diff --git a/vif_plug_ovs/linux_net.py b/vif_plug_ovs/linux_net.py
index a2e13e3a..4d2f82cd 100644
--- a/vif_plug_ovs/linux_net.py
+++ b/vif_plug_ovs/linux_net.py
@@ -65,8 +65,7 @@ def _ovs_vsctl(args, timeout=None):
 def _create_ovs_vif_cmd(bridge, dev, iface_id, mac,
                         instance_id, interface_type=None,
                         vhost_server_path=None):
-    cmd = ['--', '--if-exists', 'del-port', dev, '--',
-            'add-port', bridge, dev,
+    cmd = ['--', '--may-exist', 'add-port', bridge, dev,
             '--', 'set', 'Interface', dev,
             'external-ids:iface-id=%s' % iface_id,
             'external-ids:iface-status=active',
diff --git a/vif_plug_ovs/tests/unit/test_linux_net.py b/vif_plug_ovs/tests/unit/test_linux_net.py
index 7e85969c..8ab9ed3d 100644
--- a/vif_plug_ovs/tests/unit/test_linux_net.py
+++ b/vif_plug_ovs/tests/unit/test_linux_net.py
@@ -132,8 +132,7 @@ class LinuxNetTest(testtools.TestCase):
             mock.call('brctl', 'addif', 'br0', 'vnet1')])
 
     def test_ovs_vif_port_cmd(self):
-        expected = ['--', '--if-exists',
-                    'del-port', 'fake-dev', '--', 'add-port',
+        expected = ['--', '--may-exist', 'add-port',
                     'fake-bridge', 'fake-dev',
                     '--', 'set', 'Interface', 'fake-dev',
                     'external-ids:iface-id=fake-iface-id',