diff --git a/sys/net/gnrc/network_layer/ipv6/nib/_nib-arsm.c b/sys/net/gnrc/network_layer/ipv6/nib/_nib-arsm.c
index 1ec45edf22..858af573d5 100644
--- a/sys/net/gnrc/network_layer/ipv6/nib/_nib-arsm.c
+++ b/sys/net/gnrc/network_layer/ipv6/nib/_nib-arsm.c
@@ -93,7 +93,7 @@ void _handle_sl2ao(gnrc_netif_t *netif, const ipv6_hdr_t *ipv6,
                    const icmpv6_hdr_t *icmpv6, const ndp_opt_t *sl2ao)
 {
     assert(netif != NULL);
-    _nib_onl_entry_t *nce = _nib_onl_get(&ipv6->src, netif->pid);
+    _nib_onl_entry_t *nce = _nib_onl_nc_get(&ipv6->src, netif->pid);
     int l2addr_len;
 
     l2addr_len = gnrc_netif_ndp_addr_len_from_l2ao(netif, sl2ao);
@@ -102,7 +102,7 @@ void _handle_sl2ao(gnrc_netif_t *netif, const ipv6_hdr_t *ipv6,
         return;
     }
 #if IS_ACTIVE(CONFIG_GNRC_IPV6_NIB_ARSM)
-    if ((nce != NULL) && (nce->mode & _NC) &&
+    if ((nce != NULL) &&
         ((nce->l2addr_len != l2addr_len) ||
          (memcmp(nce->l2addr, sl2ao + 1, nce->l2addr_len) != 0)) &&
         /* a 6LR MUST NOT modify an existing NCE based on an SL2AO in an RS
@@ -113,7 +113,7 @@ void _handle_sl2ao(gnrc_netif_t *netif, const ipv6_hdr_t *ipv6,
         _set_nud_state(netif, nce, GNRC_IPV6_NIB_NC_INFO_NUD_STATE_STALE);
     }
 #endif  /* CONFIG_GNRC_IPV6_NIB_ARSM */
-    if ((nce == NULL) || !(nce->mode & _NC)) {
+    if (nce == NULL) {
         DEBUG("nib: Creating NCE for (ipv6 = %s, iface = %u, nud_state = STALE)\n",
               ipv6_addr_to_str(addr_str, &ipv6->src, sizeof(addr_str)),
               netif->pid);
diff --git a/sys/net/gnrc/network_layer/ipv6/nib/_nib-internal.h b/sys/net/gnrc/network_layer/ipv6/nib/_nib-internal.h
index cc3e62a863..602bc3da92 100644
--- a/sys/net/gnrc/network_layer/ipv6/nib/_nib-internal.h
+++ b/sys/net/gnrc/network_layer/ipv6/nib/_nib-internal.h
@@ -350,6 +350,26 @@ _nib_onl_entry_t *_nib_onl_iter(const _nib_onl_entry_t *last);
  */
 _nib_onl_entry_t *_nib_onl_get(const ipv6_addr_t *addr, unsigned iface);
 
+/**
+ * @brief   Gets a node by IPv6 address and interface from the neighbor cache
+ *
+ * @pre     `(addr != NULL)`
+ *
+ * @param[in] addr  The address of a node. Must not be NULL.
+ * @param[in] iface The interface to the node. May be 0 for any interface.
+ *
+ * @return  The Neighbor Cache entry for node with @p addr and @p iface on success.
+ * @return  NULL, if there is no such entry.
+ */
+static inline _nib_onl_entry_t *_nib_onl_nc_get(const ipv6_addr_t *addr, unsigned iface)
+{
+    _nib_onl_entry_t *nce = _nib_onl_get(addr, iface);
+    if (nce && (nce->mode & _NC)) {
+        return nce;
+    }
+    return NULL;
+}
+
 /**
  * @brief   Creates or gets an existing node from the neighbor cache by address
  *
diff --git a/sys/net/gnrc/network_layer/ipv6/nib/nib.c b/sys/net/gnrc/network_layer/ipv6/nib/nib.c
index f86fee8c69..d5ca625d03 100644
--- a/sys/net/gnrc/network_layer/ipv6/nib/nib.c
+++ b/sys/net/gnrc/network_layer/ipv6/nib/nib.c
@@ -213,14 +213,15 @@ int gnrc_ipv6_nib_get_next_hop_l2addr(const ipv6_addr_t *dst,
     gnrc_netif_acquire(netif);
     _nib_acquire();
     do {    /* XXX: hidden goto ;-) */
-        _nib_onl_entry_t *node = _nib_onl_get(dst,
-                                              (netif == NULL) ? 0 : netif->pid);
+        _nib_onl_entry_t *node = _nib_onl_nc_get(dst,
+                                                 (netif == NULL) ? 0 : netif->pid);
         /* consider neighbor cache entries first */
         unsigned iface = (node == NULL) ? 0 : _nib_onl_get_if(node);
 
