diff --git a/src/drivers/driver_nl80211.c b/src/drivers/driver_nl80211.c
index b97079772..829904812 100644
--- a/src/drivers/driver_nl80211.c
+++ b/src/drivers/driver_nl80211.c
@@ -952,16 +952,21 @@ static void wpa_driver_nl80211_event_rtm_newlink(void *ctx,
 		   (ifi->ifi_flags & IFF_DORMANT) ? "[DORMANT]" : "");
 
 	if (!drv->if_disabled && !(ifi->ifi_flags & IFF_UP)) {
+		namebuf[0] = '\0';
 		if (if_indextoname(ifi->ifi_index, namebuf) &&
-		    linux_iface_up(drv->global->ioctl_sock,
-				   drv->first_bss->ifname) > 0) {
+		    linux_iface_up(drv->global->ioctl_sock, namebuf) > 0) {
 			wpa_printf(MSG_DEBUG, "nl80211: Ignore interface down "
 				   "event since interface %s is up", namebuf);
 			drv->ignore_if_down_event = 0;
 			return;
 		}
-		wpa_printf(MSG_DEBUG, "nl80211: Interface down");
-		if (drv->ignore_if_down_event) {
+		wpa_printf(MSG_DEBUG, "nl80211: Interface down (%s/%s)",
+			   namebuf, ifname);
+		if (os_strcmp(drv->first_bss->ifname, ifname) != 0) {
+			wpa_printf(MSG_DEBUG,
+				   "nl80211: Not the main interface (%s) - do not indicate interface down",
+				   drv->first_bss->ifname);
+		} else if (drv->ignore_if_down_event) {
 			wpa_printf(MSG_DEBUG, "nl80211: Ignore interface down "
 				   "event generated by mode change");
 			drv->ignore_if_down_event = 0;
@@ -984,8 +989,7 @@ static void wpa_driver_nl80211_event_rtm_newlink(void *ctx,
 
 	if (drv->if_disabled && (ifi->ifi_flags & IFF_UP)) {
 		if (if_indextoname(ifi->ifi_index, namebuf) &&
-		    linux_iface_up(drv->global->ioctl_sock,
-				   drv->first_bss->ifname) == 0) {
+		    linux_iface_up(drv->global->ioctl_sock, namebuf) == 0) {
 			wpa_printf(MSG_DEBUG, "nl80211: Ignore interface up "
 				   "event since interface %s is down",
 				   namebuf);