diff --git a/FPEngine.cc b/FPEngine.cc
index ca4f664db..fc949a421 100644
--- a/FPEngine.cc
+++ b/FPEngine.cc
@@ -139,7 +139,8 @@ void FPNetworkControl::init(const char *ifname, devtype iftype) {
   nmap_set_nsock_logger();
   nmap_adjust_loglevel(o.packetTrace());
 
-  nsock_pool_set_device(nsp, o.device);
+  if (*o.device)
+    nsock_pool_set_device(nsp, o.device);
 
   if (o.proxy_chain)
     nsock_pool_set_proxychain(this->nsp, o.proxy_chain);
diff --git a/nmap_dns.cc b/nmap_dns.cc
index c5037aebb..599522932 100644
--- a/nmap_dns.cc
+++ b/nmap_dns.cc
@@ -1381,7 +1381,8 @@ static void nmap_mass_dns_core(DNS::Request *requests, int num_requests) {
     nmap_set_nsock_logger();
     nmap_adjust_loglevel(o.packetTrace());
 
-    nsock_pool_set_device(dnspool, o.device);
+    if (*o.device)
+      nsock_pool_set_device(dnspool, o.device);
 
     if (o.proxy_chain)
       nsock_pool_set_proxychain(dnspool, o.proxy_chain);
diff --git a/nping/ProbeMode.cc b/nping/ProbeMode.cc
index cbdec9e58..7ad6971a5 100644
--- a/nping/ProbeMode.cc
+++ b/nping/ProbeMode.cc
@@ -97,7 +97,9 @@ int ProbeMode::init_nsock(){
       /* Create a new nsock pool */
       if ((nsp = nsock_pool_new(NULL)) == NULL)
         nping_fatal(QT_3, "Failed to create new pool.  QUITTING.\n");
-      nsock_pool_set_device(nsp, o.getDevice());
+      const char *device = o.getDevice();
+      if (*device)
+        nsock_pool_set_device(nsp, device);
 
       /* Allow broadcast addresses */
       nsock_pool_set_broadcast(nsp, 1);
diff --git a/nse_nsock.cc b/nse_nsock.cc
index cc1bda2d7..4cc06b5ed 100644
--- a/nse_nsock.cc
+++ b/nse_nsock.cc
@@ -86,7 +86,8 @@ static nsock_pool new_pool (lua_State *L)
   nmap_set_nsock_logger();
   nmap_adjust_loglevel(o.scriptTrace());
 
-  nsock_pool_set_device(nsp, o.device);
+  if (*o.device)
+    nsock_pool_set_device(nsp, o.device);
 
   if (o.proxy_chain)
     nsock_pool_set_proxychain(nsp, o.proxy_chain);
diff --git a/service_scan.cc b/service_scan.cc
index b80a47bc4..45c247da5 100644
--- a/service_scan.cc
+++ b/service_scan.cc
@@ -2817,7 +2817,8 @@ int service_scan(std::vector<Target *> &Targets) {
   nmap_set_nsock_logger();
   nmap_adjust_loglevel(o.versionTrace());
 
-  nsock_pool_set_device(nsp, o.device);
+  if (*o.device)
+    nsock_pool_set_device(nsp, o.device);
 
   if (o.proxy_chain) {
     nsock_pool_set_proxychain(nsp, o.proxy_chain);