diff --git a/src/lxc/lxc_process.c b/src/lxc/lxc_process.c
index f6932c248b..2266e2cc40 100644
--- a/src/lxc/lxc_process.c
+++ b/src/lxc/lxc_process.c
@@ -302,20 +302,17 @@ virLXCProcessSetupInterfaceTap(virDomainDefPtr vm,
                                virDomainNetDefPtr net,
                                const char *brname)
 {
-    char *parentVeth;
+    g_autofree char *parentVeth = NULL;
     g_autofree char *containerVeth = NULL;
     const virNetDevVPortProfile *vport = virDomainNetGetActualVirtPortProfile(net);
 
     VIR_DEBUG("calling vethCreate()");
-    parentVeth = net->ifname;
+    parentVeth = g_strdup(net->ifname);
 
     if (virNetDevVethCreate(&parentVeth, &containerVeth) < 0)
         return NULL;
     VIR_DEBUG("parentVeth: %s, containerVeth: %s", parentVeth, containerVeth);
 
-    if (net->ifname == NULL)
-        net->ifname = parentVeth;
-
     if (virNetDevSetMAC(containerVeth, &net->mac) < 0)
         return NULL;
 
@@ -355,6 +352,10 @@ virLXCProcessSetupInterfaceTap(virDomainDefPtr vm,
         virDomainConfNWFilterInstantiate(vm->name, vm->uuid, net, false) < 0)
         return NULL;
 
+    /* success is guaranteed, so update the interface object */
+    g_free(net->ifname);
+    net->ifname = g_steal_pointer(&parentVeth);
+
     return g_steal_pointer(&containerVeth);
 }