3 files changed, 20 insertions, 5 deletions

diff --git a/include/linux/netdevice.h b/include/linux/netdevice.h
index c4de536cefa3..811024e311bd 100644
--- a/include/linux/netdevice.h
+++ b/include/linux/netdevice.h
@@ -669,6 +669,8 @@ struct net_device
 #define HAVE_SET_MAC_ADDR                
         int                     (*set_mac_address)(struct net_device *dev,
                                                    void *addr);
+#define HAVE_VALIDATE_ADDR
+        int                     (*validate_addr)(struct net_device *dev);
 #define HAVE_PRIVATE_IOCTL
         int                     (*do_ioctl)(struct net_device *dev,
                                             struct ifreq *ifr, int cmd);
diff --git a/net/core/dev.c b/net/core/dev.c
index 872658927e47..f861555cc525 100644
--- a/net/core/dev.c
+++ b/net/core/dev.c
@@ -1007,17 +1007,20 @@ int dev_open(struct net_device *dev)
          *      Call device private open method
          */
         set_bit(__LINK_STATE_START, &dev->state);
-        if (dev->open) {
+
+        if (dev->validate_addr)
+                ret = dev->validate_addr(dev);
+
+        if (!ret && dev->open)
                 ret = dev->open(dev);
-                if (ret)
-                        clear_bit(__LINK_STATE_START, &dev->state);
-        }
 
         /*
          *      If it went open OK then:
          */
 
-        if (!ret) {
+        if (ret)
+                clear_bit(__LINK_STATE_START, &dev->state);
+        else {
                 /*
                  *      Set the flags.
                  */
@@ -1038,6 +1041,7 @@ int dev_open(struct net_device *dev)
                  */
                 call_netdevice_notifiers(NETDEV_UP, dev);
         }
+
         return ret;
 }
 
diff --git a/net/ethernet/eth.c b/net/ethernet/eth.c
index ed8a3d49487d..6b2e454ae313 100644
--- a/net/ethernet/eth.c
+++ b/net/ethernet/eth.c
@@ -298,6 +298,14 @@ static int eth_change_mtu(struct net_device *dev, int new_mtu)
         return 0;
 }
 
+static int eth_validate_addr(struct net_device *dev)
+{
+        if (!is_valid_ether_addr(dev->dev_addr))
+                return -EINVAL;
+
+        return 0;
+}
+
 const struct header_ops eth_header_ops ____cacheline_aligned = {
         .create         = eth_header,
         .parse          = eth_header_parse,
@@ -317,6 +325,7 @@ void ether_setup(struct net_device *dev)
 
         dev->change_mtu         = eth_change_mtu;
         dev->set_mac_address    = eth_mac_addr;
+        dev->validate_addr      = eth_validate_addr;
 
         dev->type               = ARPHRD_ETHER;
         dev->hard_header_len    = ETH_HLEN;