diff --git a/net/core/netpoll.c b/net/core/netpoll.c
index 440aa9f6e0a8..b55f340f5f71 100644
--- a/net/core/netpoll.c
+++ b/net/core/netpoll.c
@@ -666,7 +666,7 @@ int netpoll_setup(struct netpoll *np)
 	int err;
 
 	rtnl_lock();
-	if (np->dev_name) {
+	if (np->dev_name[0]) {
 		struct net *net = current->nsproxy->net_ns;
 		ndev = __dev_get_by_name(net, np->dev_name);
 	}