diff --git a/conf/conf.c b/conf/conf.c
index 71e81b5c..710d5c20 100644
--- a/conf/conf.c
+++ b/conf/conf.c
@@ -189,7 +189,7 @@ global_commit(struct config *new, struct config *old)
 }
 
 static int
-config_do_commit(struct config *c)
+config_do_commit(struct config *c, int type)
 {
   int force_restart, nobs;
 
@@ -205,7 +205,7 @@ config_do_commit(struct config *c)
   DBG("rt_commit\n");
   rt_commit(c, old_config);
   DBG("protos_commit\n");
-  protos_commit(c, old_config, force_restart);
+  protos_commit(c, old_config, force_restart, type);
   new_config = NULL;			/* Just to be sure nobody uses that now */
   if (old_config)
     nobs = --old_config->obstacle_count;
@@ -236,7 +236,7 @@ config_done(void *unused UNUSED)
       c = future_config;
       future_config = NULL;
       log(L_INFO "Switching to queued configuration...");
-      if (!config_do_commit(c))
+      if (!config_do_commit(c, RECONFIG_HARD))
 	break;
     }
 }
@@ -244,6 +244,7 @@ config_done(void *unused UNUSED)
 /**
  * config_commit - commit a configuration
  * @c: new configuration
+ * @type: type of reconfiguration (RECONFIG_SOFT or RECONFIG_HARD)
  *
  * When a configuration is parsed and prepared for use, the
  * config_commit() function starts the process of reconfiguration.
@@ -263,11 +264,11 @@ config_done(void *unused UNUSED)
  * are accepted.
  */
 int
-config_commit(struct config *c)
+config_commit(struct config *c, int type)
 {
   if (!config)				/* First-time configuration */
     {
-      config_do_commit(c);
+      config_do_commit(c, RECONFIG_HARD);
       return CONF_DONE;
     }
   if (old_config)			/* Reconfiguration already in progress */
@@ -288,7 +289,7 @@ config_commit(struct config *c)
       future_config = c;
       return CONF_QUEUED;
     }
-  if (config_do_commit(c))
+  if (config_do_commit(c, type))
     {
       config_done(NULL);
       return CONF_DONE;
@@ -321,7 +322,7 @@ order_shutdown(void)
   init_list(&c->tables);
   c->shutdown = 1;
   shutting_down = 1;
-  config_commit(c);
+  config_commit(c, RECONFIG_HARD);
   shutting_down = 2;
 }
 
diff --git a/conf/conf.h b/conf/conf.h
index ef27f3f4..8c2d5491 100644
--- a/conf/conf.h
+++ b/conf/conf.h
@@ -50,7 +50,9 @@ struct config *config_alloc(byte *name);
 int config_parse(struct config *);
 int cli_parse(struct config *);
 void config_free(struct config *);
-int config_commit(struct config *);
+int config_commit(struct config *, int type);
+#define RECONFIG_HARD 0
+#define RECONFIG_SOFT 1
 void cf_error(char *msg, ...) NORET;
 void config_add_obstacle(struct config *);
 void config_del_obstacle(struct config *);
diff --git a/nest/proto.c b/nest/proto.c
index ef0587b2..2af077b8 100644
--- a/nest/proto.c
+++ b/nest/proto.c
@@ -269,6 +269,7 @@ proto_init(struct proto_config *c)
  * @old: old configuration or %NULL if it's boot time config
  * @force_reconfig: force restart of all protocols (used for example
  * when the router ID changes)
+ * @type: type of reconfiguration (RECONFIG_SOFT or RECONFIG_HARD)
  *
  * Scan differences between @old and @new configuration and adjust all
  * protocol instances to conform to the new configuration.
@@ -281,15 +282,17 @@ proto_init(struct proto_config *c)
  * When a protocol exists in the old configuration, but it doesn't in the
  * new one, it's shut down and deleted after the shutdown completes.
  *
- * When a protocol exists in both configurations, the core decides whether
- * it's possible to reconfigure it dynamically (it checks all the core properties
- * of the protocol and if they match, it asks the reconfigure() hook of the
- * protocol to see if the protocol is able to switch to the new configuration).
- * If it isn't possible, the protocol is shut down and a new instance is started
- * with the new configuration after the shutdown is completed.
+ * When a protocol exists in both configurations, the core decides
+ * whether it's possible to reconfigure it dynamically - it checks all
+ * the core properties of the protocol (changes in filters are ignored
+ * if type is RECONFIG_SOFT) and if they match, it asks the
+ * reconfigure() hook of the protocol to see if the protocol is able
+ * to switch to the new configuration.  If it isn't possible, the
+ * protocol is shut down and a new instance is started with the new
+ * configuration after the shutdown is completed.
  */
 void
-protos_commit(struct config *new, struct config *old, int force_reconfig)
+protos_commit(struct config *new, struct config *old, int force_reconfig, int type)
 {
   struct proto_config *oc, *nc;
   struct proto *p, *n;
@@ -310,8 +313,8 @@ protos_commit(struct config *new, struct config *old, int force_reconfig)
 		  && nc->preference == oc->preference
 		  && nc->disabled == oc->disabled
 		  && nc->table->table == oc->table->table
-		  && filter_same(nc->in_filter, oc->in_filter)
-		  && filter_same(nc->out_filter, oc->out_filter)
+		  && ((type == RECONFIG_SOFT) || filter_same(nc->in_filter, oc->in_filter))
+		  && ((type == RECONFIG_SOFT) || filter_same(nc->out_filter, oc->out_filter))
 		  && p->proto_state != PS_DOWN)
 		{
 		  /* Generic attributes match, try converting them and then ask the protocol */
diff --git a/nest/protocol.h b/nest/protocol.h
index eee3a746..0f9d59d8 100644
--- a/nest/protocol.h
+++ b/nest/protocol.h
@@ -55,7 +55,7 @@ void protos_build(void);
 void proto_build(struct protocol *);
 void protos_preconfig(struct config *);
 void protos_postconfig(struct config *);
-void protos_commit(struct config *new, struct config *old, int force_restart);
+void protos_commit(struct config *new, struct config *old, int force_restart, int type);
 void protos_dump_all(void);
 
