diff --git a/sys/kern/kern_event.c b/sys/kern/kern_event.c
index 01731ca46b6..8c7a0949f02 100644
--- a/sys/kern/kern_event.c
+++ b/sys/kern/kern_event.c
@@ -2953,8 +2953,7 @@ knote_drop_detached(struct knote *kn, struct thread *td)
 	else
 		list = &kq->kq_knhash[KN_HASH(kn->kn_id, kq->kq_knhashmask)];
 
-	if (!SLIST_EMPTY(list))
-		SLIST_REMOVE(list, kn, knote, kn_link);
+	SLIST_REMOVE(list, kn, knote, kn_link);
 	if (kn->kn_status & KN_QUEUED)
 		knote_dequeue(kn);
 	KQ_UNLOCK_FLUX(kq);
diff --git a/sys/kern/vfs_aio.c b/sys/kern/vfs_aio.c
index 2a790237d30..da0e36fc1ec 100644
--- a/sys/kern/vfs_aio.c
+++ b/sys/kern/vfs_aio.c
@@ -2668,8 +2668,7 @@ filt_aiodetach(struct knote *kn)
 
 	knl = &kn->kn_ptr.p_aio->klist;
 	knl->kl_lock(knl->kl_lockarg);
-	if (!knlist_empty(knl))
-		knlist_remove(knl, kn, 1);
+	knlist_remove(knl, kn, 1);
 	knl->kl_unlock(knl->kl_lockarg);
 }
 
@@ -2718,8 +2717,7 @@ filt_liodetach(struct knote *kn)
 
 	knl = &kn->kn_ptr.p_lio->klist;
 	knl->kl_lock(knl->kl_lockarg);
-	if (!knlist_empty(knl))
-		knlist_remove(knl, kn, 1);
+	knlist_remove(knl, kn, 1);
 	knl->kl_unlock(knl->kl_lockarg);
 }