diff --git a/lib/connect.c b/lib/connect.c
index 1b7a55b5a7836ab25593caf3cb8b7b678f235bb8..125d388d85f8282bae87b985934a9c442aeb8869 100644
--- a/lib/connect.c
+++ b/lib/connect.c
@@ -213,7 +213,11 @@ static CURLcode bindlocal(struct connectdata *conn,
     char myhost[256] = "";
     in_addr_t in;
 
-    if(Curl_if2ip(data->set.device, myhost, sizeof(myhost))) {
+    /* First check if the given name is an IP address */
+    in=inet_addr(data->set.device);
+      
+    if((in == INADDR_NONE) &&
+       Curl_if2ip(data->set.device, myhost, sizeof(myhost))) {
       /*
        * We now have the numerical IPv4-style x.y.z.w in the 'myhost' buffer
        */