diff --git a/pkg/sriov/sriov.go b/pkg/sriov/sriov.go
index c82c4fad8..d771330dd 100644
--- a/pkg/sriov/sriov.go
+++ b/pkg/sriov/sriov.go
@@ -2,6 +2,7 @@ package sriov
 
 import (
 	"fmt"
+
 	"github.com/containernetworking/plugins/pkg/ns"
 
 	sriovtypes "github.com/k8snetworkplumbingwg/sriov-cni/pkg/types"
@@ -65,6 +66,9 @@ func (s *sriovManager) SetupVF(conf *sriovtypes.NetConf, podifName string, netns
 		return fmt.Errorf("error getting VF netdevice with name %s", linkName)
 	}
 
+	// Save the original effective MAC address before overriding it
+	conf.OrigVfState.EffectiveMAC = linkObj.Attrs().HardwareAddr.String()
+
 	// tempName used as intermediary name to avoid name conflicts
 	tempName := fmt.Sprintf("%s%d", "temp_", linkObj.Attrs().Index)
 
@@ -78,31 +82,29 @@ func (s *sriovManager) SetupVF(conf *sriovtypes.NetConf, podifName string, netns
 		return fmt.Errorf("error setting temp IF name %s for %s", tempName, linkName)
 	}
 
-	// Save the original effective MAC address before overriding it
-	conf.OrigVfState.EffectiveMAC = linkObj.Attrs().HardwareAddr.String()
-	// 3. Set MAC address
-	if conf.MAC != "" {
-		err = utils.SetVFEffectiveMAC(s.nLink, tempName, conf.MAC)
-		if err != nil {
-			return fmt.Errorf("failed to set netlink MAC address to %s: %v", conf.MAC, err)
-		}
-	}
-
-	// 4. Change netns
+	// 3. Change netns
 	if err := s.nLink.LinkSetNsFd(linkObj, int(netns.Fd())); err != nil {
 		return fmt.Errorf("failed to move IF %s to netns: %q", tempName, err)
 	}
 
 	if err := netns.Do(func(_ ns.NetNS) error {
-		// 5. Set Pod IF name
+		// 4. Set Pod IF name
 		if err := s.nLink.LinkSetName(linkObj, podifName); err != nil {
 			return fmt.Errorf("error setting container interface name %s for %s", linkName, tempName)
 		}
 
-		// 6. Enable IPv4 ARP notify and IPv6 Network Discovery notify
+		// 5. Enable IPv4 ARP notify and IPv6 Network Discovery notify
 		// Error is ignored here because enabling this feature is only a performance enhancement.
 		_ = s.utils.EnableArpAndNdiscNotify(podifName)
 
+		// 6. Set MAC address
+		if conf.MAC != "" {
+			err = utils.SetVFEffectiveMAC(s.nLink, podifName, conf.MAC)
+			if err != nil {
+				return fmt.Errorf("failed to set netlink MAC address to %s: %v", conf.MAC, err)
+			}
+		}
+
 		// 7. Bring IF up in Pod netns
 		if err := s.nLink.LinkSetUp(linkObj); err != nil {
 			return fmt.Errorf("error bringing interface up in container ns: %q", err)
diff --git a/pkg/sriov/sriov_test.go b/pkg/sriov/sriov_test.go
index 476fad29a..94bb47ffc 100644
--- a/pkg/sriov/sriov_test.go
+++ b/pkg/sriov/sriov_test.go
@@ -1,9 +1,10 @@
 package sriov
 
 import (
-	"github.com/k8snetworkplumbingwg/sriov-cni/pkg/utils"
 	"net"
 
+	"github.com/k8snetworkplumbingwg/sriov-cni/pkg/utils"
+
 	"github.com/containernetworking/plugins/pkg/ns"
 	"github.com/containernetworking/plugins/pkg/testutils"
 	"github.com/k8snetworkplumbingwg/sriov-cni/pkg/sriov/mocks"
@@ -100,17 +101,17 @@ var _ = Describe("Sriov", func() {
 				HardwareAddr: fakeMac,
 			}}
 
-			tempLink := &utils.FakeLink{LinkAttrs: netlink.LinkAttrs{
+			net1Link := &utils.FakeLink{LinkAttrs: netlink.LinkAttrs{
 				Index:        1000,
-				Name:         "temp_1000",
+				Name:         "net1",
 				HardwareAddr: expMac,
 			}}
 
 			mocked.On("LinkByName", "enp175s6").Return(fakeLink, nil)
-			mocked.On("LinkByName", "temp_1000").Return(tempLink, nil)
+			mocked.On("LinkByName", "net1").Return(net1Link, nil)
 			mocked.On("LinkSetDown", fakeLink).Return(nil)
 			mocked.On("LinkSetName", fakeLink, mock.Anything).Return(nil)
-			mocked.On("LinkSetHardwareAddr", tempLink, expMac).Return(nil)
+			mocked.On("LinkSetHardwareAddr", net1Link, expMac).Return(nil)
 			mocked.On("LinkSetNsFd", fakeLink, mock.AnythingOfType("int")).Return(nil)
 			mocked.On("LinkSetUp", fakeLink).Return(nil)
 			mockedPciUtils.On("EnableArpAndNdiscNotify", mock.AnythingOfType("string")).Return(nil)