diff --git a/doc/bird.sgml b/doc/bird.sgml
index 5e943d7c..829b148a 100644
--- a/doc/bird.sgml
+++ b/doc/bird.sgml
@@ -2155,7 +2155,7 @@ conditions, because a lower priority IGP route for the same network is not
 exported to the kernel routing table. This is an issue on BSD systems only, as
 on Linux systems BIRD cannot change non-BIRD route in the kernel routing table.
 
-<p>The only configurable thing about direct is what interfaces it watches:
+<p>There are just few configuration options for the Direct protocol:
 
 <p><descrip>
 	<tag>interface <m/pattern [, ...]/</tag>
@@ -2166,6 +2166,12 @@ on Linux systems BIRD cannot change non-BIRD route in the kernel routing table.
 	interfaces), just use this clause. See <ref id="dsc-iface" name="interface">
 	common option for detailed description. The Direct protocol uses
 	extended interface clauses.
+
+	<tag>check link <m/switch/</tag>
+	If enabled, a hardware link state (reported by OS) is taken into
+	consideration. Routes for directly connected networks are generated only
+	if link up is reported and they are withdrawn when link disappears
+	(e.g., an ethernet cable is unplugged). Default value is no.
 </descrip>
 
 <p>Direct device routes don't contain any specific attributes.
diff --git a/nest/config.Y b/nest/config.Y
index 87827c10..4566971f 100644
--- a/nest/config.Y
+++ b/nest/config.Y
@@ -335,6 +335,7 @@ dev_proto:
    dev_proto_start proto_name '{'
  | dev_proto proto_item ';'
  | dev_proto dev_iface_patt ';'
+ | dev_proto CHECK LINK bool ';' { DIRECT_CFG->check_link = $4; }
  ;
 
 dev_iface_init:
diff --git a/nest/rt-dev.c b/nest/rt-dev.c
index f6bc1432..ed6c06af 100644
--- a/nest/rt-dev.c
+++ b/nest/rt-dev.c
@@ -64,6 +64,9 @@ dev_ifa_notify(struct proto *p, unsigned c, struct ifa *ad)
 
       DBG("dev_if_notify: %s:%I going up\n", ad->iface->name, ad->ip);
 
+      if (P->check_link && !(ad->iface->flags & IF_LINK_UP))
+	return;
+
       /* Use iface ID as local source ID */
       struct rte_src *src = rt_get_source(p, ad->iface->index);
 
@@ -85,11 +88,31 @@ dev_ifa_notify(struct proto *p, unsigned c, struct ifa *ad)
     }
 }
 
+static void
+dev_if_notify(struct proto *p, uint c, struct iface *iface)
+{
+  struct rt_dev_config *cf = (void *) p->cf;
+
+  if (c & (IF_CHANGE_UP | IF_CHANGE_DOWN))
+    return;
+
+  if ((c & IF_CHANGE_LINK) && cf->check_link)
+  {
+    uint ac = (iface->flags & IF_LINK_UP) ? IF_CHANGE_UP : IF_CHANGE_DOWN;
+
+    struct ifa *a;
+    WALK_LIST(a, iface->addrs)
+      dev_ifa_notify(p, ac, a);
+  }
+}
+
+
 static struct proto *
 dev_init(struct proto_config *c)
 {
   struct proto *p = proto_new(c, sizeof(struct proto));
 
+  p->if_notify = dev_if_notify;
   p->ifa_notify = dev_ifa_notify;
   return p;
 }
@@ -100,7 +123,8 @@ dev_reconfigure(struct proto *p, struct proto_config *new)
   struct rt_dev_config *o = (struct rt_dev_config *) p->cf;
   struct rt_dev_config *n = (struct rt_dev_config *) new;
 
-  return iface_patts_equal(&o->iface_list, &n->iface_list, NULL);
+  return iface_patts_equal(&o->iface_list, &n->iface_list, NULL) &&
+    (o->check_link == n->check_link);
 }
 
 static void
@@ -115,6 +139,8 @@ dev_copy_config(struct proto_config *dest, struct proto_config *src)
    * old nodes cannot be modified (although they contain internal lists).
    */
   cfg_copy_list(&d->iface_list, &s->iface_list, sizeof(struct iface_patt));
+
+  d->check_link = s->check_link;
 }
 
 struct protocol proto_device = {
diff --git a/nest/rt-dev.h b/nest/rt-dev.h
index c36d0742..191b9a02 100644
--- a/nest/rt-dev.h
+++ b/nest/rt-dev.h
@@ -12,6 +12,7 @@
 struct rt_dev_config {
   struct proto_config c;
   list iface_list;		/* list of struct iface_patt */
+  int check_link;
 };
 
 #endif