diff --git a/lib/dpctl.c b/lib/dpctl.c
index 4394653ab3a..79b82a1767d 100644
--- a/lib/dpctl.c
+++ b/lib/dpctl.c
@@ -673,7 +673,7 @@ show_dpif(struct dpif *dpif, struct dpctl_params *dpctl_p)
     }
 
     for (int i = 0; i < n_port_nos; i++) {
-        if (dpif_port_query_by_number(dpif, port_nos[i], &dpif_port)) {
+        if (dpif_port_query_by_number(dpif, port_nos[i], &dpif_port, true)) {
             continue;
         }
 
diff --git a/lib/dpif.c b/lib/dpif.c
index b1cbf39c48d..d07241f1e7c 100644
--- a/lib/dpif.c
+++ b/lib/dpif.c
@@ -705,13 +705,14 @@ dpif_port_set_config(struct dpif *dpif, odp_port_t port_no,
  * initializes '*port' appropriately; on failure, returns a positive errno
  * value.
  *
- * Retuns ENODEV if the port doesn't exist.
+ * Retuns ENODEV if the port doesn't exist.  Will not log a warning in this
+ * case unless 'warn_if_not_found' is true.
  *
  * The caller owns the data in 'port' and must free it with
  * dpif_port_destroy() when it is no longer needed. */
 int
 dpif_port_query_by_number(const struct dpif *dpif, odp_port_t port_no,
-                          struct dpif_port *port)
+                          struct dpif_port *port, bool warn_if_not_found)
 {
     int error = dpif->dpif_class->port_query_by_number(dpif, port_no, port);
     if (!error) {
@@ -719,8 +720,13 @@ dpif_port_query_by_number(const struct dpif *dpif, odp_port_t port_no,
                     dpif_name(dpif), port_no, port->name);
     } else {
         memset(port, 0, sizeof *port);
-        VLOG_WARN_RL(&error_rl, "%s: failed to query port %"PRIu32": %s",
-                     dpif_name(dpif), port_no, ovs_strerror(error));
+        if (error == ENODEV && !warn_if_not_found) {
+            VLOG_DBG_RL(&dpmsg_rl, "%s: failed to query port %"PRIu32": %s",
+                        dpif_name(dpif), port_no, ovs_strerror(error));
+        } else {
+            VLOG_WARN_RL(&error_rl, "%s: failed to query port %"PRIu32": %s",
+                         dpif_name(dpif), port_no, ovs_strerror(error));
+        }
     }
     return error;
 }
@@ -788,7 +794,7 @@ dpif_port_get_name(struct dpif *dpif, odp_port_t port_no,
 
     ovs_assert(name_size > 0);
 
-    error = dpif_port_query_by_number(dpif, port_no, &port);
+    error = dpif_port_query_by_number(dpif, port_no, &port, true);
     if (!error) {
         ovs_strlcpy(name, port.name, name_size);
         dpif_port_destroy(&port);
diff --git a/lib/dpif.h b/lib/dpif.h
index 9e9d0aa1b0a..0f2dc2ef3c5 100644
--- a/lib/dpif.h
+++ b/lib/dpif.h
@@ -463,7 +463,7 @@ void dpif_port_clone(struct dpif_port *, const struct dpif_port *);
 void dpif_port_destroy(struct dpif_port *);
 bool dpif_port_exists(const struct dpif *dpif, const char *devname);
 int dpif_port_query_by_number(const struct dpif *, odp_port_t port_no,
-                              struct dpif_port *);
+                              struct dpif_port *, bool warn_if_not_found);
 int dpif_port_query_by_name(const struct dpif *, const char *devname,
                             struct dpif_port *);
 int dpif_port_get_name(struct dpif *, odp_port_t port_no,
diff --git a/ofproto/ofproto-dpif.c b/ofproto/ofproto-dpif.c
index fad7342b0b0..e22ca757ac3 100644
--- a/ofproto/ofproto-dpif.c
+++ b/ofproto/ofproto-dpif.c
@@ -2161,8 +2161,7 @@ port_destruct(struct ofport *port_, bool del)
     struct ofproto_dpif *ofproto = ofproto_dpif_cast(port->up.ofproto);
     const char *devname = netdev_get_name(port->up.netdev);
     const char *netdev_type = netdev_get_type(port->up.netdev);
-    char namebuf[NETDEV_VPORT_NAME_BUFSIZE];
-    const char *dp_port_name;
+    struct dpif_port dpif_port;
 
     ofproto->backer->need_revalidate = REV_RECONFIGURE;
     xlate_txn_start();
@@ -2176,9 +2175,13 @@ port_destruct(struct ofport *port_, bool del)
         del = dpif_cleanup_required(ofproto->backer->dpif);
     }
 