 #define GA_UNKNOWN	0		/* Attribute not recognized */
diff --git a/sysdep/unix/config.Y b/sysdep/unix/config.Y
index 5176be62..1917fe68 100644
--- a/sysdep/unix/config.Y
+++ b/sysdep/unix/config.Y
@@ -13,7 +13,7 @@ CF_HDR
 
 CF_DECLS
 
-CF_KEYWORDS(LOG, SYSLOG, ALL, DEBUG, TRACE, INFO, REMOTE, WARNING, ERROR, AUTH, FATAL, BUG, STDERR)
+CF_KEYWORDS(LOG, SYSLOG, ALL, DEBUG, TRACE, INFO, REMOTE, WARNING, ERROR, AUTH, FATAL, BUG, STDERR, SOFT)
 
 %type <i> log_mask log_mask_list log_cat
 %type <g> log_file
@@ -65,8 +65,13 @@ log_cat:
 
 /* Unix specific commands */
 
+CF_CLI_HELP(CONFIGURE, [soft] [\"<file>\"], [[Reload configuration]])
+
 CF_CLI(CONFIGURE, cfg_name, [\"<file>\"], [[Reload configuration]])
-{ cmd_reconfig($2); } ;
+{ cmd_reconfig($2, RECONFIG_HARD); } ;
+
+CF_CLI(CONFIGURE SOFT, cfg_name, [\"<file>\"], [[Reload configuration and ignore changes in filters]])
+{ cmd_reconfig($3, RECONFIG_SOFT); } ;
 
 CF_CLI(DOWN,,, [[Shut the daemon down]])
 { cli_msg(7, "Shutdown requested"); order_shutdown(); } ;
diff --git a/sysdep/unix/main.c b/sysdep/unix/main.c
index 4df4e9fe..5f5b165f 100644
--- a/sysdep/unix/main.c
+++ b/sysdep/unix/main.c
@@ -115,7 +115,7 @@ read_config(void)
       else
 	die("Unable to open configuration file %s: %m", config_name);
     }
-  config_commit(conf);
+  config_commit(conf, RECONFIG_HARD);
 }
 
 void
@@ -133,11 +133,11 @@ async_config(void)
       config_free(conf);
     }
   else
-    config_commit(conf);
+    config_commit(conf, RECONFIG_HARD);
 }
 
 void
-cmd_reconfig(char *name)
+cmd_reconfig(char *name, int type)
 {
   struct config *conf;
 
@@ -154,7 +154,7 @@ cmd_reconfig(char *name)
     }
   else
     {
-      switch (config_commit(conf))
+      switch (config_commit(conf, type))
 	{
 	case CONF_DONE:
 	  cli_msg(3, "Reconfigured.");
diff --git a/sysdep/unix/unix.h b/sysdep/unix/unix.h
index 997a4088..83f61af9 100644
--- a/sysdep/unix/unix.h
+++ b/sysdep/unix/unix.h
@@ -16,7 +16,7 @@ struct pool;
 void async_config(void);
 void async_dump(void);
 void async_shutdown(void);
-void cmd_reconfig(char *name);
+void cmd_reconfig(char *name, int type);
 
 /* io.c */