diff --git a/net/ipv6/sit.c b/net/ipv6/sit.c
index d9535bb8fe2e..d4e5a20d82e2 100644
--- a/net/ipv6/sit.c
+++ b/net/ipv6/sit.c
@@ -245,11 +245,13 @@ static struct ip_tunnel *ipip6_tunnel_locate(struct net *net,
 	if (!create)
 		goto failed;
 
-	if (parms->name[0])
+	if (parms->name[0]) {
+		if (!dev_valid_name(parms->name))
+			goto failed;
 		strlcpy(name, parms->name, IFNAMSIZ);
-	else
+	} else {
 		strcpy(name, "sit%d");
-
+	}
 	dev = alloc_netdev(sizeof(*t), name, ipip6_tunnel_setup);
 	if (dev == NULL)
 		return NULL;