diff --git a/addons/tunnel.py b/addons/tunnel.py
index 56182e4..caf11c1 100644
--- a/addons/tunnel.py
+++ b/addons/tunnel.py
@@ -7,6 +7,7 @@
 from ifupdown.iface import *
 from ifupdownaddons.modulebase import moduleBase
 from ifupdownaddons.iproute2 import iproute2
+from ifupdown.netlink import netlink
 import ifupdown.ifupdownflags as ifupdownflags
 import logging
 
@@ -18,7 +19,7 @@ class tunnel (moduleBase):
                  'attrs' : {
                    'mode' :
                         { 'help' : 'type of tunnel as in \'ip link\' command.',
-                          'validvals' : ['gre', 'gretap', 'ipip', 'sit'],
+                          'validvals' : ['gre', 'gretap', 'ipip', 'sit', 'vti', 'ip6gre', 'ipip6', 'ip6ip6', 'vti6'],
                           'required' : True,
                           'example' : ['mode gre']},
                    'local' :
@@ -55,6 +56,17 @@ class tunnel (moduleBase):
             return True
         return False
 
+    def _check_settings(self, ifaceobj, attrs):
+
+        linkup = self.ipcmd.is_link_up(ifaceobj.name)
+        try:
+            if attrs:
+                self.ipcmd.tunnel_change(ifaceobj.name, attrs)
+        except:
+            raise
+        finally:
+            if attrs and linkup:
+                netlink.link_set_updown(ifaceobj.name, 'up')
 
     def _up (self, ifaceobj):
         attr_map = {
@@ -75,7 +87,11 @@ class tunnel (moduleBase):
             if attr_val != None:
                 attrs[iproute_attr] = attr_val
 
-        self.ipcmd.link_create (ifaceobj.name, mode, attrs)
+        if not self.ipcmd.link_exists(ifaceobj.name):
+            self.ipcmd.tunnel_create (ifaceobj.name, mode, attrs)
+        else:
+            attrs['mode'] = mode
+            self._check_settings(ifaceobj, attrs)
 
 
     def _down (self, ifaceobj):
diff --git a/ifupdownaddons/iproute2.py b/ifupdownaddons/iproute2.py
index d4b2b11..2f54362 100644
--- a/ifupdownaddons/iproute2.py
+++ b/ifupdownaddons/iproute2.py
@@ -103,7 +103,7 @@ class iproute2(utilsBase):
                         linkattrs['state'] = citems[i + 1]
                     elif citems[i] == 'link/ether':
                         linkattrs['hwaddress'] = citems[i + 1]
-                    elif citems[i] in [ 'link/gre', 'link/sit', 'gretap' ]:
+                    elif citems[i] in [ 'link/gre', 'link/ipip', 'link/sit', 'link/gre6', 'link/tunnel6', 'gretap' ]:
                         linkattrs['kind'] = 'tunnel'
                         tunattrs = {'mode' : citems[i].split ('/')[-1],
                                     'endpoint' : None,
@@ -757,6 +757,40 @@ class iproute2(utilsBase):
         else:
             return self._cache_get('link', [ifacename, 'master'])
 
+    def tunnel_create(self, tunnelname, mode, attrs={}):
+        """ generic link_create function """
+        if self.link_exists(tunnelname):
+            return
+        cmd = 'tunnel add'
+        cmd += ' %s mode %s' %(ifacename, mode)
+        if attrs:
+            for k, v in attrs.iteritems():
+                cmd += ' %s' %k
+                if v:
+                    cmd += ' %s' %v
+        if self.ipbatch and not self.ipbatch_pause:
+            self.add_to_batch(cmd)
+        else:
+            utils.exec_command('ip %s' % cmd)
+        self._cache_update([tunnelname], {})
+
+    def tunnel_change(self, tunnelname, attrs={}):
+        """ tunnel change function """
+        if not self.link_exists(tunnelname):
+            return
+        cmd = 'tunnel change'
+        cmd += ' %s' %(tunnelname)
+        if attrs:
+            for k, v in attrs.iteritems():
+                cmd += ' %s' %k
+                if v:
+                    cmd += ' %s' %v
+        if self.ipbatch and not self.ipbatch_pause:
+            self.add_to_batch(cmd)
+        else:
+            utils.exec_command('ip %s' % cmd)
+        self._cache_update([tunnelname], {})
+
     def bridge_port_vids_add(self, bridgeportname, vids):
         [utils.exec_command('bridge vlan add vid %s dev %s' %
                             (v, bridgeportname)) for v in vids]