diff --git a/sys/include/net/gnrc/netif/internal.h b/sys/include/net/gnrc/netif/internal.h
index 5f875e3a1b..3f59031793 100644
--- a/sys/include/net/gnrc/netif/internal.h
+++ b/sys/include/net/gnrc/netif/internal.h
@@ -87,7 +87,8 @@ void gnrc_netif_release(gnrc_netif_t *netif);
  * @note    Only available with @ref net_gnrc_ipv6 "gnrc_ipv6".
  *
  * @return  >= 0, on success
- * @return  -ENOMEM, when no space for new addresses is left on the interface
+ * @return  -ENOMEM, when no space for new addresses (or its solicited nodes
+ *          multicast address) is left on the interface
  */
 int gnrc_netif_ipv6_addr_add_internal(gnrc_netif_t *netif,
                                       const ipv6_addr_t *addr,
diff --git a/sys/net/gnrc/netif/gnrc_netif.c b/sys/net/gnrc/netif/gnrc_netif.c
index 695ccd8d6f..79f2c23944 100644
--- a/sys/net/gnrc/netif/gnrc_netif.c
+++ b/sys/net/gnrc/netif/gnrc_netif.c
@@ -555,9 +555,6 @@ int gnrc_netif_ipv6_addr_add_internal(gnrc_netif_t *netif,
         gnrc_netif_release(netif);
         return -ENOMEM;
     }
-    netif->ipv6.addrs_flags[idx] = flags;
-    memcpy(&netif->ipv6.addrs[idx], addr, sizeof(netif->ipv6.addrs[idx]));
-#ifdef MODULE_GNRC_IPV6_NIB
 #if GNRC_IPV6_NIB_CONF_ARSM
     ipv6_addr_t sol_nodes;
     int res;
@@ -570,8 +567,12 @@ int gnrc_netif_ipv6_addr_add_internal(gnrc_netif_t *netif,
         DEBUG("nib: Can't join solicited-nodes of %s on interface %u\n",
               ipv6_addr_to_str(addr_str, addr, sizeof(addr_str)),
               netif->pid);
+        return res;
     }
 #endif /* GNRC_IPV6_NIB_CONF_ARSM */
+    netif->ipv6.addrs_flags[idx] = flags;
+    memcpy(&netif->ipv6.addrs[idx], addr, sizeof(netif->ipv6.addrs[idx]));
+#ifdef MODULE_GNRC_IPV6_NIB
     if (_get_state(netif, idx) == GNRC_NETIF_IPV6_ADDRS_FLAGS_STATE_VALID) {
         void *state = NULL;
         gnrc_ipv6_nib_pl_t ple;