diff --git a/src/util/virnetdevmacvlan.c b/src/util/virnetdevmacvlan.c
index a4ad698335..2deefe6589 100644
--- a/src/util/virnetdevmacvlan.c
+++ b/src/util/virnetdevmacvlan.c
@@ -673,6 +673,7 @@ virNetDevMacVLanCreateWithVPortProfile(const char *ifnameRequested,
     uint32_t macvtapMode;
     int vf = -1;
     bool vnet_hdr = flags & VIR_NETDEV_MACVLAN_VNET_HDR;
+    virNetDevGenNameType type;
 
     macvtapMode = modeMap[mode];
 
@@ -706,66 +707,21 @@ virNetDevMacVLanCreateWithVPortProfile(const char *ifnameRequested,
     }
 
     if (ifnameRequested) {
-        int rc;
-        bool isAutoName
-            = (STRPREFIX(ifnameRequested, VIR_NET_GENERATED_MACVTAP_PREFIX) ||
-               STRPREFIX(ifnameRequested, VIR_NET_GENERATED_MACVLAN_PREFIX));
-
         VIR_INFO("Requested macvtap device name: %s", ifnameRequested);
-
-        if ((rc = virNetDevExists(ifnameRequested)) < 0)
-            return -1;
-
-        if (rc) {
-            /* ifnameRequested is already being used */
-
-            if (!isAutoName) {
-                virReportSystemError(EEXIST,
-                                     _("Unable to create device '%s'"),
-                                     ifnameRequested);
-                return -1;
-            }
-        } else {
-
-            /* ifnameRequested is available. try to open it */
-
-            virNetDevReserveName(ifnameRequested);
-
-            if (virNetDevMacVLanCreate(ifnameRequested, macaddress,
-                                       linkdev, macvtapMode, flags) == 0) {
-
-                /* virNetDevMacVLanCreate() was successful - use this name */
-                ifname = g_strdup(ifnameRequested);
-
-            } else if (!isAutoName) {
-                /* couldn't open ifnameRequested, but it wasn't an
-                 * autogenerated named, so there is nothing else to
-                 * try - fail and return.
-                 */
-                return -1;
-            }
-        }
+        ifname = g_strdup(ifnameRequested);
     }
 
-    if (!ifname) {
-        /* ifnameRequested was NULL, or it was an already in use
-         * autogenerated name, so now we look for an unused
-         * autogenerated name.
-         */
-        virNetDevGenNameType type;
-        if (flags & VIR_NETDEV_MACVLAN_CREATE_WITH_TAP)
-            type = VIR_NET_DEV_GEN_NAME_MACVTAP;
-        else
-            type = VIR_NET_DEV_GEN_NAME_MACVLAN;
+    if (flags & VIR_NETDEV_MACVLAN_CREATE_WITH_TAP)
+        type = VIR_NET_DEV_GEN_NAME_MACVTAP;
+    else
+        type = VIR_NET_DEV_GEN_NAME_MACVLAN;
 
-        if (virNetDevGenerateName(&ifname, type) < 0 ||
-            virNetDevMacVLanCreate(ifname, macaddress,
-                                   linkdev, macvtapMode, flags) < 0)
-            return -1;
+    if (virNetDevGenerateName(&ifname, type) < 0 ||
+        virNetDevMacVLanCreate(ifname, macaddress,
+                               linkdev, macvtapMode, flags) < 0) {
+        return -1;
     }
 
-    /* all done creating the device */
-
     if (virNetDevVPortProfileAssociate(ifname,
                                        virtPortProfile,
                                        macaddress,