diff --git a/net_util/src/open_tap.rs b/net_util/src/open_tap.rs
index e711529ca..e02e3b5e8 100644
--- a/net_util/src/open_tap.rs
+++ b/net_util/src/open_tap.rs
@@ -135,7 +135,7 @@ pub fn open_tap(
             // same device.
             tap = open_tap_rx_q_0(if_name, ip_addr, netmask, host_mac, mtu, num_rx_q, flags)?;
             // Set the name of the tap device we open in subsequent iterations.
-            ifname = String::from_utf8(tap.get_if_name()).unwrap();
+            ifname = String::from_utf8(tap.get_if_name().to_vec()).unwrap();
         } else {
             tap = Tap::open_named(ifname.as_str(), num_rx_q, flags).map_err(Error::TapOpen)?;
 
diff --git a/net_util/src/tap.rs b/net_util/src/tap.rs
index 1dc0b7f48..bc841de11 100644
--- a/net_util/src/tap.rs
+++ b/net_util/src/tap.rs
@@ -481,8 +481,8 @@ impl Tap {
         ifreq
     }
 
-    pub fn get_if_name(&self) -> Vec<u8> {
-        self.if_name.clone()
+    pub fn get_if_name(&self) -> &[u8] {
+        &self.if_name
     }
 
     #[cfg(fuzzing)]