diff --git a/addons/bond.py b/addons/bond.py
index 401ec04..829fbd5 100644
--- a/addons/bond.py
+++ b/addons/bond.py
@@ -304,8 +304,6 @@ class bond(moduleBase):
                 self.bondcmd.create_bond(ifaceobj.name)
             self._apply_master_settings(ifaceobj)
             self._add_slaves(ifaceobj)
-            if ifaceobj.addr_method == 'manual':
-                netlink.link_set_updown(ifaceobj.name, "up")
         except Exception, e:
             self.log_error(str(e), ifaceobj)
 
diff --git a/addons/bridge.py b/addons/bridge.py
index 564bf83..b9b598c 100644
--- a/addons/bridge.py
+++ b/addons/bridge.py
@@ -1289,12 +1289,6 @@ class bridge(moduleBase):
                         self.logger.debug('%s: %s: link set up (%s)'
                                           %(ifaceobj.name, p, str(e)))
                         pass
-
-            if ifaceobj.addr_method == 'manual':
-                try:
-                    netlink.link_set_updown(ifaceobj.name, "up")
-                except Exception as e:
-                    self.log_error('%s: %s' % (ifaceobj.name, str(e)), ifaceobj)
         if err:
             raise Exception(errstr)
 
diff --git a/addons/vlan.py b/addons/vlan.py
index ad6dfaf..0bdab46 100644
--- a/addons/vlan.py
+++ b/addons/vlan.py
@@ -141,11 +141,6 @@ class vlan(moduleBase):
                 return
         netlink.link_add_vlan(vlanrawdevice, ifaceobj.name, vlanid)
         self._bridge_vid_add_del(ifaceobj, vlanrawdevice, vlanid)
-        if ifaceobj.addr_method == 'manual':
-            try:
-                netlink.link_set_updown(ifaceobj.name, "up")
-            except Exception as e:
-                self.log_error('%s: %s' % (ifaceobj.name, str(e)), ifaceobj)
 
     def _down(self, ifaceobj):
         vlanid = self._get_vlan_id(ifaceobj)
diff --git a/addons/vxlan.py b/addons/vxlan.py
index df51843..8bdcd9f 100644
--- a/addons/vxlan.py
+++ b/addons/vxlan.py
@@ -123,9 +123,6 @@ class vxlan(moduleBase):
                     except:
                         pass
 
-            if ifaceobj.addr_method == 'manual':
-                netlink.link_set_updown(ifaceobj.name, "up")
-
     def _up(self, ifaceobj):
         self._vxlan_create(ifaceobj)
 
diff --git a/ifupdown/iface.py b/ifupdown/iface.py
index 98a3c89..d883dbc 100644
--- a/ifupdown/iface.py
+++ b/ifupdown/iface.py
@@ -64,6 +64,7 @@ class ifaceLinkPrivFlags():
     BRIDGE_VXLAN =      0x10000
     ADDRESS_VIRTUAL_SLAVE = 0x100000
     LOOPBACK = 0x1000000
+    KEEP_LINK_DOWN = 0x10000000
 
     @classmethod
     def get_str(cls, flag):
diff --git a/ifupdown/ifupdownmain.py b/ifupdown/ifupdownmain.py
index cb0389b..8dddc79 100644
--- a/ifupdown/ifupdownmain.py
+++ b/ifupdown/ifupdownmain.py
@@ -115,8 +115,10 @@ class ifupdownMain(ifupdownBase):
         if ((ifaceobj.link_kind & ifaceLinkKind.VRF) or
             (ifaceobj.link_privflags & ifaceLinkPrivFlags.VRF_SLAVE)):
             return
-        if (ifaceobj.addr_method and
-            ifaceobj.addr_method == 'manual'):
+        # if not a logical interface and addr method is manual,
+        # ignore link admin state changes
+        if (ifaceobj.addr_method == 'manual' and
+            not ifaceobj.link_kind):
             return
         if self._delay_admin_state:
             self._delay_admin_state_iface_queue.append(ifaceobj.name)
@@ -129,6 +131,12 @@ class ifupdownMain(ifupdownBase):
             return
         if not self.link_exists(ifaceobj.name):
            return
+        if ifaceobj.link_privflags & ifaceLinkPrivFlags.KEEP_LINK_DOWN:
+            # user has asked to explicitly keep the link down,
+            # so, force link down
+            self.logger.info('%s: keeping link down due to user config' %ifaceobj.name)
+            self.link_down(ifaceobj.name)
+            return
         self.link_up(ifaceobj.name)
 
     def run_down(self, ifaceobj):
@@ -139,8 +147,10 @@ class ifupdownMain(ifupdownBase):
         # there is no real interface behind it
         if ifaceobj.type == ifaceType.BRIDGE_VLAN:
             return
-        if (ifaceobj.addr_method and
-            ifaceobj.addr_method == 'manual'):
+        # if not a logical interface and addr method is manual,
+        # ignore link admin state changes
+        if (ifaceobj.addr_method == 'manual' and
+            not ifaceobj.link_kind):
             return
         if self._delay_admin_state:
             self._delay_admin_state_iface_queue.append(ifaceobj.name)
@@ -468,6 +478,12 @@ class ifupdownMain(ifupdownBase):
 
     def _set_iface_role_n_kind(self, ifaceobj, upperifaceobj):
 
+        # If addr_method is set and link is not a logical interface,
+        # set flag KEEP_LINK_DOWN. addr_method == 'manual' only applies to
+        # logical interfaces.
+        if (ifaceobj.addr_method == 'manual' and not ifaceobj.link_kind):
+            ifaceobj.link_privflags |= ifaceLinkPrivFlags.KEEP_LINK_DOWN
+
         if (upperifaceobj.link_kind & ifaceLinkKind.BOND):
             self._set_iface_role(ifaceobj, ifaceRole.SLAVE, upperifaceobj)
             ifaceobj.link_privflags |= ifaceLinkPrivFlags.BOND_SLAVE