diff --git a/src/posix/platform/netif.cpp b/src/posix/platform/netif.cpp
index 6361f751f..ac1da79cd 100644
--- a/src/posix/platform/netif.cpp
+++ b/src/posix/platform/netif.cpp
@@ -375,7 +375,7 @@ static void UpdateUnicastLinux(otInstance *aInstance, const otIp6AddressInfo &aA
     memset(&req, 0, sizeof(req));
 
     req.nh.nlmsg_len   = NLMSG_LENGTH(sizeof(struct ifaddrmsg));
-    req.nh.nlmsg_flags = NLM_F_REQUEST | NLM_F_ACK | NLM_F_CREATE | NLM_F_EXCL;
+    req.nh.nlmsg_flags = NLM_F_REQUEST | NLM_F_ACK | (aIsAdded ? (NLM_F_CREATE | NLM_F_EXCL) : 0);
     req.nh.nlmsg_type  = aIsAdded ? RTM_NEWADDR : RTM_DELADDR;
     req.nh.nlmsg_pid   = 0;
     req.nh.nlmsg_seq   = ++sNetlinkSequence;