diff --git a/src/platform/nm-platform-utils.c b/src/platform/nm-platform-utils.c
index f672b3ec21..3ebb73bfb9 100644
--- a/src/platform/nm-platform-utils.c
+++ b/src/platform/nm-platform-utils.c
@@ -142,6 +142,7 @@ nmp_utils_ethtool_get_permanent_address (const char *ifname,
 		struct ethtool_perm_addr e;
 		guint8 _extra_data[NM_UTILS_HWADDR_LEN_MAX + 1];
 	} edata;
+	guint zeros[NM_UTILS_HWADDR_LEN_MAX] = { 0 };
 
 	if (!ifname)
 		return FALSE;
@@ -154,6 +155,12 @@ nmp_utils_ethtool_get_permanent_address (const char *ifname,
 		return FALSE;
 
 	g_assert (edata.e.size <= NM_UTILS_HWADDR_LEN_MAX);
+
+	/* Some drivers might return a permanent address of all zeros.
+	 * Reject that (rh#1264024) */
+	if (memcmp (edata.e.data, zeros, edata.e.size) == 0)
+		return FALSE;
+
 	memcpy (buf, edata.e.data, edata.e.size);
 	*length = edata.e.size;
 	return TRUE;