diff --git a/src/util/interface.c b/src/util/interface.c
index 16ad155efc..8264e7cb64 100644
--- a/src/util/interface.c
+++ b/src/util/interface.c
@@ -55,95 +55,6 @@
         virReportErrorHelper(VIR_FROM_NET, code, __FILE__, \
                              __FUNCTION__, __LINE__, __VA_ARGS__)
 
-/**
- * virNetDevValidateConfig:
- * @ifname: Name of the interface
- * @macaddr: expected MAC address of the interface; not checked if NULL
- * @ifindex: expected index of the interface; not checked if '-1'
- *
- * Determine whether a given interface is still available. If so,
- * it must have the given MAC address and if an interface index is
- * passed, it must also match the interface index.
- *
- * Returns 1 if the config matches, 0 if the config does not match, or interface does not exist, -1 on error
- */
-#ifdef __linux__
-int virNetDevValidateConfig(const char *ifname,
-                            const unsigned char *macaddr, int ifindex)
-{
-    int fd = -1;
-    int ret = -1;
-    struct ifreq ifr;
-    int idx;
-    int rc;
-
-    if ((rc = virNetDevExists(ifname)) < 0)
-        return -1;
-    if (rc == 0) {
-        ret = 0;
-        goto cleanup;
-    }
-
-    if (macaddr != NULL) {
-        fd = socket(PF_PACKET, SOCK_DGRAM, 0);
-        if (fd < 0) {
-            virReportSystemError(errno, "%s",
-                                 _("Unable to open control socket"));
-            return -1;
-        }
-
-        memset(&ifr, 0, sizeof(ifr));
-
-        if (virStrncpy(ifr.ifr_name,
-                       ifname, strlen(ifname), sizeof(ifr.ifr_name)) == NULL) {
-            virReportSystemError(ERANGE,
-                                 _("invalid interface name %s"),
-                                 ifname);
-            goto cleanup;
-        }
-
-        if (ioctl(fd, SIOCGIFHWADDR, &ifr) < 0) {
-            if (errno == ENODEV) {
-                ret = 0;
-                goto cleanup;
-            }
-            virReportSystemError(errno,
-                                 _("coud not get MAC address of interface %s"),
-                                 ifname);
-            goto cleanup;
-        }
-
-        if (memcmp(&ifr.ifr_hwaddr.sa_data, macaddr, VIR_MAC_BUFLEN) != 0) {
-            ret = 0;
-            goto cleanup;
-        }
-    }
-
-    if (ifindex != -1) {
-        if (virNetDevGetIndex(ifname, &idx) < 0)
-            goto cleanup;
-        else if (idx != ifindex) {
-            ret = 0;
-            goto cleanup;
-        }
-    }
-
-    ret = 1;
-
- cleanup:
-    VIR_FORCE_CLOSE(fd);
-    return ret;
-}
-#else /* ! __linux__ */
-int virNetDevValidateConfig(const char *ifname ATTRIBUTE_UNUSED,
-                            const unsigned char *macaddr ATTRIBUTE_UNUSED,
-                            int ifindex ATTRIBUTE_UNUSED)
-{
-    return -ENOSYS;
-}
-#endif /* ! __linux__ */
-
-
 
 #if defined(__linux__) && defined(IFLA_PORT_MAX)
 
diff --git a/src/util/interface.h b/src/util/interface.h
index c230264d5c..4256f295d1 100644
--- a/src/util/interface.h
+++ b/src/util/interface.h
@@ -30,10 +30,6 @@ struct nlattr;
 # define NET_SYSFS "/sys/class/net/"
 
 
-int virNetDevValidateConfig(const char *ifname,
-                            const unsigned char *macaddr, int ifindex)
-    ATTRIBUTE_NONNULL(1) ATTRIBUTE_RETURN_CHECK;
-
 int ifaceMacvtapLinkDump(bool nltarget_kernel, const char *ifname, int ifindex,
                          struct nlattr **tb, unsigned char **recvbuf,
                          uint32_t (*getPidFunc)(void));
diff --git a/src/util/virnetdev.c b/src/util/virnetdev.c
index 8a26d4a883..4ad7883229 100644
--- a/src/util/virnetdev.c
+++ b/src/util/virnetdev.c
@@ -856,3 +856,80 @@ int virNetDevGetIPv4Address(const char *ifname ATTRIBUTE_UNUSED,
 }
 
 #endif /* __linux__ */
+
+
+/**
+ * virNetDevValidateConfig:
+ * @ifname: Name of the interface
+ * @macaddr: expected MAC address of the interface; not checked if NULL
+ * @ifindex: expected index of the interface; not checked if '-1'
+ *
+ * Determine whether a given interface is still available. If so,
+ * it must have the given MAC address and if an interface index is
+ * passed, it must also match the interface index.
+ *
+ * Returns 1 if the config matches, 0 if the config does not match, or interface does not exist, -1 on error
+ */
+#ifdef __linux__
+int virNetDevValidateConfig(const char *ifname,
+                            const unsigned char *macaddr, int ifindex)
+{
+    int fd = -1;
+    int ret = -1;
+    struct ifreq ifr;
+    int idx;
+    int rc;
+
+    if ((rc = virNetDevExists(ifname)) < 0)
+        return -1;
+    if (rc == 0) {
+        ret = 0;
+        goto cleanup;
+    }
+
+    if (macaddr != NULL) {
+        if ((fd = virNetDevSetupControl(ifname, &ifr)) < 0)
+            return -1;
+
+        if (ioctl(fd, SIOCGIFHWADDR, &ifr) < 0) {
+            if (errno == ENODEV) {
+                ret = 0;
+                goto cleanup;
+            }
+            virReportSystemError(errno,
+                                 _("coud not get MAC address of interface %s"),
+                                 ifname);
+            goto cleanup;
+        }
+
+        if (memcmp(&ifr.ifr_hwaddr.sa_data, macaddr, VIR_MAC_BUFLEN) != 0) {
+            ret = 0;
+            goto cleanup;
+        }
+    }
+
+    if (ifindex != -1) {
+        if (virNetDevGetIndex(ifname, &idx) < 0)
+            goto cleanup;
+        else if (idx != ifindex) {
+            ret = 0;
+            goto cleanup;
+        }
+    }
+
+    ret = 1;
+
+ cleanup:
+    VIR_FORCE_CLOSE(fd);
+    return ret;
+}
+#else /* ! __linux__ */
+int virNetDevValidateConfig(const char *ifname ATTRIBUTE_UNUSED,
+                            const unsigned char *macaddr ATTRIBUTE_UNUSED,
+                            int ifindex ATTRIBUTE_UNUSED)
+{
+    virReportSystemError(ENOSYS, "%s",
+                         _("Unable to check interface config on this platform"));
+    return -1;
+}
+#endif /* ! __linux__ */
diff --git a/src/util/virnetdev.h b/src/util/virnetdev.h
index 08bbcbf50d..86280720b8 100644
--- a/src/util/virnetdev.h
+++ b/src/util/virnetdev.h
@@ -84,5 +84,9 @@ int virNetDevGetIndex(const char *ifname, int *ifindex)
 int virNetDevGetVLanID(const char *ifname, int *vlanid)
     ATTRIBUTE_NONNULL(1) ATTRIBUTE_NONNULL(2) ATTRIBUTE_RETURN_CHECK;
 
+int virNetDevValidateConfig(const char *ifname,
+                            const unsigned char *macaddr, int ifindex)
+    ATTRIBUTE_NONNULL(1) ATTRIBUTE_RETURN_CHECK;
+
 
 #endif /* __VIR_NETDEV_H__ */