diff --git a/net/ipv4/ip_tunnel.c b/net/ipv4/ip_tunnel.c
index de6d94482fe7..6b0e362cc99b 100644
--- a/net/ipv4/ip_tunnel.c
+++ b/net/ipv4/ip_tunnel.c
@@ -253,13 +253,14 @@ static struct net_device *__ip_tunnel_create(struct net *net,
 	struct net_device *dev;
 	char name[IFNAMSIZ];
 
-	if (parms->name[0])
-		strlcpy(name, parms->name, IFNAMSIZ);
-	else {
-		if (strlen(ops->kind) > (IFNAMSIZ - 3)) {
-			err = -E2BIG;
+	err = -E2BIG;
+	if (parms->name[0]) {
+		if (!dev_valid_name(parms->name))
+			goto failed;
+		strlcpy(name, parms->name, IFNAMSIZ);
+	} else {
+		if (strlen(ops->kind) > (IFNAMSIZ - 3))
 			goto failed;
-		}
 		strlcpy(name, ops->kind, IFNAMSIZ);
 		strncat(name, "%d", 2);
 	}