diff --git a/ifupdown2/addons/bridge.py b/ifupdown2/addons/bridge.py
index 763b886..f6fe5ee 100644
--- a/ifupdown2/addons/bridge.py
+++ b/ifupdown2/addons/bridge.py
@@ -827,7 +827,7 @@ class bridge(moduleBase):
         return False
 
     def check_valid_bridge(self, ifaceobj, ifname):
-        if LinkUtils.link_exists(ifname) and not LinkUtils.is_bridge(ifname):
+        if LinkUtils.link_exists_nodryrun(ifname) and not LinkUtils.is_bridge(ifname):
             self.log_error('misconfiguration of bridge attribute(s) on existing non-bridge interface (%s)' % ifname, ifaceobj=ifaceobj)
             return False
         return True
diff --git a/ifupdown2/ifupdownaddons/LinkUtils.py b/ifupdown2/ifupdownaddons/LinkUtils.py
index 53eefd9..4c63d0d 100644
--- a/ifupdown2/ifupdownaddons/LinkUtils.py
+++ b/ifupdown2/ifupdownaddons/LinkUtils.py
@@ -1345,6 +1345,10 @@ class LinkUtils(utilsBase):
             return True
         return os.path.exists('/sys/class/net/%s' % ifacename)
 
+    @staticmethod
+    def link_exists_nodryrun(ifname):
+        return os.path.exists('/sys/class/net/%s' % ifname)
+
     def link_get_ifindex(self, ifacename):
         if ifupdownflags.flags.DRYRUN:
             return True