diff --git a/wgengine/magicsock/magicsock.go b/wgengine/magicsock/magicsock.go
index 32d531b56..6cbe3c7ee 100644
--- a/wgengine/magicsock/magicsock.go
+++ b/wgengine/magicsock/magicsock.go
@@ -262,8 +262,8 @@ type Conn struct {
 	// pconn4 and pconn6 are the underlying UDP sockets used to
 	// send/receive packets for wireguard and other magicsock
 	// protocols.
-	pconn4 *RebindingUDPConn
-	pconn6 *RebindingUDPConn
+	pconn4 RebindingUDPConn
+	pconn6 RebindingUDPConn
 
 	// closeDisco4 and closeDisco6 are io.Closers to shut down the raw
 	// disco packet receivers. If nil, no raw disco receiver is
@@ -570,7 +570,7 @@ func NewConn(opts Options) (*Conn, error) {
 	}
 	c.linkMon = opts.LinkMonitor
 
-	if err := c.initialBind(); err != nil {
+	if err := c.rebind(keepCurrentPort); err != nil {
 		return nil, err
 	}
 
@@ -578,15 +578,12 @@ func NewConn(opts Options) (*Conn, error) {
 	c.donec = c.connCtx.Done()
 	c.netChecker = &netcheck.Client{
 		Logf:                logger.WithPrefix(c.logf, "netcheck: "),
-		GetSTUNConn4:        func() netcheck.STUNConn { return c.pconn4 },
+		GetSTUNConn4:        func() netcheck.STUNConn { return &c.pconn4 },
+		GetSTUNConn6:        func() netcheck.STUNConn { return &c.pconn6 },
 		SkipExternalNetwork: inTest(),
 		PortMapper:          c.portMapper,
 	}
 
-	if c.pconn6 != nil {
-		c.netChecker.GetSTUNConn6 = func() netcheck.STUNConn { return c.pconn6 }
-	}
-
 	c.ignoreSTUNPackets()
 
 	if d4, err := c.listenRawDisco("ip4"); err == nil {
@@ -1240,10 +1237,6 @@ func (c *Conn) sendUDPStd(addr netip.AddrPort, b []byte) (sent bool, err error)
 			return false, nil
 		}
 	case addr.Addr().Is6():
-		if c.pconn6 == nil {
-			// ignore IPv6 dest if we don't have an IPv6 address.
-			return false, nil
-		}
 		_, err = c.pconn6.WriteToUDPAddrPort(b, addr)
 		if err != nil && (c.noV6.Load() || neterror.TreatAsLostUDP(err)) {
 			return false, nil
@@ -2660,12 +2653,8 @@ func (c *connBind) Close() error {
 	}
 	c.closed = true
 	// Unblock all outstanding receives.
-	if c.pconn4 != nil {
-		c.pconn4.Close()
-	}
-	if c.pconn6 != nil {
-		c.pconn6.Close()
-	}
+	c.pconn4.Close()
+	c.pconn6.Close()
 	if c.closeDisco4 != nil {
 		c.closeDisco4.Close()
 	}
@@ -2710,12 +2699,8 @@ func (c *Conn) Close() error {
 	c.closeAllDerpLocked("conn-close")
 	// Ignore errors from c.pconnN.Close.
 	// They will frequently have been closed already by a call to connBind.Close.
-	if c.pconn6 != nil {
-		c.pconn6.Close()
-	}
-	if c.pconn4 != nil {
-		c.pconn4.Close()
-	}
+	c.pconn6.Close()
+	c.pconn4.Close()
 
 	// Wait on goroutines updating right at the end, once everything is
 	// already closed. We want everything else in the Conn to be
@@ -2821,20 +2806,6 @@ func (c *Conn) ReSTUN(why string) {
 	}
 }
 
-func (c *Conn) initialBind() error {
-	if runtime.GOOS == "js" {
-		return nil
-	}
-	if err := c.bindSocket(&c.pconn4, "udp4", keepCurrentPort); err != nil {
-		return fmt.Errorf("magicsock: initialBind IPv4 failed: %w", err)
-	}
-	c.portMapper.SetLocalPort(c.LocalPort())
-	if err := c.bindSocket(&c.pconn6, "udp6", keepCurrentPort); err != nil {
-		c.logf("magicsock: ignoring IPv6 bind failure: %v", err)
-	}
-	return nil
-}
-
 // listenPacket opens a packet listener.
 // The network must be "udp4" or "udp6".
 func (c *Conn) listenPacket(network string, port uint16) (nettype.PacketConn, error) {
@@ -2852,12 +2823,7 @@ func (c *Conn) listenPacket(network string, port uint16) (nettype.PacketConn, er
 // The caller is responsible for informing the portMapper of any changes.
 // If curPortFate is set to dropCurrentPort, no attempt is made to reuse
 // the current port.
-func (c *Conn) bindSocket(rucPtr **RebindingUDPConn, network string, curPortFate currentPortFate) error {
-	if *rucPtr == nil {
-		*rucPtr = new(RebindingUDPConn)
-	}
-	ruc := *rucPtr
-
+func (c *Conn) bindSocket(ruc *RebindingUDPConn, network string, curPortFate currentPortFate) error {
 	// Hold the ruc lock the entire time, so that the close+bind is atomic
 	// from the perspective of ruc receive functions.
 	ruc.mu.Lock()
@@ -2930,13 +2896,13 @@ func (c *Conn) rebind(curPortFate currentPortFate) error {
 	if runtime.GOOS == "js" {
 		return nil
 	}
+	if err := c.bindSocket(&c.pconn6, "udp6", curPortFate); err != nil {
+		c.logf("magicsock: Rebind ignoring IPv6 bind failure: %v", err)
+	}
 	if err := c.bindSocket(&c.pconn4, "udp4", curPortFate); err != nil {
 		return fmt.Errorf("magicsock: Rebind IPv4 failed: %w", err)
 	}
 	c.portMapper.SetLocalPort(c.LocalPort())
-	if err := c.bindSocket(&c.pconn6, "udp6", curPortFate); err != nil {
-		c.logf("magicsock: Rebind ignoring IPv6 bind failure: %v", err)
-	}
 	return nil
 }