diff --git a/src/lxc/conf.c b/src/lxc/conf.c
index 0bcbce38a..5d4fb816e 100644
--- a/src/lxc/conf.c
+++ b/src/lxc/conf.c
@@ -3106,43 +3106,6 @@ static int lxc_send_ttys_to_parent(struct lxc_handler *handler)
 	return ret;
 }
 
-static int lxc_network_send_name_and_ifindex_to_parent(struct lxc_handler *handler)
-{
-	struct lxc_list *iterator, *network;
-	int data_sock = handler->data_sock[0];
-
-	if (!handler->am_root)
-		return 0;
-
-	network = &handler->conf->network;
-	lxc_list_for_each(iterator, network) {
-		int ret;
-		struct lxc_netdev *netdev = iterator->elem;
-
-		/* Send network device name in the child's namespace to parent. */
-		ret = lxc_abstract_unix_send_credential(data_sock, netdev->name,
-							IFNAMSIZ);
-		if (ret < 0)
-			goto on_error;
-
-		/* Send network device ifindex in the child's namespace to
-		 * parent.
-		 */
-		ret = lxc_abstract_unix_send_credential(data_sock, &netdev->ifindex,
-							sizeof(netdev->ifindex));
-		if (ret < 0)
-			goto on_error;
-	}
-
-	TRACE("Sent network device names and ifindeces to parent");
-	return 0;
-
-on_error:
-	close(handler->data_sock[0]);
-	close(handler->data_sock[1]);
-	return -1;
-}
-
 int lxc_setup(struct lxc_handler *handler)
 {
 	const char *name = handler->name;
diff --git a/src/lxc/network.c b/src/lxc/network.c
index fcdcb08cc..8ea1d227f 100644
--- a/src/lxc/network.c
+++ b/src/lxc/network.c
@@ -3009,8 +3009,7 @@ int lxc_network_send_veth_names_to_child(struct lxc_handler *handler)
 		if (netdev->type != LXC_NET_VETH)
 			continue;
 
-		ret = lxc_abstract_unix_send_credential(data_sock, netdev->name,
-							IFNAMSIZ);
+		ret = send(data_sock, netdev->name, IFNAMSIZ, 0);
 		if (ret < 0) {
 			close(handler->data_sock[0]);
 			close(handler->data_sock[1]);
@@ -3040,8 +3039,7 @@ int lxc_network_recv_veth_names_from_parent(struct lxc_handler *handler)
 		if (netdev->type != LXC_NET_VETH)
 			continue;
 
-		ret = lxc_abstract_unix_rcv_credential(data_sock, netdev->name,
-						       IFNAMSIZ);
+		ret = recv(data_sock, netdev->name, IFNAMSIZ, 0);
 		if (ret < 0) {
 			close(handler->data_sock[0]);
 			close(handler->data_sock[1]);
@@ -3054,3 +3052,74 @@ int lxc_network_recv_veth_names_from_parent(struct lxc_handler *handler)
 
 	return 0;
 }
+
+int lxc_network_send_name_and_ifindex_to_parent(struct lxc_handler *handler)
+{
+	struct lxc_list *iterator, *network;
+	int data_sock = handler->data_sock[0];
+
+	if (!handler->am_root)
+		return 0;
+
+	network = &handler->conf->network;
+	lxc_list_for_each(iterator, network) {
+		int ret;
+		struct lxc_netdev *netdev = iterator->elem;
+
+		/* Send network device name in the child's namespace to parent. */
+		ret = send(data_sock, netdev->name, IFNAMSIZ, 0);
+		if (ret < 0)
+			goto on_error;
+
+		/* Send network device ifindex in the child's namespace to
+		 * parent.
+		 */
+		ret = send(data_sock, &netdev->ifindex, sizeof(netdev->ifindex), 0);
+		if (ret < 0)
+			goto on_error;
+	}
+
+	TRACE("Sent network device names and ifindeces to parent");
+	return 0;
+
+on_error:
+	close(handler->data_sock[0]);
+	close(handler->data_sock[1]);
+	return -1;
+}
+
+int lxc_network_recv_name_and_ifindex_from_child(struct lxc_handler *handler)
+{
+	struct lxc_list *iterator, *network;
+	int data_sock = handler->data_sock[1];
+
+	if (!handler->am_root)
+		return 0;
+
+	network = &handler->conf->network;
+	lxc_list_for_each(iterator, network) {
+		int ret;
+		struct lxc_netdev *netdev = iterator->elem;
+
+		/* Receive network device name in the child's namespace to
+		 * parent.
+		 */
+		ret = recv(data_sock, netdev->name, IFNAMSIZ, 0);
+		if (ret < 0)
+			goto on_error;
+
+		/* Receive network device ifindex in the child's namespace to
+		 * parent.
+		 */
+		ret = recv(data_sock, &netdev->ifindex, sizeof(netdev->ifindex), 0);
+		if (ret < 0)
+			goto on_error;
+	}
+
+	return 0;
+
+on_error:
+	close(handler->data_sock[0]);
+	close(handler->data_sock[1]);
+	return -1;
+}
diff --git a/src/lxc/network.h b/src/lxc/network.h
index 14eff59fa..fe127734f 100644
--- a/src/lxc/network.h
+++ b/src/lxc/network.h
@@ -277,5 +277,7 @@ extern int lxc_setup_network_in_child_namespaces(const struct lxc_conf *conf,
 						 struct lxc_list *network);
 extern int lxc_network_send_veth_names_to_child(struct lxc_handler *handler);
 extern int lxc_network_recv_veth_names_from_parent(struct lxc_handler *handler);
+extern int lxc_network_send_name_and_ifindex_to_parent(struct lxc_handler *handler);
+extern int lxc_network_recv_name_and_ifindex_from_child(struct lxc_handler *handler);
 
 #endif /* __LXC_NETWORK_H */
diff --git a/src/lxc/start.c b/src/lxc/start.c
index ca68295e4..e31a61875 100644
--- a/src/lxc/start.c
+++ b/src/lxc/start.c
@@ -1057,43 +1057,6 @@ out_error:
 	return -1;
 }
 
-static int lxc_network_recv_name_and_ifindex_from_child(struct lxc_handler *handler)
-{
-	struct lxc_list *iterator, *network;
-	int data_sock = handler->data_sock[1];
-
-	if (!handler->am_root)
-		return 0;
-
-	network = &handler->conf->network;
-	lxc_list_for_each(iterator, network) {
-		int ret;
-		struct lxc_netdev *netdev = iterator->elem;
-
-		/* Receive network device name in the child's namespace to
-		 * parent.
-		 */
-		ret = lxc_abstract_unix_rcv_credential(data_sock, netdev->name, IFNAMSIZ);
-		if (ret < 0)
-			goto on_error;
-
-		/* Receive network device ifindex in the child's namespace to
-		 * parent.
-		 */
-		ret = lxc_abstract_unix_rcv_credential(data_sock, &netdev->ifindex,
-						       sizeof(netdev->ifindex));
-		if (ret < 0)
-			goto on_error;
-	}
-
-	return 0;
-
-on_error:
-	close(handler->data_sock[0]);
-	close(handler->data_sock[1]);
-	return -1;
-}
-
 static int lxc_recv_ttys_from_child(struct lxc_handler *handler)
 {
 	int i;