diff --git a/src/network/networkd-link.c b/src/network/networkd-link.c
index fae750be20..97c6d21c07 100644
--- a/src/network/networkd-link.c
+++ b/src/network/networkd-link.c
@@ -3215,15 +3215,18 @@ int link_update(Link *link, sd_netlink_message *m) {
         if (r >= 0 && !streq(ifname, link->ifname)) {
                 log_link_info(link, "Interface name change detected, %s has been renamed to %s.", link->ifname, ifname);
 
-                link_free_carrier_maps(link);
+                if (link->state == LINK_STATE_PENDING) {
+                        r = free_and_strdup(&link->ifname, ifname);
+                        if (r < 0)
+                                return r;
+                } else {
+                        Manager *manager = link->manager;
 
-                r = free_and_strdup(&link->ifname, ifname);
-                if (r < 0)
-                        return r;
-
-                r = link_new_carrier_maps(link);
-                if (r < 0)
-                        return r;
+                        link_drop(link);
+                        r = link_add(manager, m, &link);
+                        if (r < 0)
+                                return r;
+                }
         }
 
         r = sd_netlink_message_read_u32(m, IFLA_MTU, &mtu);