diff --git a/src/include/ipxe/netdevice.h b/src/include/ipxe/netdevice.h
index d0e628a4..7288ad86 100644
--- a/src/include/ipxe/netdevice.h
+++ b/src/include/ipxe/netdevice.h
@@ -300,6 +300,8 @@ struct net_device {
 	struct list_head list;
 	/** List of open network devices */
 	struct list_head open_list;
+	/** Index of this network device */
+	unsigned int index;
 	/** Name of this network device */
 	char name[12];
 	/** Underlying hardware device */
diff --git a/src/net/netdevice.c b/src/net/netdevice.c
index 5af9c6dc..283632f6 100644
--- a/src/net/netdevice.c
+++ b/src/net/netdevice.c
@@ -498,10 +498,11 @@ int register_netdev ( struct net_device *netdev ) {
 	uint32_t seed;
 	int rc;
 
-	/* Create device name */
+	/* Record device index and create device name */
+	netdev->index = ifindex++;
 	if ( netdev->name[0] == '\0' ) {
 		snprintf ( netdev->name, sizeof ( netdev->name ), "net%d",
-			   ifindex++ );
+			   netdev->index );
 	}
 
 	/* Set initial link-layer address, if not already set */