diff --git a/lib/dpif-netdev.c b/lib/dpif-netdev.c
index 46eb743aa..0d489ba2d 100644
--- a/lib/dpif-netdev.c
+++ b/lib/dpif-netdev.c
@@ -407,6 +407,7 @@ do_add_port(struct dp_netdev *dp, const char *devname, const char *type,
     struct dp_netdev_port *port;
     struct netdev *netdev;
     struct netdev_rx *rx;
+    enum netdev_flags flags;
     const char *open_type;
     int mtu;
     int error;
@@ -419,9 +420,15 @@ do_add_port(struct dp_netdev *dp, const char *devname, const char *type,
     if (error) {
         return error;
     }
-    /* XXX reject loopback devices */
     /* XXX reject non-Ethernet devices */
 
+    netdev_get_flags(netdev, &flags);
+    if (flags & NETDEV_LOOPBACK) {
+        VLOG_ERR("%s: cannot add a loopback device", devname);
+        netdev_close(netdev);
+        return EINVAL;
+    }
+
     error = netdev_rx_open(netdev, &rx);
     if (error
         && !(error == EOPNOTSUPP && dpif_netdev_class_is_dummy(dp->class))) {