const char *s, int *ret_family, union in_addr_union
         return -EINVAL;
 }
 
-int in_addr_ifindex_from_string_auto(const char *s, int *family, union in_addr_union *ret, int *ifindex) {
+int in_addr_ifindex_from_string_auto(const char *s, int *family, union in_addr_union *ret_addr, int *ret_ifindex) {
         _cleanup_free_ char *buf = NULL;
         const char *suffix;
-        int r, ifi = 0;
+        int r, ifindex = 0;
 
         assert(s);
         assert(family);
-        assert(ret);
+        assert(ret_addr);
 
         /* Similar to in_addr_from_string_auto() but also parses an optionally appended IPv6 zone suffix ("scope id")
          * if one is found. */
 
         suffix = strchr(s, '%');
         if (suffix) {
-
-                if (ifindex) {
+                if (ret_ifindex) {
                         /* If we shall return the interface index, try to parse it */
-                        r = parse_ifindex(suffix + 1, &ifi);
-                        if (r < 0) {
-                                unsigned u;
-
-                                u = if_nametoindex(suffix + 1);
-                                if (u <= 0)
-                                        return -errno;
-
-                                ifi = (int) u;
-                        }
+                        ifindex = parse_ifindex_or_ifname(suffix + 1);
+                        if (ifindex < 0)
+                                return ifindex;
                 }
 
-                buf = strndup(s, suffix - s);
+                s = buf = strndup(s, suffix - s);
                 if (!buf)
                         return -ENOMEM;
-
-                s = buf;
         }
 
-        r = in_addr_from_string_auto(s, family, ret);
+        r = in_addr_from_string_auto(s, family, ret_addr);
         if (r < 0)
                 return r;
 
-        if (ifindex)
-                *ifindex = ifi;
+        if (ret_ifindex)
+                *ret_ifindex = ifindex;
 
         return r;
 }
diff --git a/src/basic/parse-util.c b/src/basic/parse-util.c
index b81db04989..d3140cc1a4 100644
--- a/src/basic/parse-util.c
+++ b/src/basic/parse-util.c
@@ -79,11 +79,10 @@ int parse_mode(const char *s, mode_t *ret) {
         return 0;
 }
 
-int parse_ifindex(const char *s, int *ret) {
+int parse_ifindex(const char *s) {
         int ifi, r;
 
         assert(s);
-        assert(ret);
 
         r = safe_atoi(s, &ifi);
         if (r < 0)
@@ -91,26 +90,24 @@ int parse_ifindex(const char *s, int *ret) {
         if (ifi <= 0)
                 return -EINVAL;
 
-        *ret = ifi;
-        return 0;
+        return ifi;
 }
 
-int parse_ifindex_or_ifname(const char *s, int *ret) {
+int parse_ifindex_or_ifname(const char *s) {
         int r;
 
         assert(s);
-        assert(ret);
 
-        r = parse_ifindex(s, ret);
-        if (r >= 0)
+        r = parse_ifindex(s);
+        if (r > 0)
                 return r;
+        assert(r < 0);
 
         r = (int) if_nametoindex(s);
         if (r <= 0)
                 return -errno;
 
-        *ret = r;
-        return 0;
+        return r;
 }
 
 int parse_mtu(int family, const char *s, uint32_t *ret) {
diff --git a/src/basic/parse-util.h b/src/basic/parse-util.h
index 3a70b79276..b20f5b52cc 100644
--- a/src/basic/parse-util.h
+++ b/src/basic/parse-util.h
@@ -13,8 +13,8 @@ int parse_boolean(const char *v) _pure_;
 int parse_dev(const char *s, dev_t *ret);
 int parse_pid(const char *s, pid_t* ret_pid);
 int parse_mode(const char *s, mode_t *ret);
-int parse_ifindex(const char *s, int *ret);
-int parse_ifindex_or_ifname(const char *s, int *ret);
+int parse_ifindex(const char *s);
+int parse_ifindex_or_ifname(const char *s);
 int parse_mtu(int family, const char *s, uint32_t *ret);
 
 int parse_size(const char *t, uint64_t base, uint64_t *size);
diff --git a/src/libsystemd/sd-device/sd-device.c b/src/libsystemd/sd-device/sd-device.c
index f35612fe12..1f2451f8e1 100644
--- a/src/libsystemd/sd-device/sd-device.c
+++ b/src/libsystemd/sd-device/sd-device.c
@@ -340,17 +340,17 @@ int device_set_devtype(sd_device *device, const char *_devtype) {
         return 0;
 }
 
-int device_set_ifindex(sd_device *device, const char *_ifindex) {
-        int ifindex, r;
+int device_set_ifindex(sd_device *device, const char *name) {
+        int r, ifindex;
 
         assert(device);
-        assert(_ifindex);
+        assert(name);
 
