diff --git a/hw/alpha/dp264.c b/hw/alpha/dp264.c
index 4161f559a7..03495e1e60 100644
--- a/hw/alpha/dp264.c
+++ b/hw/alpha/dp264.c
@@ -49,6 +49,7 @@ static void clipper_init(MachineState *machine)
     const char *kernel_filename = machine->kernel_filename;
     const char *kernel_cmdline = machine->kernel_cmdline;
     const char *initrd_filename = machine->initrd_filename;
+    MachineClass *mc = MACHINE_GET_CLASS(machine);
     AlphaCPU *cpus[4];
     PCIBus *pci_bus;
     PCIDevice *pci_dev;
@@ -124,7 +125,7 @@ static void clipper_init(MachineState *machine)
 
     /* Network setup.  e1000 is good enough, failing Tulip support.  */
     for (i = 0; i < nb_nics; i++) {
-        pci_nic_init_nofail(&nd_table[i], pci_bus, "e1000", NULL);
+        pci_nic_init_nofail(&nd_table[i], pci_bus, mc->default_nic, NULL);
     }
 
     /* Super I/O */
@@ -213,6 +214,7 @@ static void clipper_machine_init(MachineClass *mc)
     mc->is_default = true;
     mc->default_cpu_type = ALPHA_CPU_TYPE_NAME("ev67");
     mc->default_ram_id = "ram";
+    mc->default_nic = "e1000";
 }
 
 DEFINE_MACHINE("clipper", clipper_machine_init)