* @IFF_FAILOVER: device is a failover master device
  * @IFF_FAILOVER_SLAVE: device is lower dev of a failover master device
  * @IFF_L3MDEV_RX_HANDLER: only invoke the rx handler of L3 master device
+ * @IFF_LIVE_RENAME_OK: rename is allowed while device is up and running
  */
 enum netdev_priv_flags {
        IFF_802_1Q_VLAN                 = 1<<0,
        IFF_FAILOVER                    = 1<<27,
        IFF_FAILOVER_SLAVE              = 1<<28,
        IFF_L3MDEV_RX_HANDLER           = 1<<29,
+       IFF_LIVE_RENAME_OK              = 1<<30,
 };
 
 #define IFF_802_1Q_VLAN                        IFF_802_1Q_VLAN
 #define IFF_FAILOVER                   IFF_FAILOVER
 #define IFF_FAILOVER_SLAVE             IFF_FAILOVER_SLAVE
 #define IFF_L3MDEV_RX_HANDLER          IFF_L3MDEV_RX_HANDLER
+#define IFF_LIVE_RENAME_OK             IFF_LIVE_RENAME_OK
 
 /**
  *     struct net_device - The DEVICE structure.
 
        BUG_ON(!dev_net(dev));
 
        net = dev_net(dev);
-       if (dev->flags & IFF_UP)
+
+       /* Some auto-enslaved devices e.g. failover slaves are
+        * special, as userspace might rename the device after
+        * the interface had been brought up and running since
+        * the point kernel initiated auto-enslavement. Allow
+        * live name change even when these slave devices are
+        * up and running.
+        *
+        * Typically, users of these auto-enslaving devices
+        * don't actually care about slave name change, as
+        * they are supposed to operate on master interface
+        * directly.
+        */
+       if (dev->flags & IFF_UP &&
+           likely(!(dev->priv_flags & IFF_LIVE_RENAME_OK)))
                return -EBUSY;
 
        write_seqcount_begin(&devnet_rename_seq);
 
                goto err_upper_link;
        }
 
-       slave_dev->priv_flags |= IFF_FAILOVER_SLAVE;
+       slave_dev->priv_flags |= (IFF_FAILOVER_SLAVE | IFF_LIVE_RENAME_OK);
 
        if (fops && fops->slave_register &&
            !fops->slave_register(slave_dev, failover_dev))
                return NOTIFY_OK;
 
        netdev_upper_dev_unlink(slave_dev, failover_dev);
-       slave_dev->priv_flags &= ~IFF_FAILOVER_SLAVE;
+       slave_dev->priv_flags &= ~(IFF_FAILOVER_SLAVE | IFF_LIVE_RENAME_OK);
 err_upper_link:
        netdev_rx_handler_unregister(slave_dev);
 done:
 
        netdev_rx_handler_unregister(slave_dev);
        netdev_upper_dev_unlink(slave_dev, failover_dev);
-       slave_dev->priv_flags &= ~IFF_FAILOVER_SLAVE;
+       slave_dev->priv_flags &= ~(IFF_FAILOVER_SLAVE | IFF_LIVE_RENAME_OK);
 
        if (fops && fops->slave_unregister &&
            !fops->slave_unregister(slave_dev, failover_dev))