-        r = parse_ifindex(_ifindex, &ifindex);
-        if (r < 0)
-                return r;
+        ifindex = parse_ifindex(name);
+        if (ifindex < 0)
+                return ifindex;
 
-        r = device_add_property_internal(device, "IFINDEX", _ifindex);
+        r = device_add_property_internal(device, "IFINDEX", name);
         if (r < 0)
                 return r;
 
@@ -619,7 +619,7 @@ _public_ int sd_device_new_from_device_id(sd_device **ret, const char *id) {
                 struct ifreq ifr = {};
                 int ifindex;
 
-                r = parse_ifindex(&id[1], &ifr.ifr_ifindex);
+                r = ifr.ifr_ifindex = parse_ifindex(&id[1]);
                 if (r < 0)
                         return r;
 
diff --git a/src/libsystemd/sd-login/sd-login.c b/src/libsystemd/sd-login/sd-login.c
index fbfd89b69b..3e96c98cd9 100644
--- a/src/libsystemd/sd-login/sd-login.c
+++ b/src/libsystemd/sd-login/sd-login.c
@@ -928,7 +928,8 @@ _public_ int sd_machine_get_ifindices(const char *machine, int **ifindices) {
 
                 *(char*) (mempcpy(buf, word, l)) = 0;
 
-                if (parse_ifindex(buf, &ifi) < 0)
+                ifi = parse_ifindex(buf);
+                if (ifi < 0)
                         continue;
 
                 if (!GREEDY_REALLOC(ni, allocated, nr+1)) {
diff --git a/src/libsystemd/sd-network/sd-network.c b/src/libsystemd/sd-network/sd-network.c
index dc5ccb793b..b9b618e585 100644
--- a/src/libsystemd/sd-network/sd-network.c
+++ b/src/libsystemd/sd-network/sd-network.c
@@ -276,7 +276,6 @@ static int network_link_get_ifindexes(int ifindex, const char *key, int **ret) {
         _cleanup_free_ int *ifis = NULL;
         _cleanup_free_ char *s = NULL;
         size_t allocated = 0, c = 0;
-        const char *x;
         int r;
 
         assert_return(ifindex > 0, -EINVAL);
@@ -289,7 +288,7 @@ static int network_link_get_ifindexes(int ifindex, const char *key, int **ret) {
         if (r < 0)
                 return r;
 
-        for (x = s;;) {
+        for (const char *x = s;;) {
                 _cleanup_free_ char *word = NULL;
 
                 r = extract_first_word(&x, &word, NULL, 0);
@@ -298,14 +297,12 @@ static int network_link_get_ifindexes(int ifindex, const char *key, int **ret) {
                 if (r == 0)
                         break;
 
-                r = parse_ifindex(word, &ifindex);
-                if (r < 0)
-                        return r;
-
                 if (!GREEDY_REALLOC(ifis, allocated, c + 2))
                         return -ENOMEM;
 
-                ifis[c++] = ifindex;
+                r = ifis[c++] = parse_ifindex(word);
+                if (r < 0)
+                        return r;
         }
 
         if (ifis)
diff --git a/src/machine/machine.c b/src/machine/machine.c
index efe327f381..8154c42ed7 100644
--- a/src/machine/machine.c
+++ b/src/machine/machine.c
@@ -294,12 +294,11 @@ int machine_load(Machine *m) {
         if (netif) {
                 size_t allocated = 0, nr = 0;
                 const char *p;
-                int *ni = NULL;
+                _cleanup_free_ int *ni = NULL;
 
                 p = netif;
                 for (;;) {
                         _cleanup_free_ char *word = NULL;
-                        int ifi;
 
                         r = extract_first_word(&p, &word, NULL, 0);
                         if (r == 0)
@@ -311,19 +310,18 @@ int machine_load(Machine *m) {
                                 break;
                         }
 
-                        if (parse_ifindex(word, &ifi) < 0)
+                        r = parse_ifindex(word);
+                        if (r < 0)
                                 continue;
 
-                        if (!GREEDY_REALLOC(ni, allocated, nr+1)) {
-                                free(ni);
+                        if (!GREEDY_REALLOC(ni, allocated, nr + 1))
                                 return log_oom();
-                        }
 
