diff --git a/bin/named/control.c b/bin/named/control.c
index 8f2e1f0678..7186358793 100644
--- a/bin/named/control.c
+++ b/bin/named/control.c
@@ -97,10 +97,7 @@ named_control_docommand(isccc_sexpr_t *message, bool readonly,
 		return (result);
 	}
 
-	result = isc_lex_create(named_g_mctx, strlen(cmdline), &lex);
-	if (result != ISC_R_SUCCESS) {
-		return (result);
-	}
+	isc_lex_create(named_g_mctx, strlen(cmdline), &lex);
 
 	isc_buffer_init(&src, cmdline, strlen(cmdline));
 	isc_buffer_add(&src, strlen(cmdline));
diff --git a/bin/nsupdate/nsupdate.c b/bin/nsupdate/nsupdate.c
index 205a962eb4..f939281bf3 100644
--- a/bin/nsupdate/nsupdate.c
+++ b/bin/nsupdate/nsupdate.c
@@ -1377,8 +1377,7 @@ parse_rdata(char **cmdlinep, dns_rdataclass_t rdataclass,
 
 	if (*cmdline != 0) {
 		dns_rdatacallbacks_init(&callbacks);
-		result = isc_lex_create(gmctx, strlen(cmdline), &lex);
-		check_result(result, "isc_lex_create");
+		isc_lex_create(gmctx, strlen(cmdline), &lex);
 		isc_buffer_init(&source, cmdline, strlen(cmdline));
 		isc_buffer_add(&source, strlen(cmdline));
 		result = isc_lex_openbuffer(lex, &source);
diff --git a/bin/tools/named-rrchecker.c b/bin/tools/named-rrchecker.c
index 2ea0ef48e4..ce4a948343 100644
--- a/bin/tools/named-rrchecker.c
+++ b/bin/tools/named-rrchecker.c
@@ -157,7 +157,7 @@ main(int argc, char *argv[]) {
 	}
 
 	isc_mem_create(&mctx);
-	RUNTIME_CHECK(isc_lex_create(mctx, 256, &lex) == ISC_R_SUCCESS);
+	isc_lex_create(mctx, 256, &lex);
 
 	/*
 	 * Set up to lex DNS master file.
diff --git a/fuzz/dns_rdata_fromtext.c b/fuzz/dns_rdata_fromtext.c
index b52a18f276..03ec0935c5 100644
--- a/fuzz/dns_rdata_fromtext.c
+++ b/fuzz/dns_rdata_fromtext.c
@@ -69,7 +69,7 @@ LLVMFuzzerTestOneInput(const uint8_t *data, size_t size) {
 	isc_buffer_add(&inbuf, size);
 	isc_buffer_setactive(&inbuf, size);
 
-	RUNTIME_CHECK(isc_lex_create(mctx, 256, &lex) == ISC_R_SUCCESS);
+	isc_lex_create(mctx, 256, &lex);
 
 	/*
 	 * Set up to lex DNS master file.
diff --git a/fuzz/dns_rdata_fromwire_text.c b/fuzz/dns_rdata_fromwire_text.c
index d42dc543d4..67f3ce3830 100644
--- a/fuzz/dns_rdata_fromwire_text.c
+++ b/fuzz/dns_rdata_fromwire_text.c
@@ -47,7 +47,7 @@ LLVMFuzzerInitialize(int *argc __attribute__((unused)),
 	isc_lexspecials_t specials;
 
 	isc_mem_create(&mctx);
-	CHECK(isc_lex_create(mctx, 64, &lex));
+	isc_lex_create(mctx, 64, &lex);
 
 	memset(specials, 0, sizeof(specials));
 	specials[0] = 1;
diff --git a/fuzz/isc_lex_getmastertoken.c b/fuzz/isc_lex_getmastertoken.c
index 5931e1814f..1967bfb493 100644
--- a/fuzz/isc_lex_getmastertoken.c
+++ b/fuzz/isc_lex_getmastertoken.c
@@ -37,12 +37,8 @@ static isc_lex_t *lex = NULL;
 int
 LLVMFuzzerInitialize(int *argc __attribute__((unused)),
 		     char ***argv __attribute__((unused))) {
-	isc_result_t result;
-
 	isc_mem_create(&mctx);
-
-	result = isc_lex_create(mctx, 1024, &lex);
-	REQUIRE(result == ISC_R_SUCCESS);
+	isc_lex_create(mctx, 1024, &lex);
 
