diff --git a/src/core/netif.c b/src/core/netif.c
index 1cc28ce3..34842e22 100644
--- a/src/core/netif.c
+++ b/src/core/netif.c
@@ -1744,7 +1744,7 @@ netif_find(const char *name)
   }
 
   num = (u8_t)atoi(&name[2]);
-  if (!num && (name[2] != 0)) {
+  if (!num && (name[2] != '0')) {
     /* this means atoi has failed */
     return NULL;
   }