diff --git a/nbase/nbase_misc.c b/nbase/nbase_misc.c
index 14c6a27d2..5faae5d4e 100644
--- a/nbase/nbase_misc.c
+++ b/nbase/nbase_misc.c
@@ -284,6 +284,20 @@ int block_socket(int sd) {
 /* Use the SO_BINDTODEVICE sockopt to bind with a specific interface (Linux
    only). Pass NULL or an empty string to remove device binding. */
 int socket_bindtodevice(int sd, const char *device) {
+  char padded[sizeof(int)];
+
+  /* In Linux 2.6.20 and earlier, there is a bug in SO_BINDTODEVICE that causes
+     EINVAL to be returned if the optlen < sizeof(int); this happens for example
+     with the interface names "" and "lo". Pad the string with null characters
+     so it is above this limit if necessary.
+     http://article.gmane.org/gmane.linux.network/71887
+     http://article.gmane.org/gmane.linux.network/72216 */
+  if (strlen(device) + 1 < sizeof(padded)) {
+    /* We rely on strncpy padding with nulls here. */
+    strncpy(padded, device, sizeof(padded));
+    device = padded;
+  }
+
 #ifdef SO_BINDTODEVICE
   /* Linux-specific sockopt asking to use a specific interface. See socket(7). */
   if (setsockopt(sd, SOL_SOCKET, SO_BINDTODEVICE, device, strlen(device) + 1) < 0)