diff --git a/nova/network/os_vif_util.py b/nova/network/os_vif_util.py
index 2ed3f7fadc5a..dfdf8e9d09d4 100644
--- a/nova/network/os_vif_util.py
+++ b/nova/network/os_vif_util.py
@@ -284,8 +284,10 @@ def _nova_to_osvif_vif_vhostuser(vif):
     if vif['details'].get(model.VIF_DETAILS_VHOSTUSER_OVS_PLUG, False):
         profile = objects.vif.VIFPortProfileOpenVSwitch(
             interface_id=vif.get('ovs_interfaceid') or vif['id'])
+        vif_name = ('vhu' + vif['id'])[:model.NIC_NAME_LEN]
         obj = _get_vif_instance(vif, objects.vif.VIFVHostUser,
-                                port_profile=profile, plugin="ovs")
+                                port_profile=profile, plugin="ovs",
+                                vif_name=vif_name)
         if vif["network"]["bridge"] is not None:
             obj.bridge_name = vif["network"]["bridge"]
         obj.mode = vif['details'].get(
diff --git a/nova/tests/unit/network/test_os_vif_util.py b/nova/tests/unit/network/test_os_vif_util.py
index a4ccb47e772c..45068b028b9c 100644
--- a/nova/tests/unit/network/test_os_vif_util.py
+++ b/nova/tests/unit/network/test_os_vif_util.py
@@ -572,6 +572,7 @@ class OSVIFUtilTestCase(test.NoDBTestCase):
             plugin="ovs",
             port_profile=osv_objects.vif.VIFPortProfileOpenVSwitch(
                 interface_id="dc065497-3c8d-4f44-8fb4-e1d33c16a536"),
+            vif_name="vhudc065497-3c",
             path='/fake/socket',
             mode='client',
             has_traffic_filtering=True,