diff --git a/net/openvswitch/vport-netdev.c b/net/openvswitch/vport-netdev.c
index 903537a5da22..618edc346c0f 100644
--- a/net/openvswitch/vport-netdev.c
+++ b/net/openvswitch/vport-netdev.c
@@ -78,7 +78,10 @@ struct vport *ovs_netdev_link(struct vport *vport, const char *name)
 	int err;
 
 	vport->dev = dev_get_by_name(ovs_dp_get_net(vport->dp), name);
-	if (!vport->dev) {
+	/* Ensure that the device exists and that the provided
+	 * name is not one of its aliases.
+	 */
+	if (!vport->dev || strcmp(name, ovs_vport_name(vport))) {
 		err = -ENODEV;
 		goto error_free_vport;
 	}