         if ((node != NULL) || _on_link(dst, &iface)) {
-            DEBUG("nib: %s is on-link or in NC, start address resolution\n",
-                  ipv6_addr_to_str(addr_str, dst, sizeof(addr_str)));
+            DEBUG("nib: %s is %s, start address resolution\n",
+                  ipv6_addr_to_str(addr_str, dst, sizeof(addr_str)),
+                  node ? "in NC" : "on-link");
             /* on-link prefixes return their interface */
             if (!ipv6_addr_is_link_local(dst) && (iface != 0)) {
                 /* release pre-assumed netif */
@@ -228,7 +229,7 @@ int gnrc_ipv6_nib_get_next_hop_l2addr(const ipv6_addr_t *dst,
                 netif = _acquire_new_iface(iface);
                 /* get node from proper interface */
                 if (netif != NULL) {
-                    node = _nib_onl_get(dst, netif->pid);
+                    node = _nib_onl_nc_get(dst, netif->pid);
                 }
             }
             if ((netif == NULL) ||
@@ -284,8 +285,8 @@ int gnrc_ipv6_nib_get_next_hop_l2addr(const ipv6_addr_t *dst,
                 /* get actual netif */
                 netif = _acquire_new_iface(route.iface);
             }
-            node = _nib_onl_get(&route.next_hop,
-                                (netif != NULL) ? netif->pid : 0);
+            node = _nib_onl_nc_get(&route.next_hop,
+                                   (netif != NULL) ? netif->pid : 0);
             if (_resolve_addr(&route.next_hop, netif, pkt, nce, node)) {
                 _call_route_info_cb(netif,
                                     GNRC_IPV6_NIB_ROUTE_INFO_TYPE_RN,
@@ -532,7 +533,7 @@ static void _handle_rtr_sol(gnrc_netif_t *netif, const ipv6_hdr_t *ipv6,
                     break;
             }
         }
-        nce = _nib_onl_get(&ipv6->src, netif->pid);
+        nce = _nib_onl_nc_get(&ipv6->src, netif->pid);
     }
     if (!gnrc_netif_is_6ln(netif)) {
         uint32_t next_ra_delay = random_uint32_range(0, NDP_MAX_RA_DELAY);
@@ -832,8 +833,8 @@ static void _send_delayed_nbr_adv(const gnrc_netif_t *netif,
     _nib_onl_entry_t *nce;
     uint8_t reply_flags = NDP_NBR_ADV_FLAGS_S;
 
-    nce = _nib_onl_get(tgt, netif->pid);
-    if ((nce == NULL) || !(nce->mode & _NC)) {
+    nce = _nib_onl_nc_get(tgt, netif->pid);
+    if (nce == NULL) {
         /* usually this should be the case, but when NCE is full, just
          * ignore the sending. Other nodes in this anycast group are
          * then preferred */
@@ -1124,8 +1125,7 @@ static void _handle_nbr_adv(gnrc_netif_t *netif, const ipv6_hdr_t *ipv6,
         gnrc_netif_release(tgt_netif);
     }
 #endif  /* CONFIG_GNRC_IPV6_NIB_SLAAC */
-    if (((nce = _nib_onl_get(&nbr_adv->tgt, netif->pid)) != NULL) &&
-        (nce->mode & _NC)) {
+    if ((nce = _nib_onl_nc_get(&nbr_adv->tgt, netif->pid)) != NULL) {
 #if IS_ACTIVE(CONFIG_GNRC_IPV6_NIB_ARSM)
         bool tl2ao_avail = false;
 #endif  /* CONFIG_GNRC_IPV6_NIB_ARSM */
@@ -1208,7 +1208,7 @@ static bool _resolve_addr(const ipv6_addr_t *dst, gnrc_netif_t *netif,
         return true;
     }
 #if IS_ACTIVE(CONFIG_GNRC_IPV6_NIB_ARSM)
-    if ((entry != NULL) && (entry->mode & _NC) && _is_reachable(entry)) {
+    if ((entry != NULL) && _is_reachable(entry)) {
         if (_get_nud_state(entry) == GNRC_IPV6_NIB_NC_INFO_NUD_STATE_STALE) {
             _set_nud_state(netif, entry, GNRC_IPV6_NIB_NC_INFO_NUD_STATE_DELAY);
             _evtimer_add(entry, GNRC_IPV6_NIB_DELAY_TIMEOUT,
@@ -1236,7 +1236,7 @@ static bool _resolve_addr(const ipv6_addr_t *dst, gnrc_netif_t *netif,
 
         DEBUG("nib: resolve address %s by probing neighbors\n",
               ipv6_addr_to_str(addr_str, dst, sizeof(addr_str)));
-        if ((entry == NULL) || !(entry->mode & _NC)) {
+        if (entry == NULL) {
             entry = _nib_nc_add(dst, (netif != NULL) ? netif->pid : 0,
                                 GNRC_IPV6_NIB_NC_INFO_NUD_STATE_INCOMPLETE);
             if (entry == NULL) {