diff --git a/src/core/api/ip6_api.cpp b/src/core/api/ip6_api.cpp
index bddb36cdc..8a15e7823 100644
--- a/src/core/api/ip6_api.cpp
+++ b/src/core/api/ip6_api.cpp
@@ -136,14 +136,7 @@ void otIp6SetReceiveFilterEnabled(otInstance *aInstance, bool aEnabled)
 
 otError otIp6Send(otInstance *aInstance, otMessage *aMessage)
 {
-    otError error;
-
-    VerifyOrExit(!AsCoreType(aMessage).IsOriginThreadNetif(), error = kErrorInvalidArgs);
-
-    error = AsCoreType(aInstance).Get<Ip6::Ip6>().SendRaw(OwnedPtr<Message>(AsCoreTypePtr(aMessage)));
-
-exit:
-    return error;
+    return AsCoreType(aInstance).Get<Ip6::Ip6>().SendRaw(OwnedPtr<Message>(AsCoreTypePtr(aMessage)));
 }
 
 otMessage *otIp6NewMessage(otInstance *aInstance, const otMessageSettings *aSettings)
diff --git a/src/core/net/ip6.cpp b/src/core/net/ip6.cpp
index 31ab04292..ee9b82463 100644
--- a/src/core/net/ip6.cpp
+++ b/src/core/net/ip6.cpp
@@ -1128,6 +1128,7 @@ Error Ip6::SendRaw(OwnedPtr<Message> aMessagePtr)
     Error  error = kErrorNone;
     Header header;
 
+    VerifyOrExit(!aMessagePtr->IsOriginThreadNetif(), error = kErrorInvalidArgs);
     SuccessOrExit(error = header.ParseFrom(*aMessagePtr));
     VerifyOrExit(!header.GetSource().IsMulticast(), error = kErrorInvalidSourceAddress);
 
diff --git a/src/core/net/ip6.hpp b/src/core/net/ip6.hpp
index eac357a27..749985461 100644
--- a/src/core/net/ip6.hpp
+++ b/src/core/net/ip6.hpp
@@ -163,11 +163,12 @@ public:
      *
      * @param[in]  aMessage   An owned pointer to a message (ownership is transferred to the method).
      *
-     * @retval kErrorNone     Successfully processed the message.
-     * @retval kErrorDrop     Message was well-formed but not fully processed due to packet processing rules.
-     * @retval kErrorNoBufs   Could not allocate necessary message buffers when processing the datagram.
-     * @retval kErrorNoRoute  No route to host.
-     * @retval kErrorParse    Encountered a malformed header when processing the message.
+     * @retval kErrorNone          Successfully processed the message.
+     * @retval kErrorDrop          Message was well-formed but not fully processed due to packet processing rules.
+     * @retval kErrorInvalidArgs   The message has invalid origin (`kOriginThreadNetif`).
+     * @retval kErrorNoBufs        Could not allocate necessary message buffers when processing the datagram.
+     * @retval kErrorNoRoute       No route to host.
+     * @retval kErrorParse         Encountered a malformed header when processing the message.
      */
     Error SendRaw(OwnedPtr<Message> aMessage);