-                        ni[nr++] = ifi;
+                        ni[nr++] = r;
                 }
 
                 free(m->netif);
-                m->netif = ni;
+                m->netif = TAKE_PTR(ni);
                 m->n_netif = nr;
         }
 
diff --git a/src/network/networkctl.c b/src/network/networkctl.c
index e6dc70a0e2..0cc018e088 100644
--- a/src/network/networkctl.c
+++ b/src/network/networkctl.c
@@ -1880,8 +1880,8 @@ static int link_delete(int argc, char *argv[], void *userdata) {
                 return log_oom();
 
         for (i = 1; i < argc; i++) {
-                r = parse_ifindex_or_ifname(argv[i], &index);
-                if (r < 0) {
+                index = parse_ifindex_or_ifname(argv[i]);
+                if (index < 0) {
                         r = rtnl_resolve_link_alternative_name(&rtnl, argv[i], &index);
                         if (r < 0)
                                 return log_error_errno(r, "Failed to resolve interface %s", argv[i]);
@@ -1936,8 +1936,8 @@ static int link_renew(int argc, char *argv[], void *userdata) {
                 return log_error_errno(r, "Failed to connect system bus: %m");
 
         for (i = 1; i < argc; i++) {
-                r = parse_ifindex_or_ifname(argv[i], &index);
-                if (r < 0) {
+                index = parse_ifindex_or_ifname(argv[i]);
+                if (index < 0) {
                         r = rtnl_resolve_link_alternative_name(&rtnl, argv[i], &index);
                         if (r < 0)
                                 return log_error_errno(r, "Failed to resolve interface %s", argv[i]);
@@ -1991,8 +1991,8 @@ static int verb_reconfigure(int argc, char *argv[], void *userdata) {
                 return log_oom();
 
         for (i = 1; i < argc; i++) {
-                r = parse_ifindex_or_ifname(argv[i], &index);
-                if (r < 0) {
+                index = parse_ifindex_or_ifname(argv[i]);
+                if (index < 0) {
                         r = rtnl_resolve_link_alternative_name(&rtnl, argv[i], &index);
                         if (r < 0)
                                 return log_error_errno(r, "Failed to resolve interface %s", argv[i]);
diff --git a/src/network/networkd-link-bus.c b/src/network/networkd-link-bus.c
index 356ceaf063..8f3b2e92f8 100644
--- a/src/network/networkd-link-bus.c
+++ b/src/network/networkd-link-bus.c
@@ -715,8 +715,8 @@ int link_object_find(sd_bus *bus, const char *path, const char *interface, void
         if (r <= 0)
                 return 0;
 
-        r = parse_ifindex(identifier, &ifindex);
-        if (r < 0)
+        ifindex = parse_ifindex(identifier);
+        if (ifindex < 0)
                 return 0;
 
         r = link_get(m, ifindex, &link);
diff --git a/src/network/networkd-route.c b/src/network/networkd-route.c
index f94bee6d8b..2223a356da 100644
--- a/src/network/networkd-route.c
+++ b/src/network/networkd-route.c
@@ -1646,12 +1646,13 @@ int config_parse_multipath_route(
         m->gateway.family = family;
 
         if (dev) {
-                r = parse_ifindex_or_ifname(dev, &m->ifindex);
+                r = parse_ifindex_or_ifname(dev);
                 if (r < 0) {
                         log_syntax(unit, LOG_ERR, filename, line, r,
                                    "Invalid interface name or index, ignoring assignment: %s", dev);
                         return 0;
                 }
+                m->ifindex = r;
         }
 
         if (!isempty(p)) {
diff --git a/src/nspawn/nspawn-network.c b/src/nspawn/nspawn-network.c
index 9c9cf4812e..b2592b023d 100644
--- a/src/nspawn/nspawn-network.c
+++ b/src/nspawn/nspawn-network.c
@@ -337,9 +337,9 @@ static int join_bridge(sd_netlink *rtnl, const char *veth_name, const char *brid
         assert(veth_name);
         assert(bridge_name);
 
-        r = parse_ifindex_or_ifname(bridge_name, &bridge_ifi);
-        if (r < 0)
-                return r;
+        bridge_ifi = parse_ifindex_or_ifname(bridge_name);
+        if (bridge_ifi < 0)
+                return bridge_ifi;
 
         r = sd_rtnl_message_new_link(rtnl, &m, RTM_SETLINK, 0);
         if (r < 0)
@@ -473,11 +473,11 @@ int remove_bridge(const char *bridge_name) {
 }
 
 static int parse_interface(const char *name) {
-        int ifi, r;
+        int ifi;
 
-        r = parse_ifindex_or_ifname(name, &ifi);
-        if (r < 0)
-                return log_error_errno(r, "Failed to resolve interface %s: %m", name);
+        ifi = parse_ifindex_or_ifname(name);
+        if (ifi < 0)
+                return log_error_errno(ifi, "Failed to resolve interface %s: %m", name);
 
         return ifi;
 }
diff --git a/src/resolve/resolvectl.c b/src/resolve/resolvectl.c
index 0a96a18b38..87ecd519d5 100644
--- a/src/resolve/resolvectl.c
+++ b/src/resolve/resolvectl.c
@@ -80,7 +80,7 @@ typedef enum StatusMode {
 int ifname_mangle(const char *s) {
         _cleanup_free_ char *iface = NULL;
         const char *dot;
-        int ifi, r;
+        int ifi;
 
         assert(s);
 
