diff --git a/clock.c b/clock.c
index f808b351..7be021f9 100644
--- a/clock.c
+++ b/clock.c
@@ -1002,9 +1002,8 @@ struct clock *clock_create(enum clock_type type, struct config *config,
 	required_modes = clock_required_modes(c);
 	STAILQ_FOREACH(iface, &config->interfaces, list) {
 		memset(ts_label, 0, sizeof(ts_label));
-		rtnl_get_ts_device(interface_name(iface), ts_label);
-		interface_set_label(iface, ts_label);
-		interface_ensure_tslabel(iface);
+		if (!rtnl_get_ts_device(interface_name(iface), ts_label))
+			interface_set_label(iface, ts_label);
 		interface_get_tsinfo(iface);
 		if (interface_tsinfo_valid(iface) &&
 		    !interface_tsmodes_supported(iface, required_modes)) {
diff --git a/interface.c b/interface.c
index 445a2708..6c2630c5 100644
--- a/interface.c
+++ b/interface.c
@@ -24,6 +24,7 @@ struct interface *interface_create(const char *name)
 		return NULL;
 	}
 	strncpy(iface->name, name, MAX_IFNAME_SIZE);
+	strncpy(iface->ts_label, name, MAX_IFNAME_SIZE);
 	iface->vclock = -1;
 
 	return iface;
@@ -34,13 +35,6 @@ void interface_destroy(struct interface *iface)
 	free(iface);
 }
 
-void interface_ensure_tslabel(struct interface *iface)
-{
-	if (!iface->ts_label[0]) {
-		memcpy(iface->ts_label, iface->name, MAX_IFNAME_SIZE);
-	}
-}
-
 int interface_get_tsinfo(struct interface *iface)
 {
 	return sk_get_ts_info(iface->ts_label, &iface->ts_info);
diff --git a/interface.h b/interface.h
index 752f4f14..5fc78362 100644
--- a/interface.h
+++ b/interface.h
@@ -33,12 +33,6 @@ struct interface *interface_create(const char *name);
  */
 void interface_destroy(struct interface *iface);
 
-/**
- * Ensures that an interface has a proper time stamping label.
- * @param iface  The interface of interest.
- */
-void interface_ensure_tslabel(struct interface *iface);
-
 /**
  * Populate the time stamping information of a given interface.
  * @param iface  The interface of interest.
diff --git a/nsm.c b/nsm.c
index 5aa925bf..8d4a362b 100644
--- a/nsm.c
+++ b/nsm.c
@@ -274,9 +274,8 @@ static int nsm_open(struct nsm *nsm, struct config *cfg)
 	STAILQ_FOREACH(iface, &cfg->interfaces, list) {
 		ifname = interface_name(iface);
 		memset(ts_label, 0, sizeof(ts_label));
-		rtnl_get_ts_device(ifname, ts_label);
-		interface_set_label(iface, ts_label);
-		interface_ensure_tslabel(iface);
+		if (!rtnl_get_ts_device(ifname, ts_label))
+			interface_set_label(iface, ts_label);
 		count++;
 	}
 	if (count != 1) {
diff --git a/pmc_common.c b/pmc_common.c
index 43ad22c2..1dd89f6a 100644
--- a/pmc_common.c
+++ b/pmc_common.c
@@ -435,7 +435,6 @@ struct pmc *pmc_create(struct config *cfg, enum transport_type transport_type,
 		pr_err("failed to create interface");
 		goto failed;
 	}
-	interface_ensure_tslabel(pmc->iface);
 
 	if (transport_open(pmc->transport, pmc->iface,
 			   &pmc->fdarray, TS_SOFTWARE)) {