diff --git a/net/core/rtnetlink.c b/net/core/rtnetlink.c
index 79477dcae7c2..2af8aeeadadf 100644
--- a/net/core/rtnetlink.c
+++ b/net/core/rtnetlink.c
@@ -3204,8 +3204,8 @@ struct net_device *rtnl_create_link(struct net *net, const char *ifname,
 		dev->mtu = mtu;
 	}
 	if (tb[IFLA_ADDRESS]) {
-		memcpy(dev->dev_addr, nla_data(tb[IFLA_ADDRESS]),
-				nla_len(tb[IFLA_ADDRESS]));
+		__dev_addr_set(dev, nla_data(tb[IFLA_ADDRESS]),
+			       nla_len(tb[IFLA_ADDRESS]));
 		dev->addr_assign_type = NET_ADDR_SET;
 	}
 	if (tb[IFLA_BROADCAST])