diff --git a/drivers/net/bonding/bond_sysfs.c b/drivers/net/bonding/bond_sysfs.c
index b9e9842fed94..c48b77167fab 100644
--- a/drivers/net/bonding/bond_sysfs.c
+++ b/drivers/net/bonding/bond_sysfs.c
@@ -811,8 +811,8 @@ int bond_create_sysfs(struct bond_net *bn)
 	 */
 	if (ret == -EEXIST) {
 		/* Is someone being kinky and naming a device bonding_master? */
-		if (__dev_get_by_name(bn->net,
-				      class_attr_bonding_masters.attr.name))
+		if (netdev_name_in_use(bn->net,
+				       class_attr_bonding_masters.attr.name))
 			pr_err("network device named %s already exists in sysfs\n",
 			       class_attr_bonding_masters.attr.name);
 		ret = 0;
diff --git a/drivers/net/ppp/ppp_generic.c b/drivers/net/ppp/ppp_generic.c
index fb52cd175b45..1180a0e2445f 100644
--- a/drivers/net/ppp/ppp_generic.c
+++ b/drivers/net/ppp/ppp_generic.c
@@ -1161,7 +1161,7 @@ static int ppp_unit_register(struct ppp *ppp, int unit, bool ifname_is_set)
 		if (!ifname_is_set) {
 			while (1) {
 				snprintf(ppp->dev->name, IFNAMSIZ, "ppp%i", ret);
-				if (!__dev_get_by_name(ppp->ppp_net, ppp->dev->name))
+				if (!netdev_name_in_use(ppp->ppp_net, ppp->dev->name))
 					break;
 				unit_put(&pn->units_idr, ret);
 				ret = unit_get(&pn->units_idr, ppp, ret + 1);
diff --git a/include/linux/netdevice.h b/include/linux/netdevice.h
index d79163208dfd..15f4a658e436 100644
--- a/include/linux/netdevice.h
+++ b/include/linux/netdevice.h
@@ -2955,6 +2955,7 @@ struct net_device *__dev_get_by_flags(struct net *net, unsigned short flags,
 struct net_device *dev_get_by_name(struct net *net, const char *name);
 struct net_device *dev_get_by_name_rcu(struct net *net, const char *name);
 struct net_device *__dev_get_by_name(struct net *net, const char *name);
+bool netdev_name_in_use(struct net *net, const char *name);
 int dev_alloc_name(struct net_device *dev, const char *name);
 int dev_open(struct net_device *dev, struct netlink_ext_ack *extack);
 void dev_close(struct net_device *dev);
diff --git a/net/core/dev.c b/net/core/dev.c
index 16ab09b6a7f8..1594cd2955ba 100644
--- a/net/core/dev.c
+++ b/net/core/dev.c
@@ -303,6 +303,12 @@ static struct netdev_name_node *netdev_name_node_lookup_rcu(struct net *net,
 	return NULL;
 }
 
+bool netdev_name_in_use(struct net *net, const char *name)
+{
+	return netdev_name_node_lookup(net, name);
+}
+EXPORT_SYMBOL(netdev_name_in_use);
+
 int netdev_name_node_alt_create(struct net_device *dev, const char *name)
 {
 	struct netdev_name_node *name_node;
@@ -1133,7 +1139,7 @@ static int __dev_alloc_name(struct net *net, const char *name, char *buf)
 	}
 
 	snprintf(buf, IFNAMSIZ, name, i);
-	if (!__dev_get_by_name(net, buf))
+	if (!netdev_name_in_use(net, buf))
 		return i;
 
 	/* It is possible to run out of possible slots
@@ -1187,7 +1193,7 @@ static int dev_get_valid_name(struct net *net, struct net_device *dev,
 
 	if (strchr(name, '%'))
 		return dev_alloc_name_ns(net, dev, name);
-	else if (__dev_get_by_name(net, name))
+	else if (netdev_name_in_use(net, name))
 		return -EEXIST;
 	else if (dev->name != name)
 		strlcpy(dev->name, name, IFNAMSIZ);
@@ -11153,7 +11159,7 @@ int __dev_change_net_namespace(struct net_device *dev, struct net *net,
 	 * we can use it in the destination network namespace.
 	 */
 	err = -EEXIST;
-	if (__dev_get_by_name(net, dev->name)) {
+	if (netdev_name_in_use(net, dev->name)) {
 		/* We get here if we can't use the current device name */
 		if (!pat)
 			goto out;
@@ -11506,7 +11512,7 @@ static void __net_exit default_device_exit(struct net *net)
 
 		/* Push remaining network devices to init_net */
 		snprintf(fb_name, IFNAMSIZ, "dev%d", dev->ifindex);
-		if (__dev_get_by_name(&init_net, fb_name))
+		if (netdev_name_in_use(&init_net, fb_name))
 			snprintf(fb_name, IFNAMSIZ, "dev%%d");
 		err = dev_change_net_namespace(dev, &init_net, fb_name);
 		if (err) {