diff --git a/tools/testing/selftests/net/route_localnet.sh b/tools/testing/selftests/net/route_localnet.sh
index 116bfeab72fa..e08701c750e3 100755
--- a/tools/testing/selftests/net/route_localnet.sh
+++ b/tools/testing/selftests/net/route_localnet.sh
@@ -18,8 +18,10 @@ setup() {
     ip route del 127.0.0.0/8 dev lo table local
     ip netns exec "${PEER_NS}" ip route del 127.0.0.0/8 dev lo table local
 
-    ifconfig veth0 127.25.3.4/24 up
-    ip netns exec "${PEER_NS}" ifconfig veth1 127.25.3.14/24 up
+    ip address add 127.25.3.4/24 dev veth0
+    ip link set dev veth0 up
+    ip netns exec "${PEER_NS}" ip address add 127.25.3.14/24 dev veth1
+    ip netns exec "${PEER_NS}" ip link set dev veth1 up
 
     ip route flush cache
     ip netns exec "${PEER_NS}" ip route flush cache