diff --git a/cloud-hypervisor/tests/common/tests_wrappers.rs b/cloud-hypervisor/tests/common/tests_wrappers.rs
index d88e6d139..046406d0b 100644
--- a/cloud-hypervisor/tests/common/tests_wrappers.rs
+++ b/cloud-hypervisor/tests/common/tests_wrappers.rs
@@ -3261,7 +3261,7 @@ pub(crate) fn _test_tap_from_fd(guest: &Guest) {
             Ipv4Addr::from_str(&guest.network.host_ip0).unwrap(),
         )),
         None,
-        &mut None,
+        None,
         None,
         num_queue_pairs,
         Some(libc::O_RDWR | libc::O_NONBLOCK),
diff --git a/cloud-hypervisor/tests/integration.rs b/cloud-hypervisor/tests/integration.rs
index 42ac193a7..10d0f023b 100644
--- a/cloud-hypervisor/tests/integration.rs
+++ b/cloud-hypervisor/tests/integration.rs
@@ -9461,7 +9461,7 @@ mod common_sequential {
                 Ipv4Addr::from_str(&guest.network.host_ip0).unwrap(),
             )),
             None,
-            &mut None,
+            None,
             None,
             num_queue_pairs,
             Some(libc::O_RDWR | libc::O_NONBLOCK),
@@ -9565,7 +9565,7 @@ mod common_sequential {
                 Ipv4Addr::from_str(&guest.network.host_ip0).unwrap(),
             )),
             None,
-            &mut None,
+            None,
             None,
             num_queue_pairs,
             Some(libc::O_RDWR | libc::O_NONBLOCK),
diff --git a/net_util/src/open_tap.rs b/net_util/src/open_tap.rs
index 6cc8b2a37..9d342342b 100644
--- a/net_util/src/open_tap.rs
+++ b/net_util/src/open_tap.rs
@@ -27,8 +27,6 @@ pub enum Error {
     TapSetIpNetmask(#[source] TapError),
     #[error("Setting MAC address failed")]
     TapSetMac(#[source] TapError),
-    #[error("Getting MAC address failed")]
-    TapGetMac(#[source] TapError),
     #[error("Setting vnet header size failed")]
     TapSetVnetHdrSize(#[source] TapError),
     #[error("Setting MTU failed")]
@@ -66,7 +64,7 @@ fn open_tap_rx_q_0(
     if_name: Option<&str>,
     ip_addr: Option<IpAddr>,
     netmask: Option<IpAddr>,
-    host_mac: &mut Option<MacAddr>,
+    host_mac: Option<MacAddr>,
     mtu: Option<u16>,
     num_rx_q: usize,
     flags: Option<i32>,
@@ -90,9 +88,7 @@ fn open_tap_rx_q_0(
             .map_err(Error::TapSetIpNetmask)?;
     }
     if let Some(mac) = host_mac {
-        tap.set_mac_addr(*mac).map_err(Error::TapSetMac)?;
-    } else {
-        *host_mac = Some(tap.get_mac_addr().map_err(Error::TapGetMac)?);
+        tap.set_mac_addr(mac).map_err(Error::TapSetMac)?;
     }
     if let Some(mtu) = mtu {
         tap.set_mtu(mtu as i32).map_err(Error::TapSetMtu)?;
@@ -111,7 +107,7 @@ pub fn open_tap(
     if_name: Option<&str>,
     ip_addr: Option<IpAddr>,
     netmask: Option<IpAddr>,
-    host_mac: &mut Option<MacAddr>,
+    host_mac: Option<MacAddr>,
     mtu: Option<u16>,
     num_rx_q: usize,
     flags: Option<i32>,
diff --git a/vhost_user_net/src/lib.rs b/vhost_user_net/src/lib.rs
index 6278e2457..c9548d4eb 100644
--- a/vhost_user_net/src/lib.rs
+++ b/vhost_user_net/src/lib.rs
@@ -134,7 +134,7 @@ impl VhostUserNetBackend {
             ifname,
             Some(ip_addr),
             Some(netmask),
-            &mut Some(host_mac),
+            Some(host_mac),
             mtu,
             num_queues / 2,
             None,
diff --git a/virtio-devices/src/net.rs b/virtio-devices/src/net.rs
index 0a2a8a6ce..a1dff51b8 100644
--- a/virtio-devices/src/net.rs
+++ b/virtio-devices/src/net.rs
@@ -656,7 +656,7 @@ impl Net {
         ip_addr: Option<IpAddr>,
         netmask: Option<IpAddr>,
         guest_mac: Option<MacAddr>,
-        host_mac: &mut Option<MacAddr>,
+        host_mac: Option<MacAddr>,
         mtu: Option<u16>,
         access_platform_enabled: bool,
         num_queues: usize,
diff --git a/vmm/src/device_manager.rs b/vmm/src/device_manager.rs
index 0eea684ff..95d546877 100644
--- a/vmm/src/device_manager.rs
+++ b/vmm/src/device_manager.rs
@@ -2979,7 +2979,7 @@ impl DeviceManager {
                         net_cfg.ip,
                         net_cfg.mask,
                         Some(net_cfg.mac),
-                        &mut net_cfg.host_mac,
+                        net_cfg.host_mac,
                         net_cfg.mtu,
                         self.force_access_platform | net_cfg.pci_common.iommu,
                         net_cfg.num_queues,
@@ -3030,7 +3030,7 @@ impl DeviceManager {
                         net_cfg.ip,
                         net_cfg.mask,
                         Some(net_cfg.mac),
-                        &mut net_cfg.host_mac,
+                        net_cfg.host_mac,
                         net_cfg.mtu,
                         self.force_access_platform | net_cfg.pci_common.iommu,
                         net_cfg.num_queues,