diff --git a/src/devices/nm-device.c b/src/devices/nm-device.c
index 22c255ecf6..90ca3eddd5 100644
--- a/src/devices/nm-device.c
+++ b/src/devices/nm-device.c
@@ -4717,8 +4717,9 @@ nm_device_update_from_platform_link (NMDevice *self, const NMPlatformLink *plink
 		_notify (self, PROP_PATH);
 	}
 
-	str = plink ? plink->name : NULL;
-	if (nm_utils_strdup_reset (&priv->iface_, str))
+	if (   plink
+	    && !nm_str_is_empty (plink->name)
+	    && nm_utils_strdup_reset (&priv->iface_, plink->name))
 		_notify (self, PROP_IFACE);
 
 	str = plink ? plink->driver : NULL;