diff --git a/net/ipv6/ip6_tunnel.c b/net/ipv6/ip6_tunnel.c
index 88a2d0ce326e..28736de12459 100644
--- a/net/ipv6/ip6_tunnel.c
+++ b/net/ipv6/ip6_tunnel.c
@@ -307,11 +307,13 @@ static struct ip6_tnl *ip6_tnl_create(struct net *net, struct __ip6_tnl_parm *p)
 	char name[IFNAMSIZ];
 	int err;
 
-	if (p->name[0])
+	if (p->name[0]) {
+		if (!dev_valid_name(p->name))
+			goto failed;
 		strlcpy(name, p->name, IFNAMSIZ);
-	else
+	} else {
 		sprintf(name, "ip6tnl%%d");
-
+	}
 	dev = alloc_netdev(sizeof (*t), name, ip6_tnl_dev_setup);
 	if (dev == NULL)
 		goto failed;