diff --git a/sys/net/if.c b/sys/net/if.c
index d1513d2a32d7..cfd0c2065888 100644
--- a/sys/net/if.c
+++ b/sys/net/if.c
@@ -2716,6 +2716,8 @@ ifhwioctl(u_long cmd, struct ifnet *ifp, caddr_t data, struct thread *td)
 			if (strlen(new_name) == IFNAMSIZ-1)
 				return (EINVAL);
 		}
+		if (strcmp(new_name, ifp->if_xname) == 0)
+			break;
 		if (ifunit(new_name) != NULL)
 			return (EEXIST);