diff -urNp a/agent/mibgroup/if-mib/data_access/interface_linux.c b/agent/mibgroup/if-mib/data_access/interface_linux.c
--- a/agent/mibgroup/if-mib/data_access/interface_linux.c	2024-07-16 10:05:43.294653089 +0200
+++ b/agent/mibgroup/if-mib/data_access/interface_linux.c	2024-07-16 10:23:55.392041022 +0200
@@ -609,7 +609,6 @@ netsnmp_arch_interface_container_load(ne
 {
     FILE           *devin;
     char            line[256];
-    netsnmp_interface_entry *entry = NULL;
     static char     scan_expected = 0;
     int             fd;
     int             interfaces = 0;
@@ -690,6 +689,7 @@ netsnmp_arch_interface_container_load(ne
      *   and retrieve (or create) the corresponding data structure.
      */
     while (fgets(line, sizeof(line), devin)) {
+        netsnmp_interface_entry *entry = NULL;
         char           *stats, *ifstart = line;
         u_int           flags;
         oid             if_index;
@@ -733,8 +733,13 @@ netsnmp_arch_interface_container_load(ne
          * ip version is to look for ip addresses. If anyone
          * knows a better way, put it here!
          */
-#ifdef NETSNMP_ENABLE_IPV6
         if_index = netsnmp_arch_interface_index_find(ifstart);
+        if (if_index == 0) {
+            DEBUGMSGTL(("access:interface", "network interface %s is gone",
+                        ifstart));
+            continue;
+        }
+#ifdef NETSNMP_ENABLE_IPV6
         _arch_interface_has_ipv6(if_index, &flags, addr_container);
 #endif
         netsnmp_access_interface_ioctl_has_ipv4(fd, ifstart, 0, &flags, &ifc);
@@ -752,7 +757,7 @@ netsnmp_arch_interface_container_load(ne
             continue;
         }
 
-        entry = netsnmp_access_interface_entry_create(ifstart, 0);
+        entry = netsnmp_access_interface_entry_create(ifstart, if_index);
         if(NULL == entry) {
 #ifdef NETSNMP_ENABLE_IPV6
             netsnmp_access_ipaddress_container_free(addr_container, 0);