diff --git a/src/payload.c b/src/payload.c
index 620ebe4346..0cac555da0 100644
--- a/src/payload.c
+++ b/src/payload.c
@@ -50,9 +50,6 @@ smp_fetch_len(const struct arg *args, struct sample *smp, const char *kw, void *
 		return 0;
 
 	chn = ((smp->opt & SMP_OPT_DIR) == SMP_OPT_DIR_RES) ? &smp->strm->res : &smp->strm->req;
-	if (!chn->buf)
-		return 0;
-
 	smp->data.type = SMP_T_SINT;
 	smp->data.u.sint = chn->buf->i;
 	smp->flags = SMP_F_VOLATILE | SMP_F_MAY_CHANGE;
@@ -75,9 +72,6 @@ smp_fetch_req_ssl_st_ext(const struct arg *args, struct sample *smp, const char
 		goto not_ssl_hello;
 
 	chn = ((smp->opt & SMP_OPT_DIR) == SMP_OPT_DIR_RES) ? &smp->strm->res : &smp->strm->req;
-	if (!chn->buf)
-		goto not_ssl_hello;
-
 	bleft = chn->buf->i;
 	data = (unsigned char *)chn->buf->p;
 
@@ -211,9 +205,6 @@ smp_fetch_req_ssl_ec_ext(const struct arg *args, struct sample *smp, const char
 		goto not_ssl_hello;
 
 	chn = ((smp->opt & SMP_OPT_DIR) == SMP_OPT_DIR_RES) ? &smp->strm->res : &smp->strm->req;
-	if (!chn->buf)
-		goto not_ssl_hello;
-
 	bleft = chn->buf->i;
 	data = (unsigned char *)chn->buf->p;
 
@@ -335,9 +326,6 @@ smp_fetch_ssl_hello_type(const struct arg *args, struct sample *smp, const char
 		goto not_ssl_hello;
 
 	chn = ((smp->opt & SMP_OPT_DIR) == SMP_OPT_DIR_RES) ? &smp->strm->res : &smp->strm->req;
-	if (!chn->buf)
-		goto not_ssl_hello;
-
 	bleft = chn->buf->i;
 	data = (const unsigned char *)chn->buf->p;
 
@@ -404,9 +392,6 @@ smp_fetch_req_ssl_ver(const struct arg *args, struct sample *smp, const char *kw
 		return 0;
 
 	req = &smp->strm->req;
-	if (!req->buf)
-		return 0;
-
 	msg_len = 0;
 	bleft = req->buf->i;
 	if (!bleft)
@@ -547,9 +532,6 @@ smp_fetch_ssl_hello_sni(const struct arg *args, struct sample *smp, const char *
 		goto not_ssl_hello;
 
 	chn = ((smp->opt & SMP_OPT_DIR) == SMP_OPT_DIR_RES) ? &smp->strm->res : &smp->strm->req;
-	if (!chn->buf)
-		goto not_ssl_hello;
-
 	bleft = chn->buf->i;
 	data = (unsigned char *)chn->buf->p;
 
@@ -681,9 +663,6 @@ fetch_rdp_cookie_name(struct stream *s, struct sample *smp, const char *cname, i
 	int bleft;
 	const unsigned char *data;
 
-	if (!s->req.buf)
-		return 0;
-
 	smp->flags = SMP_F_CONST;
 	smp->data.type = SMP_T_STR;
 
@@ -812,9 +791,6 @@ smp_fetch_payload_lv(const struct arg *arg_p, struct sample *smp, const char *kw
 		return 0;
 
 	chn = ((smp->opt & SMP_OPT_DIR) == SMP_OPT_DIR_RES) ? &smp->strm->res : &smp->strm->req;
-	if (!chn->buf)
-		return 0;
-
 	if (len_offset + len_size > chn->buf->i)
 		goto too_short;
 
@@ -865,9 +841,6 @@ smp_fetch_payload(const struct arg *arg_p, struct sample *smp, const char *kw, v
 		return 0;
 
 	chn = ((smp->opt & SMP_OPT_DIR) == SMP_OPT_DIR_RES) ? &smp->strm->res : &smp->strm->req;
-	if (!chn->buf)
-		return 0;
-
 	if (!buf_size || buf_size > global.tune.bufsize || buf_offset + buf_size > global.tune.bufsize) {
 		/* will never match */
 		smp->flags = 0;