 	return (0);
 }
diff --git a/fuzz/isc_lex_gettoken.c b/fuzz/isc_lex_gettoken.c
index c295145e42..c98d5138e2 100644
--- a/fuzz/isc_lex_gettoken.c
+++ b/fuzz/isc_lex_gettoken.c
@@ -29,12 +29,8 @@ static isc_lex_t *lex = NULL;
 int
 LLVMFuzzerInitialize(int *argc __attribute__((unused)),
 		     char ***argv __attribute__((unused))) {
-	isc_result_t result;
-
 	isc_mem_create(&mctx);
-
-	result = isc_lex_create(mctx, 1024, &lex);
-	REQUIRE(result == ISC_R_SUCCESS);
+	isc_lex_create(mctx, 1024, &lex);
 
 	return (0);
 }
diff --git a/lib/dns/dst_api.c b/lib/dns/dst_api.c
index b844a82d58..14a1c7e4a8 100644
--- a/lib/dns/dst_api.c
+++ b/lib/dns/dst_api.c
@@ -663,7 +663,7 @@ dst_key_fromnamedfile(const char *filename, const char *dirname, int type,
 			   ".private");
 	INSIST(result == ISC_R_SUCCESS);
 
-	RETERR(isc_lex_create(mctx, 1500, &lex));
+	isc_lex_create(mctx, 1500, &lex);
 	RETERR(isc_lex_openfile(lex, newfilename));
 	isc_mem_put(mctx, newfilename, newfilenamelen);
 
@@ -843,7 +843,7 @@ dst_key_privatefrombuffer(dst_key_t *key, isc_buffer_t *buffer) {
 		RETERR(DST_R_UNSUPPORTEDALG);
 	}
 
-	RETERR(isc_lex_create(key->mctx, 1500, &lex));
+	isc_lex_create(key->mctx, 1500, &lex);
 	RETERR(isc_lex_openbuffer(lex, buffer));
 	RETERR(key->func->parse(key, lex, NULL));
 out:
@@ -1587,10 +1587,7 @@ dst_key_read_public(const char *filename, int type, isc_mem_t *mctx,
 	 */
 
 	/* 1500 should be large enough for any key */
-	ret = isc_lex_create(mctx, 1500, &lex);
-	if (ret != ISC_R_SUCCESS) {
-		goto cleanup;
-	}
+	isc_lex_create(mctx, 1500, &lex);
 
 	memset(specials, 0, sizeof(specials));
 	specials['('] = 1;
@@ -1740,10 +1737,7 @@ dst_key_read_state(const char *filename, isc_mem_t *mctx, dst_key_t **keyp) {
 	isc_result_t ret;
 	unsigned int opt = ISC_LEXOPT_EOL;
 
-	ret = isc_lex_create(mctx, 1500, &lex);
-	if (ret != ISC_R_SUCCESS) {
-		goto cleanup;
-	}
+	isc_lex_create(mctx, 1500, &lex);
 	isc_lex_setcomments(lex, ISC_LEXCOMMENT_DNSMASTERFILE);
 
 	ret = isc_lex_openfile(lex, filename);
diff --git a/lib/dns/master.c b/lib/dns/master.c
index b433f146c8..8821d37248 100644
--- a/lib/dns/master.c
+++ b/lib/dns/master.c
@@ -547,10 +547,7 @@ loadctx_create(dns_masterformat_t format, isc_mem_t *mctx, unsigned int options,
 		lctx->keep_lex = true;
 	} else {
 		lctx->lex = NULL;
-		result = isc_lex_create(mctx, TOKENSIZ, &lctx->lex);
-		if (result != ISC_R_SUCCESS) {
-			goto cleanup_inc;
-		}
+		isc_lex_create(mctx, TOKENSIZ, &lctx->lex);
 		lctx->keep_lex = false;
 		/*
 		 * If specials change update dns_test_rdatafromstring()
@@ -607,8 +604,6 @@ loadctx_create(dns_masterformat_t format, isc_mem_t *mctx, unsigned int options,
 	*lctxp = lctx;
 	return (ISC_R_SUCCESS);
 
