diff --git a/sys/net/if_var.h b/sys/net/if_var.h
index 7c5cb8b05dc..78eea2c6bd3 100644
--- a/sys/net/if_var.h
+++ b/sys/net/if_var.h
@@ -147,12 +147,7 @@ struct ifnet {
 		 */
 	struct	knlist if_klist;	/* events attached to this if */
 	int	if_pcount;		/* number of promiscuous listeners */
-	union {
-		struct carp_if *carp_s;	/* carp structure (used by !carp ifs) */
-		struct ifnet *carp_d;	/* ptr to carpdev (used by carp ifs) */
-	} if_carp_ptr;
-#define	if_carp		if_carp_ptr.carp_s
-#define	if_carpdev	if_carp_ptr.carp_d
+	struct	carp_if *if_carp;	/* carp interface structure */
 	struct	bpf_if *if_bpf;		/* packet filter structure */
 	u_short	if_index;		/* numeric abbreviation for this if  */
 	short	if_timer;		/* time 'til if_watchdog called */
diff --git a/sys/netinet/ip_carp.c b/sys/netinet/ip_carp.c
index 0d78ddcfac6..e80cdd50c0e 100644
--- a/sys/netinet/ip_carp.c
+++ b/sys/netinet/ip_carp.c
@@ -90,7 +90,7 @@ SYSCTL_DECL(_net_inet_carp);
 struct carp_softc {
 	struct arpcom	 	 sc_ac;		/* Interface clue */
 #define	sc_if			 sc_ac.ac_if
-#define	sc_carpdev		 sc_ac.ac_if.if_carpdev
+	struct ifnet		*sc_carpdev;	/* Pointer to parent interface */
 	struct in_ifaddr 	*sc_ia;		/* primary iface address */
 	struct ip_moptions 	 sc_imo;
 #ifdef INET6