@@ -94,14 +94,14 @@ int ifname_mangle(const char *s) {
         if (!iface)
                 return log_oom();
 
-        r = parse_ifindex_or_ifname(iface, &ifi);
-        if (r < 0) {
-                if (r == -ENODEV && arg_ifindex_permissive) {
+        ifi = parse_ifindex_or_ifname(iface);
+        if (ifi < 0) {
+                if (ifi == -ENODEV && arg_ifindex_permissive) {
                         log_debug("Interface '%s' not found, but -f specified, ignoring.", iface);
                         return 0; /* done */
                 }
 
-                return log_error_errno(r, "Unknown interface '%s': %m", iface);
+                return log_error_errno(ifi, "Unknown interface '%s': %m", iface);
         }
 
         if (arg_ifindex > 0 && arg_ifindex != ifi)
@@ -1819,18 +1819,18 @@ static int status_all(sd_bus *bus, StatusMode mode) {
 
 static int verb_status(int argc, char **argv, void *userdata) {
         sd_bus *bus = userdata;
-        int q, r = 0;
+        int r = 0;
 
         if (argc > 1) {
                 char **ifname;
                 bool empty_line = false;
 
                 STRV_FOREACH(ifname, argv + 1) {
-                        int ifindex;
+                        int ifindex, q;
 
-                        q = parse_ifindex_or_ifname(*ifname, &ifindex);
-                        if (q < 0) {
-                                log_error_errno(q, "Unknown interface '%s', ignoring: %m", *ifname);
+                        ifindex = parse_ifindex_or_ifname(*ifname);
+                        if (ifindex < 0) {
+                                log_warning_errno(ifindex, "Unknown interface '%s', ignoring: %m", *ifname);
                                 continue;
                         }
 
diff --git a/src/resolve/resolved-link-bus.c b/src/resolve/resolved-link-bus.c
index dae8435b45..a8480f190a 100644
--- a/src/resolve/resolved-link-bus.c
+++ b/src/resolve/resolved-link-bus.c
@@ -712,9 +712,8 @@ const sd_bus_vtable link_vtable[] = {
 int link_object_find(sd_bus *bus, const char *path, const char *interface, void *userdata, void **found, sd_bus_error *error) {
         _cleanup_free_ char *e = NULL;
         Manager *m = userdata;
-        int ifindex;
         Link *link;
-        int r;
+        int ifindex, r;
 
         assert(bus);
         assert(path);
@@ -726,8 +725,8 @@ int link_object_find(sd_bus *bus, const char *path, const char *interface, void
         if (r <= 0)
                 return 0;
 
-        r = parse_ifindex(e, &ifindex);
-        if (r < 0)
+        ifindex = parse_ifindex(e);
+        if (ifindex < 0)
                 return 0;
 
         link = hashmap_get(m->links, INT_TO_PTR(ifindex));
diff --git a/src/resolve/resolved-manager.c b/src/resolve/resolved-manager.c
index 95f698ab06..af91a8ec1a 100644
--- a/src/resolve/resolved-manager.c
+++ b/src/resolve/resolved-manager.c
@@ -1466,7 +1466,6 @@ void manager_reset_server_features(Manager *m) {
 void manager_cleanup_saved_user(Manager *m) {
         _cleanup_closedir_ DIR *d = NULL;
         struct dirent *de;
-        int r;
 
         assert(m);
 
@@ -1494,8 +1493,8 @@ void manager_cleanup_saved_user(Manager *m) {
                 if (dot_or_dot_dot(de->d_name))
                         continue;
 
-                r = parse_ifindex(de->d_name, &ifindex);
-                if (r < 0) /* Probably some temporary file from a previous run. Delete it */
+                ifindex = parse_ifindex(de->d_name);
+                if (ifindex < 0) /* Probably some temporary file from a previous run. Delete it */
                         goto rm;
 
                 l = hashmap_get(m->links, INT_TO_PTR(ifindex));
diff --git a/src/timedate/timedatectl.c b/src/timedate/timedatectl.c
index 17297ab228..d51e29de1e 100644
--- a/src/timedate/timedatectl.c
+++ b/src/timedate/timedatectl.c
@@ -839,9 +839,12 @@ static int parse_ifindex_bus(sd_bus *bus, const char *str, int *ret) {
         assert(str);
         assert(ret);
 
-        r = parse_ifindex(str, ret);
-        if (r >= 0)
+        r = parse_ifindex(str);
+        if (r >= 0) {
+                assert(r != 0);
+                *ret = r;
                 return 0;
+        }
 
         r = sd_bus_call_method(
                         bus,