diff --git a/drivers/net/macvlan.c b/drivers/net/macvlan.c
index acf93798dc675929394e82ffed96cd1616c3a31d..cfb91570cdddccdfc02f9b860d1bf26d8b836b48 100644
--- a/drivers/net/macvlan.c
+++ b/drivers/net/macvlan.c
@@ -820,13 +820,11 @@ int macvlan_common_newlink(struct net *src_net, struct net_device *dev,
 	if (lowerdev == NULL)
 		return -ENODEV;
 
-	/* When creating macvlans on top of other macvlans - use
+	/* When creating macvlans or macvtaps on top of other macvlans - use
 	 * the real device as the lowerdev.
 	 */
-	if (lowerdev->rtnl_link_ops == dev->rtnl_link_ops) {
-		struct macvlan_dev *lowervlan = netdev_priv(lowerdev);
-		lowerdev = lowervlan->lowerdev;
-	}
+	if (netif_is_macvlan(lowerdev))
+		lowerdev = macvlan_dev_real_dev(lowerdev);
 
 	if (!tb[IFLA_MTU])
 		dev->mtu = lowerdev->mtu;