diff --git a/net/core/dev.c b/net/core/dev.c
index 7580c2046c95..4cedc7595f1f 100644
--- a/net/core/dev.c
+++ b/net/core/dev.c
@@ -1095,8 +1095,7 @@ static int __dev_alloc_name(struct net *net, const char *name, char *buf)
 		free_page((unsigned long) inuse);
 	}
 
-	if (buf != name)
-		snprintf(buf, IFNAMSIZ, name, i);
+	snprintf(buf, IFNAMSIZ, name, i);
 	if (!__dev_get_by_name(net, buf))
 		return i;