diff --git a/usr.sbin/bhyve/net_backends.c b/usr.sbin/bhyve/net_backends.c
--- a/usr.sbin/bhyve/net_backends.c
+++ b/usr.sbin/bhyve/net_backends.c
@@ -46,6 +46,9 @@
 #include <sys/uio.h>
 
 #include <net/if.h>
+#if defined(INET6) || defined(INET)
+#include <net/if_tap.h>
+#endif
 #include <net/netmap.h>
 #include <net/netmap_virt.h>
 #define NETMAP_WITH_LIBS
@@ -179,6 +182,17 @@
  * The tap backend
  */
 
+#if defined(INET6) || defined(INET)
+const int pf_list[] = {
+#if defined(INET6)
+	PF_INET6,
+#endif
+#if defined(INET)
+	PF_INET,
+#endif
+};
+#endif
+
 struct tap_priv {
 	struct mevent *mevp;
 	/*
@@ -211,6 +225,10 @@
 	struct tap_priv *priv = (struct tap_priv *)be->opaque;
 	char tbuf[80];
 	int opt = 1;
+#if defined(INET6) || defined(INET)
+	struct ifreq ifrq;
+	int i, s;
+#endif
 #ifndef WITHOUT_CAPSICUM
 	cap_rights_t rights;
 #endif
@@ -238,6 +256,39 @@
 		goto error;
 	}
 
+#if defined(INET6) || defined(INET)
+	/*
+	 * Try to UP the interface rather than relying on
+	 * net.link.tap.up_on_open.
+	  */
+	bzero(&ifrq, sizeof(ifrq));
+	if (ioctl(be->fd, TAPGIFNAME, &ifrq) < 0) {
+		WPRINTF(("Could not get interface name"));
+		goto error;
+	}
+
+	s = -1;
+	for (i = 0; s == -1 && i < nitems(pf_list); i++)
+		s = socket(pf_list[i], SOCK_DGRAM, 0);
+	if (s == -1) {
+		WPRINTF(("Could open socket"));
+		goto error;
+	}
+
+	if (ioctl(s, SIOCGIFFLAGS, &ifrq) < 0) {
+		(void)close(s);
+		WPRINTF(("Could not get interface flags"));
+		goto error;
+	}
+	ifrq.ifr_flags |= IFF_UP;
+	if (ioctl(s, SIOCSIFFLAGS, &ifrq) < 0) {
+		(void)close(s);
+		WPRINTF(("Could not set interface flags"));
+		goto error;
+	}
+	(void)close(s);
+#endif
+
 #ifndef WITHOUT_CAPSICUM
 	cap_rights_init(&rights, CAP_EVENT, CAP_READ, CAP_WRITE);
 	if (caph_rights_limit(be->fd, &rights) == -1)