diff --git a/subprojects/gst-plugins-bad/gst-libs/gst/vulkan/gstvkcommandpool.c b/subprojects/gst-plugins-bad/gst-libs/gst/vulkan/gstvkcommandpool.c
index eb9255a88d..452d7ded3b 100644
--- a/subprojects/gst-plugins-bad/gst-libs/gst/vulkan/gstvkcommandpool.c
+++ b/subprojects/gst-plugins-bad/gst-libs/gst/vulkan/gstvkcommandpool.c
@@ -118,7 +118,7 @@ gst_vulkan_command_pool_get_queue (GstVulkanCommandPool * pool)
 {
   g_return_val_if_fail (GST_IS_VULKAN_COMMAND_POOL (pool), NULL);
 
-  return pool->queue ? gst_object_ref (pool->queue) : NULL;
+  return gst_object_ref (pool->queue);
 }
 
 static GstVulkanCommandBuffer *
diff --git a/subprojects/gst-plugins-bad/gst-libs/gst/vulkan/gstvkdescriptorpool.c b/subprojects/gst-plugins-bad/gst-libs/gst/vulkan/gstvkdescriptorpool.c
index 99be8eda24..58303a144e 100644
--- a/subprojects/gst-plugins-bad/gst-libs/gst/vulkan/gstvkdescriptorpool.c
+++ b/subprojects/gst-plugins-bad/gst-libs/gst/vulkan/gstvkdescriptorpool.c
@@ -132,7 +132,7 @@ gst_vulkan_descriptor_pool_get_device (GstVulkanDescriptorPool * pool)
 {
   g_return_val_if_fail (GST_IS_VULKAN_DESCRIPTOR_POOL (pool), NULL);
 
-  return pool->device ? gst_object_ref (pool->device) : NULL;
+  return gst_object_ref (pool->device);
 }
 
 /**
diff --git a/subprojects/gst-plugins-bad/gst-libs/gst/vulkan/gstvkdevice.c b/subprojects/gst-plugins-bad/gst-libs/gst/vulkan/gstvkdevice.c
index 005bf98029..0f83d91c30 100644
--- a/subprojects/gst-plugins-bad/gst-libs/gst/vulkan/gstvkdevice.c
+++ b/subprojects/gst-plugins-bad/gst-libs/gst/vulkan/gstvkdevice.c
@@ -454,7 +454,7 @@ gst_vulkan_device_get_instance (GstVulkanDevice * device)
 {
   g_return_val_if_fail (GST_IS_VULKAN_DEVICE (device), NULL);
 
-  return device->instance ? gst_object_ref (device->instance) : NULL;
+  return gst_object_ref (device->instance);
 }
 
 /**
diff --git a/subprojects/gst-plugins-bad/gst-libs/gst/vulkan/gstvkphysicaldevice.c b/subprojects/gst-plugins-bad/gst-libs/gst/vulkan/gstvkphysicaldevice.c
index 33f9f20553..c2dee3cf32 100644
--- a/subprojects/gst-plugins-bad/gst-libs/gst/vulkan/gstvkphysicaldevice.c
+++ b/subprojects/gst-plugins-bad/gst-libs/gst/vulkan/gstvkphysicaldevice.c
@@ -968,7 +968,7 @@ gst_vulkan_physical_device_get_instance (GstVulkanPhysicalDevice * device)
 {
   g_return_val_if_fail (GST_IS_VULKAN_PHYSICAL_DEVICE (device), NULL);
 
-  return device->instance ? gst_object_ref (device->instance) : NULL;
+  return gst_object_ref (device->instance);
 }
 
 static gboolean
diff --git a/subprojects/gst-plugins-bad/gst-libs/gst/vulkan/gstvkqueue.c b/subprojects/gst-plugins-bad/gst-libs/gst/vulkan/gstvkqueue.c
index f457000ad2..4e463ec33e 100644
--- a/subprojects/gst-plugins-bad/gst-libs/gst/vulkan/gstvkqueue.c
+++ b/subprojects/gst-plugins-bad/gst-libs/gst/vulkan/gstvkqueue.c
@@ -106,7 +106,7 @@ gst_vulkan_queue_get_device (GstVulkanQueue * queue)
 {
   g_return_val_if_fail (GST_IS_VULKAN_QUEUE (queue), NULL);
 
-  return queue->device ? gst_object_ref (queue->device) : NULL;
+  return gst_object_ref (queue->device);
 }
 
 /**