diff --git a/cmd/containerboot/main_test.go b/cmd/containerboot/main_test.go
index cd7edea57..6949a7a97 100644
--- a/cmd/containerboot/main_test.go
+++ b/cmd/containerboot/main_test.go
@@ -999,9 +999,6 @@ func (k *kubeServer) serveSecret(w http.ResponseWriter, r *http.Request) {
 		defer k.Unlock()
 		for k, v := range k.secret {
 			v := base64.StdEncoding.EncodeToString([]byte(v))
-			if err != nil {
-				panic("encode failed")
-			}
 			ret["data"][k] = v
 		}
 		if err := json.NewEncoder(w).Encode(ret); err != nil {
diff --git a/control/controlclient/direct.go b/control/controlclient/direct.go
index c3db722f5..67ca800af 100644
--- a/control/controlclient/direct.go
+++ b/control/controlclient/direct.go
@@ -710,9 +710,6 @@ func (c *Direct) doLogin(ctx context.Context, opt loginOpt) (mustRegen bool, new
 	c.persist = persist.View()
 	c.mu.Unlock()
 
-	if err != nil {
-		return regen, "", nil, err
-	}
 	if ctx.Err() != nil {
 		return regen, "", nil, ctx.Err()
 	}
diff --git a/ipn/ipnlocal/cert.go b/ipn/ipnlocal/cert.go
index d094cc9f8..aa4e2bcc7 100644
--- a/ipn/ipnlocal/cert.go
+++ b/ipn/ipnlocal/cert.go
@@ -594,7 +594,7 @@ func acmeKey(cs certStore) (crypto.Signer, error) {
 			return nil, errors.New("acme/autocert: invalid account key found in cache")
 		}
 		return parsePrivateKey(priv.Bytes)
-	} else if err != nil && !errors.Is(err, ipn.ErrStateNotExist) {
+	} else if !errors.Is(err, ipn.ErrStateNotExist) {
 		return nil, err
 	}
 
diff --git a/ipn/ipnserver/proxyconnect.go b/ipn/ipnserver/proxyconnect.go
index 0a515350d..1094a79f9 100644
--- a/ipn/ipnserver/proxyconnect.go
+++ b/ipn/ipnserver/proxyconnect.go
@@ -48,7 +48,7 @@ func (s *Server) handleProxyConnectConn(w http.ResponseWriter, r *http.Request)
 
 	hj, ok := w.(http.Hijacker)
 	if !ok {
-		http.Error(w, err.Error(), http.StatusInternalServerError)
+		http.Error(w, "CONNECT hijack unavailable", http.StatusInternalServerError)
 		return
 	}
 	c, br, err := hj.Hijack()
diff --git a/ipn/prefs.go b/ipn/prefs.go
index 5e8033a28..897547889 100644
--- a/ipn/prefs.go
+++ b/ipn/prefs.go
@@ -444,8 +444,7 @@ func (p *Prefs) Equals(p2 *Prefs) bool {
 		return false
 	}
 
-	return p != nil && p2 != nil &&
-		p.ControlURL == p2.ControlURL &&
+	return p.ControlURL == p2.ControlURL &&
 		p.RouteAll == p2.RouteAll &&
 		p.AllowSingleHosts == p2.AllowSingleHosts &&
 		p.ExitNodeID == p2.ExitNodeID &&
diff --git a/portlist/portlist_linux.go b/portlist/portlist_linux.go
index 68b8ed7ba..94f843746 100644
--- a/portlist/portlist_linux.go
+++ b/portlist/portlist_linux.go
@@ -178,7 +178,7 @@ func (li *linuxImpl) parseProcNetFile(r *bufio.Reader, fileBase string) error {
 	// Scratch buffer for making inode strings.
 	inoBuf := make([]byte, 0, 50)
 
-	for err == nil {
+	for {
 		line, err := r.ReadSlice('\n')
 		if err == io.EOF {
 			break
diff --git a/posture/serialnumber_notmacos.go b/posture/serialnumber_notmacos.go
index c1b3e0699..69ad904b8 100644
--- a/posture/serialnumber_notmacos.go
+++ b/posture/serialnumber_notmacos.go
@@ -99,13 +99,7 @@ func GetSerialNumbers(logf logger.Logf) ([]string, error) {
 		}
 	}
 
-	// if there were no serial numbers, check if any errors were
-	// returned and combine them.
-	if len(serials) == 0 && err != nil {
-		return nil, err
-	}
-
-	logf("got serial numbers %v (errors: %s)", serials, err)
+	logf("got serial numbers %v", serials)
 
 	return serials, nil
 }