First c is never used  so check if carp_group_find is NULL and return.

carp.c:64:7: warning: Although the value stored to 'c' is used in the
enclosing expression, the value is never actually read from 'c'
[deadcode.DeadSt ores]
   64 |         if ((c = carp_group_find(group)) == NULL)


diff --git a/usr.sbin/relayd/carp.c b/usr.sbin/relayd/carp.c
index 6a6a55a0fbb..34b6b6785a2 100644
--- a/usr.sbin/relayd/carp.c
+++ b/usr.sbin/relayd/carp.c
@@ -61,29 +61,31 @@ carp_demote_init(char *group, int force)
 	struct carpgroup	*c;
 	int			 level;
 
-	if ((c = carp_group_find(group)) == NULL) {
-		if ((c = calloc(1, sizeof(struct carpgroup))) == NULL) {
-			log_warn("%s: calloc", __func__);
-			return (-1);
-		}
-		if ((c->group = strdup(group)) == NULL) {
-			log_warn("%s: strdup", __func__);
-			free(c);
-			return (-1);
-		}
-
-		/* only demote if this group already is demoted */
-		if ((level = carp_demote_get(group)) == -1) {
-			free(c->group);
-			free(c);
-			return (-1);
-		}
-		if (level > 0 || force)
-			c->do_demote = 1;
-
-		TAILQ_INSERT_TAIL(&carpgroups, c, entry);
+	if (carp_group_find(group) == NULL) {
+		return (0);
+	}
+
+	if ((c = calloc(1, sizeof(struct carpgroup))) == NULL) {
+		log_warn("%s: calloc", __func__);
+		return (-1);
+	}
+	if ((c->group = strdup(group)) == NULL) {
+		log_warn("%s: strdup", __func__);
+		free(c);
+		return (-1);
 	}
 
+	/* only demote if this group already is demoted */
+	if ((level = carp_demote_get(group)) == -1) {
+		free(c->group);
+		free(c);
+		return (-1);
+	}
+	if (level > 0 || force)
+		c->do_demote = 1;
+
+	TAILQ_INSERT_TAIL(&carpgroups, c, entry);
+
 	return (0);
 }