diff --git a/lib/librte_eal/bsdapp/eal/eal_pci.c b/lib/librte_eal/bsdapp/eal/eal_pci.c
index dcb3b51ad0..d3fb3c2d08 100644
--- a/lib/librte_eal/bsdapp/eal/eal_pci.c
+++ b/lib/librte_eal/bsdapp/eal/eal_pci.c
@@ -280,8 +280,7 @@ pci_scan_one(int dev_pci_fd, struct pci_conf *conf)
 	/* FreeBSD has no NUMA support (yet) */
 	dev->device.numa_node = 0;
 
-	rte_pci_device_name(&dev->addr, dev->name, sizeof(dev->name));
-	dev->device.name = dev->name;
+	pci_name_set(dev);
 
 	/* FreeBSD has only one pass through driver */
 	dev->kdrv = RTE_KDRV_NIC_UIO;
@@ -332,6 +331,7 @@ pci_scan_one(int dev_pci_fd, struct pci_conf *conf)
 			} else { /* already registered */
 				dev2->kdrv = dev->kdrv;
 				dev2->max_vfs = dev->max_vfs;
+				pci_name_set(dev2);
 				memmove(dev2->mem_resource,
 					dev->mem_resource,
 					sizeof(dev->mem_resource));
diff --git a/lib/librte_eal/common/eal_common_pci.c b/lib/librte_eal/common/eal_common_pci.c
index 76bbcc8530..45e697eb1c 100644
--- a/lib/librte_eal/common/eal_common_pci.c
+++ b/lib/librte_eal/common/eal_common_pci.c
@@ -88,6 +88,29 @@ static struct rte_devargs *pci_devargs_lookup(struct rte_pci_device *dev)
 	return NULL;
 }
 
+void
+pci_name_set(struct rte_pci_device *dev)
+{
+	struct rte_devargs *devargs;
+
+	/* Each device has its internal, canonical name set. */
+	rte_pci_device_name(&dev->addr,
+			dev->name, sizeof(dev->name));
+	devargs = pci_devargs_lookup(dev);
+	dev->device.devargs = devargs;
+	/* In blacklist mode, if the device is not blacklisted, no
+	 * rte_devargs exists for it.
+	 */
+	if (devargs != NULL)
+		/* If an rte_devargs exists, the generic rte_device uses the
+		 * given name as its namea
+		 */
+		dev->device.name = dev->device.devargs->name;
+	else
+		/* Otherwise, it uses the internal, canonical form. */
+		dev->device.name = dev->name;
+}
+
 /* map a particular resource from a file */
 void *
 pci_map_resource(void *requested_addr, int fd, off_t offset, size_t size,
@@ -396,11 +419,7 @@ rte_pci_probe(void)
 	FOREACH_DEVICE_ON_PCIBUS(dev) {
 		probed++;
 
-		/* set devargs in PCI structure */
-		devargs = pci_devargs_lookup(dev);
-		if (devargs != NULL)
-			dev->device.devargs = devargs;
-
+		devargs = dev->device.devargs;
 		/* probe all or only whitelisted devices */
 		if (probe_all)
 			ret = pci_probe_all_drivers(dev);
diff --git a/lib/librte_eal/common/eal_private.h b/lib/librte_eal/common/eal_private.h
index 0836339375..597d82e445 100644
--- a/lib/librte_eal/common/eal_private.h
+++ b/lib/librte_eal/common/eal_private.h
@@ -112,6 +112,11 @@ int rte_eal_log_init(const char *id, int facility);
 struct rte_pci_driver;
 struct rte_pci_device;
 
+/**
+ * Find the name of a PCI device.
+ */
+void pci_name_set(struct rte_pci_device *dev);
+
 /**
  * Add a PCI device to the PCI Bus (append to PCI Device list). This function
  * also updates the bus references of the PCI Device (and the generic device
diff --git a/lib/librte_eal/linuxapp/eal/eal_pci.c b/lib/librte_eal/linuxapp/eal/eal_pci.c
index 7d9e1a99b9..556ae2c7ac 100644
--- a/lib/librte_eal/linuxapp/eal/eal_pci.c
+++ b/lib/librte_eal/linuxapp/eal/eal_pci.c
@@ -324,8 +324,7 @@ pci_scan_one(const char *dirname, const struct rte_pci_addr *addr)
 		dev->device.numa_node = 0;
 	}
 
-	rte_pci_device_name(addr, dev->name, sizeof(dev->name));
-	dev->device.name = dev->name;
+	pci_name_set(dev);
 
 	/* parse resources */
 	snprintf(filename, sizeof(filename), "%s/resource", dirname);
@@ -373,6 +372,7 @@ pci_scan_one(const char *dirname, const struct rte_pci_addr *addr)
 			} else { /* already registered */
 				dev2->kdrv = dev->kdrv;
 				dev2->max_vfs = dev->max_vfs;
+				pci_name_set(dev2);
 				memmove(dev2->mem_resource, dev->mem_resource,
 					sizeof(dev->mem_resource));
 				free(dev);