diff --git a/include/netutils/netlib.h b/include/netutils/netlib.h
index e4010b6e6..360107fb4 100644
--- a/include/netutils/netlib.h
+++ b/include/netutils/netlib.h
@@ -104,6 +104,8 @@
 #  define NETLIB_SOCK_FAMILY  AF_BLUETOOTH
 #elif defined(CONFIG_NET_USRSOCK)
 #  define NETLIB_SOCK_FAMILY  AF_INET
+#elif defined(CONFIG_NET_NETLINK)
+#  define NETLIB_SOCK_FAMILY  AF_NETLINK
 #else
 #  define NETLIB_SOCK_FAMILY  AF_UNSPEC
 #endif
@@ -152,6 +154,8 @@
 #  define NETLIB_SOCK_TYPE SOCK_DGRAM
 #elif NETLIB_SOCK_FAMILY == AF_BLUETOOTH
 #  define NETLIB_SOCK_TYPE SOCK_RAW
+#elif NETLIB_SOCK_FAMILY == AF_NETLINK
+#  define NETLIB_SOCK_TYPE SOCK_DGRAM
 #endif
 
 /****************************************************************************
diff --git a/netutils/netinit/netinit.c b/netutils/netinit/netinit.c
index 414701490..0b8284a1b 100644
--- a/netutils/netinit/netinit.c
+++ b/netutils/netinit/netinit.c
@@ -164,6 +164,7 @@
  * not be the one that you want).
  */
 
+#undef NETINIT_HAVE_NETDEV
 #if defined(CONFIG_DRIVERS_IEEE80211) /* Usually also has CONFIG_NET_ETHERNET */
 #  define NET_DEVNAME "wlan0"
 #  define NETINIT_HAVE_NETDEV
@@ -188,14 +189,10 @@
 #elif defined(CONFIG_NET_LOCAL)
 #  define NET_DEVNAME "lo"
 #  define NETINIT_HAVE_NETDEV
-#elif defined(CONFIG_NET_USRSOCK)
-#  undef NETINIT_HAVE_NETDEV
-#elif !defined(CONFIG_NET_LOOPBACK)
-#  error ERROR: No link layer protocol defined
 #endif
 
-/* If we have no network device (only only the local loopback device), then we
- * cannot support the network monitor.
+/* If we have no network device (perhaps only USRSOCK, local loopback, or
+ * Netlink sockets), then we cannot support the network monitor.
  */
 
 #ifndef NETINIT_HAVE_NETDEV
diff --git a/netutils/netlib/netlib_getifstatus.c b/netutils/netlib/netlib_getifstatus.c
index 7dcfa3e71..94a503f44 100644
--- a/netutils/netlib/netlib_getifstatus.c
+++ b/netutils/netlib/netlib_getifstatus.c
@@ -76,6 +76,8 @@
 #  define AF_FAMILY AF_BLUETOOTH
 #elif defined(CONFIG_NET_USRSOCK)
 #  define AF_FAMILY AF_INET
+#elif defined(CONFIG_NET_NETLINK)
+#  define AF_FAMILY AF_NETLINK
 #endif
 
 /****************************************************************************
diff --git a/netutils/netlib/netlib_setifstatus.c b/netutils/netlib/netlib_setifstatus.c
index 437adbe2c..11bebfa84 100644
--- a/netutils/netlib/netlib_setifstatus.c
+++ b/netutils/netlib/netlib_setifstatus.c
@@ -70,11 +70,13 @@
 #elif defined(CONFIG_NET_PKT)
 #  define AF_FAMILY  AF_PACKET
 #elif defined(CONFIG_NET_IEEE802154)
-#  define AF_FAMILY AF_IEEE802154
+#  define AF_FAMILY  AF_IEEE802154
 #elif defined(CONFIG_NET_BLUETOOTH)
-#  define AF_FAMILY AF_BLUETOOTH
+#  define AF_FAMILY  AF_BLUETOOTH
 #elif defined(CONFIG_NET_USRSOCK)
 #  define AF_FAMILY  AF_INET
+#elif defined(CONFIG_NET_NETLINK)
+#  define AF_FAMILY  AF_NETLINK
 #endif
 
 /****************************************************************************