diff --git a/vmm/src/config.rs b/vmm/src/config.rs
index ae1b1b345..19b2b12c0 100644
--- a/vmm/src/config.rs
+++ b/vmm/src/config.rs
@@ -2329,7 +2329,9 @@ pub struct VmConfig {
 
 impl VmConfig {
     // Also enables virtio-iommu if the config needs it
-    pub fn validate(&mut self) -> ValidationResult<()> {
+    // Returns the list of unique identifiers provided through the
+    // configuration.
+    pub fn validate(&mut self) -> ValidationResult<BTreeSet<String>> {
         let mut id_list = BTreeSet::new();
 
         #[cfg(not(feature = "tdx"))]
@@ -2578,7 +2580,7 @@ impl VmConfig {
             .map(|p| p.iommu_segments.is_some())
             .unwrap_or_default();
 
-        Ok(())
+        Ok(id_list)
     }
 
     pub fn parse(vm_params: VmParams) -> Result<Self> {
diff --git a/vmm/src/device_manager.rs b/vmm/src/device_manager.rs
index 28a8b8fee..380b26584 100644
--- a/vmm/src/device_manager.rs
+++ b/vmm/src/device_manager.rs
@@ -72,7 +72,7 @@ use pci::{
     VfioUserPciDevice, VfioUserPciDeviceError,
 };
 use seccompiler::SeccompAction;
-use std::collections::HashMap;
+use std::collections::{BTreeSet, HashMap};
 use std::convert::TryInto;
 use std::fs::{read_link, File, OpenOptions};
 use std::io::{self, stdout, Seek, SeekFrom};
@@ -934,6 +934,9 @@ pub struct DeviceManager {
 
     // io_uring availability if detected
     io_uring_supported: Option<bool>,
+
+    // List of unique identifiers provided at boot through the configuration.
+    boot_id_list: BTreeSet<String>,
 }
 
 impl DeviceManager {
@@ -949,6 +952,7 @@ impl DeviceManager {
         activate_evt: &EventFd,
         force_iommu: bool,
         restoring: bool,
+        boot_id_list: BTreeSet<String>,
     ) -> DeviceManagerResult<Arc<Mutex<Self>>> {
         let device_tree = Arc::new(Mutex::new(DeviceTree::new()));
 
@@ -1071,6 +1075,7 @@ impl DeviceManager {
             force_iommu,
             restoring,
             io_uring_supported: None,
+            boot_id_list,
         };
 
         let device_manager = Arc::new(Mutex::new(device_manager));
@@ -3002,7 +3007,9 @@ impl DeviceManager {
             // Increment the counter.
             self.device_id_cnt += Wrapping(1);
             // Check if the name is already in use.
-            if !self.device_tree.lock().unwrap().contains_key(&name) {
+            if !self.boot_id_list.contains(&name)
+                && !self.device_tree.lock().unwrap().contains_key(&name)
+            {
                 return Ok(name);
             }
 
diff --git a/vmm/src/vm.rs b/vmm/src/vm.rs
index 11c3171eb..f8646306f 100644
--- a/vmm/src/vm.rs
+++ b/vmm/src/vm.rs
@@ -570,7 +570,7 @@ impl Vm {
             None
         };
 
-        config
+        let boot_id_list = config
             .lock()
             .unwrap()
             .validate()
@@ -603,6 +603,7 @@ impl Vm {
             &activate_evt,
             force_iommu,
             restoring,
+            boot_id_list,
         )
         .map_err(Error::DeviceManager)?;