diff --git a/src/qemu/qemu_interface.c b/src/qemu/qemu_interface.c
index 4cc76e07a5..264d5e060c 100644
--- a/src/qemu/qemu_interface.c
+++ b/src/qemu/qemu_interface.c
@@ -461,6 +461,8 @@ qemuInterfaceEthernetConnect(virDomainDef *def,
         if (!net->ifname)
             template_ifname = true;
 
+        tap_create_flags |= VIR_NETDEV_TAP_CREATE_ALLOW_EXISTING;
+
         if (virNetDevTapCreate(&net->ifname, tunpath, tapfd, tapfdSize,
                                tap_create_flags) < 0) {
             goto cleanup;
diff --git a/src/util/virnetdevtap.c b/src/util/virnetdevtap.c
index 112a1e8b99..a4ead0ae93 100644
--- a/src/util/virnetdevtap.c
+++ b/src/util/virnetdevtap.c
@@ -148,12 +148,15 @@ virNetDevTapGetRealDeviceName(char *ifname G_GNUC_UNUSED)
  * @tunpath: path to the tun device (if NULL, /dev/net/tun is used)
  * @tapfds: array of file descriptors return value for the new tap device
  * @tapfdSize: number of file descriptors in @tapfd
- * @flags: OR of virNetDevTapCreateFlags. Only one flag is recognized:
+ * @flags: OR of virNetDevTapCreateFlags. Only the following flags are
+ *         recognized:
  *
  *   VIR_NETDEV_TAP_CREATE_VNET_HDR
  *     - Enable IFF_VNET_HDR on the tap device
  *   VIR_NETDEV_TAP_CREATE_PERSIST
  *     - The device will persist after the file descriptor is closed
+ *   VIR_NETDEV_TAP_CREATE_ALLOW_EXISTING
+ *     - The device creation fails if @ifname already exists
  *
  * Creates a tap interface. The caller must use virNetDevTapDelete to
  * remove a persistent TAP device when it is no longer needed. In case
@@ -170,6 +173,7 @@ int virNetDevTapCreate(char **ifname,
 {
     size_t i = 0;
     struct ifreq ifr;
+    int rc;
     int ret = -1;
     int fd = -1;
 
@@ -179,9 +183,24 @@ int virNetDevTapCreate(char **ifname,
      * can lead to race conditions).  if ifname is just a
      * user-provided name, virNetDevGenerateName leaves it
      * unchanged. */
-    if (virNetDevGenerateName(ifname, VIR_NET_DEV_GEN_NAME_VNET) < 0)
+    rc = virNetDevGenerateName(ifname, VIR_NET_DEV_GEN_NAME_VNET);
+    if (rc < 0)
         return -1;
 
+    if (rc > 0 &&
+        !(flags & VIR_NETDEV_TAP_CREATE_ALLOW_EXISTING)) {
+        rc = virNetDevExists(*ifname);
+
+        if (rc < 0) {
+            return -1;
+        } else if (rc > 0) {
+            virReportError(VIR_ERR_OPERATION_INVALID,
+                           _("The %s interface already exists"),
+                           *ifname);
+            return -1;
+        }
+    }
+
     if (!tunpath)
         tunpath = "/dev/net/tun";
 
diff --git a/src/util/virnetdevtap.h b/src/util/virnetdevtap.h
index 197ea10f94..c9d29c0384 100644
--- a/src/util/virnetdevtap.h
+++ b/src/util/virnetdevtap.h
@@ -56,6 +56,8 @@ typedef enum {
    VIR_NETDEV_TAP_CREATE_USE_MAC_FOR_BRIDGE = 1 << 2,
    /* The device will persist after the file descriptor is closed */
    VIR_NETDEV_TAP_CREATE_PERSIST            = 1 << 3,
+   /* The device is allowed to exist before creation */
+   VIR_NETDEV_TAP_CREATE_ALLOW_EXISTING     = 1 << 4,
 } virNetDevTapCreateFlags;
 
 int