diff --git a/ipn/ipnauth/ipnauth_unix_creds.go b/ipn/ipnauth/ipnauth_unix_creds.go
index 8ce2ac8a4..89a9ceaa9 100644
--- a/ipn/ipnauth/ipnauth_unix_creds.go
+++ b/ipn/ipnauth/ipnauth_unix_creds.go
@@ -18,12 +18,13 @@ import (
 func GetConnIdentity(_ logger.Logf, c net.Conn) (ci *ConnIdentity, err error) {
 	ci = &ConnIdentity{conn: c, notWindows: true}
 	_, ci.isUnixSock = c.(*net.UnixConn)
-	if ci.creds, err = peercred.Get(c); ci.creds != nil {
+	if creds, err := peercred.Get(c); err == nil {
+		ci.creds = creds
 		ci.pid, _ = ci.creds.PID()
 	} else if err == peercred.ErrNotImplemented {
 		// peercred.Get is not implemented on this OS (such as OpenBSD)
 		// Just leave creds as nil, as documented.
-	} else if err != nil {
+	} else {
 		return nil, err
 	}
 	return ci, nil