diff --git a/net/core/dev.c b/net/core/dev.c
index f1647d7dd14b..ddfef3b45bab 100644
--- a/net/core/dev.c
+++ b/net/core/dev.c
@@ -883,6 +883,9 @@ int dev_change_name(struct net_device *dev, char *newname)
 	if (!dev_valid_name(newname))
 		return -EINVAL;
 
+	if (strncmp(newname, dev->name, IFNAMSIZ) == 0)
+		return 0;
+
 	memcpy(oldname, dev->name, IFNAMSIZ);
 
 	if (strchr(newname, '%')) {