diff --git a/src/core/thread/mesh_forwarder.hpp b/src/core/thread/mesh_forwarder.hpp
index 259ee06df..0f90fb5e1 100644
--- a/src/core/thread/mesh_forwarder.hpp
+++ b/src/core/thread/mesh_forwarder.hpp
@@ -426,7 +426,7 @@ private:
                              const Mac::Address &aMacDest,
                              uint8_t &           aPriority);
     otError GetFragmentPriority(Lowpan::FragmentHeader &aFragmentHeader, uint16_t aSrcRloc16, uint8_t &aPriority);
-    otError GetForwardFramePriority(const uint8_t *     aFrame,
+    void    GetForwardFramePriority(const uint8_t *     aFrame,
                                     uint16_t            aFrameLength,
                                     const Mac::Address &aMeshSource,
                                     const Mac::Address &aMeshDest,
diff --git a/src/core/thread/mesh_forwarder_ftd.cpp b/src/core/thread/mesh_forwarder_ftd.cpp
index c39a72f29..61a15186d 100644
--- a/src/core/thread/mesh_forwarder_ftd.cpp
+++ b/src/core/thread/mesh_forwarder_ftd.cpp
@@ -658,7 +658,7 @@ void MeshForwarder::HandleMesh(uint8_t *               aFrame,
 
         meshHeader.DecrementHopsLeft();
 
-        IgnoreError(GetForwardFramePriority(aFrame, aFrameLength, meshSource, meshDest, priority));
+        GetForwardFramePriority(aFrame, aFrameLength, meshSource, meshDest, priority);
         message = Get<MessagePool>().New(Message::kType6lowpan, priority);
         VerifyOrExit(message != NULL, error = OT_ERROR_NO_BUFS);
 
@@ -842,11 +842,11 @@ exit:
     return error;
 }
 
-otError MeshForwarder::GetForwardFramePriority(const uint8_t *     aFrame,
-                                               uint16_t            aFrameLength,
-                                               const Mac::Address &aMeshSource,
-                                               const Mac::Address &aMeshDest,
-                                               uint8_t &           aPriority)
+void MeshForwarder::GetForwardFramePriority(const uint8_t *     aFrame,
+                                            uint16_t            aFrameLength,
+                                            const Mac::Address &aMeshSource,
+                                            const Mac::Address &aMeshDest,
+                                            uint8_t &           aPriority)
 {
     otError                error      = OT_ERROR_NONE;
     bool                   isFragment = false;
@@ -881,7 +881,7 @@ exit:
         UpdateFragmentPriority(fragmentHeader, aFrameLength, aMeshSource.GetShort(), aPriority);
     }
 
-    return error;
+    return;
 }
 
 otError MeshForwarder::GetDestinationRlocByServiceAloc(uint16_t aServiceAloc, uint16_t &aMeshDest)