-    dp_port_name = netdev_vport_get_dpif_port(port->up.netdev, namebuf,
-                                              sizeof namebuf);
-    if (del && dpif_port_exists(ofproto->backer->dpif, dp_port_name)) {
+    /* Don't try to delete ports that are not part of the datapath. */
+    if (del && port->odp_port == ODPP_NONE) {
+        del = false;
+    }
+
+    if (del && !dpif_port_query_by_number(ofproto->backer->dpif,
+                                          port->odp_port, &dpif_port, false)) {
         /* The underlying device is still there, so delete it.  This
          * happens when the ofproto is being destroyed, since the caller
          * assumes that removal of attached ports will happen as part of
@@ -2186,6 +2189,7 @@ port_destruct(struct ofport *port_, bool del)
         if (!port->is_tunnel) {
             dpif_port_del(ofproto->backer->dpif, port->odp_port, false);
         }
+        dpif_port_destroy(&dpif_port);
     } else if (del) {
         /* The underlying device is already deleted (e.g. tunctl -d).
          * Calling dpif_port_remove to do local cleanup for the netdev */
diff --git a/tests/system-interface.at b/tests/system-interface.at
index 148f011c7ee..d4ee5c46bad 100644
--- a/tests/system-interface.at
+++ b/tests/system-interface.at
@@ -123,6 +123,63 @@ AT_CHECK([ip link show | grep " genev_sys_[[0-9]]*: .* ovs-system " | diff -u -
 OVS_TRAFFIC_VSWITCHD_STOP
 AT_CLEANUP
 
+AT_SETUP([interface - datapath port rename])
+OVS_TRAFFIC_VSWITCHD_START()
+
+dnl Not relevant for userspace datapath.
+AT_SKIP_IF([! ovs-appctl dpctl/show | grep -q ovs-system])
+
+AT_CHECK([ip link add ovs-veth0 type veth peer name ovs-veth1])
+dnl We will rename ovs-veth0, so removing the peer on exit.
+on_exit 'ip link del ovs-veth1'
+
+AT_CHECK([ovs-vsctl add-port br0 ovs-veth0])
+
+OVS_WAIT_UNTIL([ip link show | grep -q "ovs-veth0.* ovs-system "])
+
+AT_CHECK([ovs-appctl dpctl/show | grep port], [0], [dnl
+  port 0: ovs-system (internal)
+  port 1: br0 (internal)
+  port 2: ovs-veth0
+])
+
+dnl Rename the interface while attached to OVS.
+AT_CHECK([ip l set ovs-veth0 name ovs-new-port])
+
+dnl Wait for the port to be detached from the OVS datapath.
+OVS_WAIT_UNTIL([ip link show | grep "ovs-new-port" | grep -v "ovs-system"])
+
+dnl Check that database indicates the error.
+AT_CHECK([ovs-vsctl get interface ovs-veth0 error], [0], [dnl
+"could not open network device ovs-veth0 (No such device)"
+])
+
+dnl Check that the port is no longer in the datapath.
+AT_CHECK([ovs-appctl dpctl/show | grep port], [0], [dnl
+  port 0: ovs-system (internal)
+  port 1: br0 (internal)
+])
+
+dnl Rename the interface back and check that it is in use again.
+AT_CHECK([ip l set ovs-new-port name ovs-veth0])
+
+OVS_WAIT_UNTIL([ip link show | grep -q "ovs-veth0.* ovs-system "])
+
+AT_CHECK([ovs-vsctl get interface ovs-veth0 error], [0], [dnl
+[[]]
+])
+
+AT_CHECK([ovs-appctl dpctl/show | grep port], [0], [dnl
+  port 0: ovs-system (internal)
+  port 1: br0 (internal)
+  port 2: ovs-veth0
+])
+
+OVS_TRAFFIC_VSWITCHD_STOP(["
+  /could not open network device ovs-veth0 (No such device)/d
+"])
+AT_CLEANUP
+
 AT_SETUP([interface - current speed])
 AT_SKIP_IF([test $HAVE_ETHTOOL = "no"])
 OVS_TRAFFIC_VSWITCHD_START()