diff --git a/cfg.mk b/cfg.mk
index ade869086d..bf7274f01d 100644
--- a/cfg.mk
+++ b/cfg.mk
@@ -747,7 +747,7 @@ exclude_file_name_regexp--sc_avoid_write = \
 
 exclude_file_name_regexp--sc_bindtextdomain = ^(tests|examples)/
 
-exclude_file_name_regexp--sc_flags_usage = ^docs/
+exclude_file_name_regexp--sc_flags_usage = ^(docs/|src/util/virnetdevtap\.c$$)
 
 exclude_file_name_regexp--sc_libvirt_unmarked_diagnostics = \
   ^src/rpc/gendispatch\.pl$$
diff --git a/src/util/virnetdevtap.c b/src/util/virnetdevtap.c
index 717b6ac6b8..0b3ac46183 100644
--- a/src/util/virnetdevtap.c
+++ b/src/util/virnetdevtap.c
@@ -129,14 +129,12 @@ virNetDevProbeVnetHdr(int tapfd)
  */
 int virNetDevTapCreate(char **ifname,
                        int *tapfd,
-                       unsigned int flags)
+                       unsigned int flags ATTRIBUTE_UNUSED)
 {
     int fd;
     struct ifreq ifr;
     int ret = -1;
 
-    virCheckFlags(VIR_NETDEV_TAP_CREATE_VNET_HDR, -1);
-
     if ((fd = open("/dev/net/tun", O_RDWR)) < 0) {
         virReportSystemError(errno, "%s",
                              _("Unable to open /dev/net/tun, is tun module loaded?"));
@@ -239,9 +237,8 @@ cleanup:
 #else /* ! TUNSETIFF */
 int virNetDevTapCreate(char **ifname ATTRIBUTE_UNUSED,
                        int *tapfd ATTRIBUTE_UNUSED,
-                       unsigned int flags)
+                       unsigned int flags ATTRIBUTE_UNUSED)
 {
-    virCheckFlags(0, -1);
     virReportSystemError(ENOSYS, "%s",
                          _("Unable to create TAP devices on this platform"));
     return -1;