diff --git a/tests/isc/doh_test.c b/tests/isc/doh_test.c
index 9f19b4e31b..ab74813cff 100644
--- a/tests/isc/doh_test.c
+++ b/tests/isc/doh_test.c
@@ -130,8 +130,6 @@ static void
 connect_send_cb(isc_nmhandle_t *handle, isc_result_t result, void *arg) {
 	csdata_t data;
 
-	REQUIRE(VALID_NMHANDLE(handle));
-
 	(void)atomic_fetch_sub(&active_cconnects, 1);
 	memmove(&data, arg, sizeof(data));
 	isc_mem_put(handle->sock->mgr->mctx, arg, sizeof(data));
@@ -139,6 +137,8 @@ connect_send_cb(isc_nmhandle_t *handle, isc_result_t result, void *arg) {
 		goto error;
 	}
 
+	REQUIRE(VALID_NMHANDLE(handle));
+
 	result = isc__nm_http_request(handle, &data.region, data.reply_cb,
 				      data.cb_arg);
 	if (result != ISC_R_SUCCESS) {
@@ -688,34 +688,33 @@ ISC_RUN_TEST_IMPL(doh_timeout_recovery_GET) {
 static void
 doh_receive_send_reply_cb(isc_nmhandle_t *handle, isc_result_t eresult,
 			  isc_region_t *region, void *cbarg) {
-	isc_nmhandle_t *thandle = NULL;
-	assert_non_null(handle);
 	UNUSED(region);
 
-	isc_nmhandle_attach(handle, &thandle);
-	if (eresult == ISC_R_SUCCESS) {
-		int_fast64_t sends = atomic_fetch_sub(&nsends, 1);
-		atomic_fetch_add(&csends, 1);
-		atomic_fetch_add(&creads, 1);
-		if (sends > 0 && cbarg == NULL) {
-			size_t i;
-			for (i = 0; i < NWRITES / 2; i++) {
-				eresult = isc__nm_http_request(
-					handle,
-					&(isc_region_t){
-						.base = (uint8_t *)send_msg.base,
-						.length = send_msg.len },
-					doh_receive_send_reply_cb, (void *)1);
-				if (eresult == ISC_R_CANCELED) {
-					break;
-				}
-				assert_true(eresult == ISC_R_SUCCESS);
-			}
-		}
-	} else {
+	if (eresult != ISC_R_SUCCESS) {
 		atomic_store(&was_error, true);
+		return;
+	}
+
+	assert_non_null(handle);
+
+	int_fast64_t sends = atomic_fetch_sub(&nsends, 1);
+	atomic_fetch_add(&csends, 1);
+	atomic_fetch_add(&creads, 1);
+	if (sends > 0 && cbarg == NULL) {
+		size_t i;
+		for (i = 0; i < NWRITES / 2; i++) {
+			eresult = isc__nm_http_request(
+				handle,
+				&(isc_region_t){
+					.base = (uint8_t *)send_msg.base,
+					.length = send_msg.len },
+				doh_receive_send_reply_cb, (void *)1);
+			if (eresult == ISC_R_CANCELED) {
+				break;
+			}
+			assert_true(eresult == ISC_R_SUCCESS);
+		}
 	}
-	isc_nmhandle_detach(&thandle);
 }
 
 static isc_threadresult_t