-cleanup_inc:
-	incctx_destroy(mctx, lctx->inc);
 cleanup_ctx:
 	isc_mem_put(mctx, lctx, sizeof(*lctx));
 	return (result);
diff --git a/lib/dns/sdb.c b/lib/dns/sdb.c
index 7399d7a053..c5915a7444 100644
--- a/lib/dns/sdb.c
+++ b/lib/dns/sdb.c
@@ -351,10 +351,7 @@ dns_sdb_putrr(dns_sdblookup_t *lookup, const char *type, dns_ttl_t ttl,
 		origin = dns_rootname;
 	}
 
-	result = isc_lex_create(mctx, 64, &lex);
-	if (result != ISC_R_SUCCESS) {
-		goto failure;
-	}
+	isc_lex_create(mctx, 64, &lex);
 
 	datalen = strlen(data);
 	size = initial_size(datalen);
diff --git a/lib/dns/sdlz.c b/lib/dns/sdlz.c
index a982078ab9..26ba3833aa 100644
--- a/lib/dns/sdlz.c
+++ b/lib/dns/sdlz.c
@@ -1816,10 +1816,7 @@ dns_sdlz_putrr(dns_sdlzlookup_t *lookup, const char *type, dns_ttl_t ttl,
 	}
 
 	lex = NULL;
-	result = isc_lex_create(mctx, 64, &lex);
-	if (result != ISC_R_SUCCESS) {
-		goto failure;
-	}
+	isc_lex_create(mctx, 64, &lex);
 
 	size = initial_size(data);
 	do {
diff --git a/lib/dns/view.c b/lib/dns/view.c
index 22f43f757a..38fb06a665 100644
--- a/lib/dns/view.c
+++ b/lib/dns/view.c
@@ -2165,7 +2165,7 @@ dns_view_loadnta(dns_view_t *view) {
 		return (ISC_R_SUCCESS);
 	}
 
-	CHECK(isc_lex_create(view->mctx, 1025, &lex));
+	isc_lex_create(view->mctx, 1025, &lex);
 	CHECK(isc_lex_openfile(lex, view->nta_file));
 	CHECK(dns_view_getntatable(view, &ntatable));
 	isc_stdtime_get(&now);
diff --git a/lib/isc/include/isc/lex.h b/lib/isc/include/isc/lex.h
index 14b29cf94d..2579ea4647 100644
--- a/lib/isc/include/isc/lex.h
+++ b/lib/isc/include/isc/lex.h
@@ -142,7 +142,7 @@ typedef struct isc_token {
  *** Functions
  ***/
 
-isc_result_t
+void
 isc_lex_create(isc_mem_t *mctx, size_t max_token, isc_lex_t **lexp);
 /*%<
  * Create a lexer.
diff --git a/lib/isc/lex.c b/lib/isc/lex.c
index 63b9b79d34..61476808ed 100644
--- a/lib/isc/lex.c
+++ b/lib/isc/lex.c
@@ -82,7 +82,7 @@ grow_data(isc_lex_t *lex, size_t *remainingp, char **currp, char **prevp) {
 	return (ISC_R_SUCCESS);
 }
 
-isc_result_t
+void
 isc_lex_create(isc_mem_t *mctx, size_t max_token, isc_lex_t **lexp) {
 	isc_lex_t *lex;
 
@@ -110,8 +110,6 @@ isc_lex_create(isc_mem_t *mctx, size_t max_token, isc_lex_t **lexp) {
 	lex->magic = LEX_MAGIC;
 
