diff --git a/netifd/Makefile b/netifd/Makefile
index b68f79102..d21bb7866 100644
--- a/netifd/Makefile
+++ b/netifd/Makefile
@@ -1,7 +1,7 @@
 include $(TOPDIR)/rules.mk
 
 PKG_NAME:=netifd
-PKG_RELEASE:=4
+PKG_RELEASE:=5
 
 PKG_SOURCE_PROTO:=git
 PKG_SOURCE_URL=$(PROJECT_GIT)/project/netifd.git
diff --git a/netifd/patches/default-ipv4-netmask-fallback-24.patch b/netifd/patches/default-ipv4-netmask-fallback-24.patch
index db297a6d7..677fcbdbc 100644
--- a/netifd/patches/default-ipv4-netmask-fallback-24.patch
+++ b/netifd/patches/default-ipv4-netmask-fallback-24.patch
@@ -4,7 +4,7 @@
  			error = "INVALID_NETMASK";
  			goto error;
  		}
-+	} else if (!strcmp(iface->name, "lan")) {
++	} else if (iface && !strncmp(iface->name, "lan", 3)) {
 +		netmask = 24;
  	}