diff --git a/src/posix/client.cpp b/src/posix/client.cpp
index e57516e66..632e9c966 100644
--- a/src/posix/client.cpp
+++ b/src/posix/client.cpp
@@ -238,7 +238,7 @@ static bool ShouldEscape(char aChar)
 
 Config ParseArg(int &aArgCount, char **&aArgVector)
 {
-    Config config = {"wpan0"};
+    Config config = {OPENTHREAD_POSIX_CONFIG_THREAD_NETIF_DEFAULT_NAME};
 
     optind = 1;
 
diff --git a/src/posix/main.c b/src/posix/main.c
index 2966965e1..0f989dfb5 100644
--- a/src/posix/main.c
+++ b/src/posix/main.c
@@ -197,6 +197,7 @@ static void ParseArg(int aArgCount, char *aArgVector[], PosixConfig *aConfig)
     aConfig->mPlatformConfig.mPersistentInterface = false;
     aConfig->mPlatformConfig.mSpeedUpFactor       = 1;
     aConfig->mLogLevel                            = OT_LOG_LEVEL_CRIT;
+    aConfig->mPlatformConfig.mInterfaceName       = OPENTHREAD_POSIX_CONFIG_THREAD_NETIF_DEFAULT_NAME;
 #ifdef __linux__
     aConfig->mPlatformConfig.mRealTimeSignal = SIGRTMIN;
 #endif
diff --git a/src/posix/platform/daemon.cpp b/src/posix/platform/daemon.cpp
index 731b4f2b7..bb7b0d2dd 100644
--- a/src/posix/platform/daemon.cpp
+++ b/src/posix/platform/daemon.cpp
@@ -60,9 +60,10 @@ typedef char(Filename)[sizeof(sockaddr_un::sun_path)];
 
 void GetFilename(Filename &aFilename, const char *aPattern)
 {
-    int rval;
+    int         rval;
+    const char *netIfName = strlen(gNetifName) > 0 ? gNetifName : OPENTHREAD_POSIX_CONFIG_THREAD_NETIF_DEFAULT_NAME;
 
-    rval = snprintf(aFilename, sizeof(aFilename), aPattern, gNetifName);
+    rval = snprintf(aFilename, sizeof(aFilename), aPattern, netIfName);
     if (rval < 0 && static_cast<size_t>(rval) >= sizeof(aFilename))
     {
         DieNow(OT_EXIT_INVALID_ARGUMENTS);
diff --git a/src/posix/platform/openthread-posix-config.h b/src/posix/platform/openthread-posix-config.h
index 33ee49767..3b727c9fd 100644
--- a/src/posix/platform/openthread-posix-config.h
+++ b/src/posix/platform/openthread-posix-config.h
@@ -252,6 +252,16 @@
 #endif
 #endif
 
+/**
+ * @def OPENTHREAD_POSIX_CONFIG_THREAD_NETIF_DEFAULT_NAME
+ *
+ * Define the Thread default network interface name.
+ *
+ */
+#ifndef OPENTHREAD_POSIX_CONFIG_THREAD_NETIF_DEFAULT_NAME
+#define OPENTHREAD_POSIX_CONFIG_THREAD_NETIF_DEFAULT_NAME "wpan0"
+#endif
+
 #ifdef __APPLE__
 
 /**