diff --git a/lcpng_if_sync.c b/lcpng_if_sync.c
index 5389bfb..3d41200 100644
--- a/lcpng_if_sync.c
+++ b/lcpng_if_sync.c
@@ -32,6 +32,29 @@
 #include <vnet/devices/tap/tap.h>
 #include <vnet/devices/netlink.h>
 
+/* walk function to copy forward all sw interface link state flags into
+ * their counterpart LIP link state.
+ */
+static walk_rc_t
+lcp_itf_pair_walk_sync_state_cb (index_t lipi, void *ctx)
+{
+  lcp_itf_pair_t *lip;
+  vnet_sw_interface_t *phy;
+
+  lip = lcp_itf_pair_get (lipi);
+  if (!lip)
+    return WALK_CONTINUE;
+
+  phy = vnet_get_sw_interface_or_null (vnet_get_main(), lip->lip_phy_sw_if_index);
+  if (!phy) return WALK_CONTINUE;
+
+  LCP_ITF_PAIR_DBG ("walk_sync_state: lip %U flags %u", 
+		  format_lcp_itf_pair, lip,
+		  phy->flags);
+  lcp_itf_set_link_state (lip, (phy->flags & VNET_SW_INTERFACE_FLAG_ADMIN_UP));
+
+  return WALK_CONTINUE;
+}
 
 static clib_error_t *
 lcp_itf_admin_state_change (vnet_main_t * vnm, u32 sw_if_index, u32 flags)
@@ -49,23 +72,24 @@ lcp_itf_admin_state_change (vnet_main_t * vnm, u32 sw_if_index, u32 flags)
   if (!lip) return NULL;
 
   LCP_ITF_PAIR_INFO ("admin_state_change: %U flags %u", format_lcp_itf_pair, lip, flags);
-  lcp_itf_set_link_state (lip, (flags & VNET_HW_INTERFACE_FLAG_LINK_UP));
+  lcp_itf_set_link_state (lip, (flags & VNET_SW_INTERFACE_FLAG_ADMIN_UP));
 
   // Sync PHY carrier changes into TAP
   hi = vnet_get_hw_interface_or_null (vnm, sw_if_index);
   si = vnet_get_sw_interface_or_null (vnm, lip->lip_host_sw_if_index);
   if (!si || !hi) return NULL;
-  LCP_ITF_PAIR_INFO ("admin_state_change: hi %U si %U %u",
+  LCP_ITF_PAIR_DBG ("admin_state_change: hi %U si %U %u",
 		  format_vnet_sw_if_index_name, vnm, hi->hw_if_index,
 		  format_vnet_sw_if_index_name, vnm, si->sw_if_index,
 		  flags);
+  tap_set_carrier (si->hw_if_index, (hi->flags & VNET_HW_INTERFACE_FLAG_LINK_UP));
+
+  // When Linux changes link on a master interface, all of its children also change.
+  // This is not true in VPP, so we are forced to undo that change by walking the
+  // sub-interfaces of a phy and syncing their state back into linux.
+  // For simplicity, just walk all interfaces.
+  lcp_itf_pair_walk (lcp_itf_pair_walk_sync_state_cb, 0);
 
-  tap_set_carrier (si->hw_if_index, (flags & VNET_HW_INTERFACE_FLAG_LINK_UP));
-  /* TODO(pim): is this right? see tap_set_speed() "Cannot open netns" error
-  if (flags & VNET_HW_INTERFACE_FLAG_LINK_UP) {
-    tap_set_speed (si->hw_if_index, hi->link_speed);
-  } 
-  */
   return NULL;
 }