 	*lexp = lex;
-
-	return (ISC_R_SUCCESS);
 }
 
 void
diff --git a/lib/isccfg/parser.c b/lib/isccfg/parser.c
index e35b4e7f3b..140bdfc7b3 100644
--- a/lib/isccfg/parser.c
+++ b/lib/isccfg/parser.c
@@ -530,7 +530,7 @@ cfg_parser_create(isc_mem_t *mctx, isc_log_t *lctx, cfg_parser_t **ret) {
 	specials['"'] = 1;
 	specials['!'] = 1;
 
-	CHECK(isc_lex_create(pctx->mctx, 1024, &pctx->lexer));
+	isc_lex_create(pctx->mctx, 1024, &pctx->lexer);
 
 	isc_lex_setspecials(pctx->lexer, specials);
 	isc_lex_setcomments(pctx->lexer,
diff --git a/tests/isc/lex_test.c b/tests/isc/lex_test.c
index 48c7915f5c..538e135982 100644
--- a/tests/isc/lex_test.c
+++ b/tests/isc/lex_test.c
@@ -42,8 +42,7 @@ ISC_RUN_TEST_IMPL(lex_0xff) {
 
 	UNUSED(state);
 
-	result = isc_lex_create(mctx, 1024, &lex);
-	assert_int_equal(result, ISC_R_SUCCESS);
+	isc_lex_create(mctx, 1024, &lex);
 
 	isc_buffer_init(&death_buf, &death[0], sizeof(death));
 	isc_buffer_add(&death_buf, sizeof(death));
@@ -69,8 +68,7 @@ ISC_RUN_TEST_IMPL(lex_setline) {
 
 	UNUSED(state);
 
-	result = isc_lex_create(mctx, 1024, &lex);
-	assert_int_equal(result, ISC_R_SUCCESS);
+	isc_lex_create(mctx, 1024, &lex);
 
 	isc_buffer_init(&buf, &text[0], sizeof(text));
 	isc_buffer_add(&buf, sizeof(text));
@@ -192,8 +190,7 @@ ISC_RUN_TEST_IMPL(lex_string) {
 	UNUSED(state);
 
 	for (i = 0; i < ARRAY_SIZE(parse_tests); i++) {
-		result = isc_lex_create(mctx, 1024, &lex);
-		assert_int_equal(result, ISC_R_SUCCESS);
+		isc_lex_create(mctx, 1024, &lex);
 
 		isc_buffer_constinit(&buf, parse_tests[i].text,
 				     strlen(parse_tests[i].text));
@@ -246,8 +243,7 @@ ISC_RUN_TEST_IMPL(lex_qstring) {
 	UNUSED(state);
 
 	for (i = 0; i < ARRAY_SIZE(parse_tests); i++) {
-		result = isc_lex_create(mctx, 1024, &lex);
-		assert_int_equal(result, ISC_R_SUCCESS);
+		isc_lex_create(mctx, 1024, &lex);
 
 		isc_buffer_constinit(&buf, parse_tests[i].text,
 				     strlen(parse_tests[i].text));
@@ -301,8 +297,7 @@ ISC_RUN_TEST_IMPL(lex_keypair) {
 	UNUSED(state);
 
 	for (i = 0; i < ARRAY_SIZE(parse_tests); i++) {
-		result = isc_lex_create(mctx, 1024, &lex);
-		assert_int_equal(result, ISC_R_SUCCESS);
+		isc_lex_create(mctx, 1024, &lex);
 
 		isc_buffer_constinit(&buf, parse_tests[i].text,
 				     strlen(parse_tests[i].text));
diff --git a/tests/libtest/dns.c b/tests/libtest/dns.c
index ec3dd1e5f9..c292106ae6 100644
--- a/tests/libtest/dns.c
+++ b/tests/libtest/dns.c
@@ -352,10 +352,7 @@ dns_test_rdatafromstring(dns_rdata_t *rdata, dns_rdataclass_t rdclass,
 	/*
 	 * Create a lexer as one is required by dns_rdata_fromtext().
 	 */
-	result = isc_lex_create(mctx, 64, &lex);
-	if (result != ISC_R_SUCCESS) {
-		return (result);
-	}
+	isc_lex_create(mctx, 64, &lex);
 
 	/*
 	 * Set characters which will be treated as valid multi-line RDATA