diff --git a/net/ipv6/ip6_gre.c b/net/ipv6/ip6_gre.c
index e8ab306794d8..4228f3b2f347 100644
--- a/net/ipv6/ip6_gre.c
+++ b/net/ipv6/ip6_gre.c
@@ -319,11 +319,13 @@ static struct ip6_tnl *ip6gre_tunnel_locate(struct net *net,
 	if (t || !create)
 		return t;
 
-	if (parms->name[0])
+	if (parms->name[0]) {
+		if (!dev_valid_name(parms->name))
+			return NULL;
 		strlcpy(name, parms->name, IFNAMSIZ);
-	else
+	} else {
 		strcpy(name, "ip6gre%d");
-
+	}
 	dev = alloc_netdev(sizeof(*t), name, NET_NAME_UNKNOWN,
 			   ip6gre_tunnel_setup);
 	if (!dev)