diff --git a/addons/tunnel.py b/addons/tunnel.py
index caf11c1..8277caf 100644
--- a/addons/tunnel.py
+++ b/addons/tunnel.py
@@ -87,12 +87,20 @@ class tunnel (moduleBase):
             if attr_val != None:
                 attrs[iproute_attr] = attr_val
 
-        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)
+        current_attrs = self.ipcmd.link_get_linkinfo_attrs(ifaceobj.name)
 
+        try:
+            if not self.ipcmd.link_exists(ifaceobj.name):
+                self.ipcmd.tunnel_create (ifaceobj.name, mode, attrs)
+            elif current_attrs and current_attrs['mode'] != mode and ( ('6' in mode and '6' not in current_attrs['mode']) or ('6' not in mode and '6' in current_attrs['mode']) ):
+                # Mode changes between ipv4 and ipv6 are not possible without recreating the interface
+                self.ipcmd.link_delete (ifaceobj.name)
+                self.ipcmd.tunnel_create (ifaceobj.name, mode, attrs)
+            else:
+                attrs['mode'] = mode
+                self._check_settings(ifaceobj, attrs)
+        except Exception, e:
+            self.log_warn (str (e))
 
     def _down (self, ifaceobj):
         if not ifupdownflags.flags.PERFMODE and not self.ipcmd.link_exists (ifaceobj.name):
diff --git a/ifupdownaddons/iproute2.py b/ifupdownaddons/iproute2.py
index 21e6410..9e5a72a 100644
--- a/ifupdownaddons/iproute2.py
+++ b/ifupdownaddons/iproute2.py
@@ -761,7 +761,12 @@ class iproute2(utilsBase):
         """ generic link_create function """
         if self.link_exists(tunnelname):
             return
-        cmd = 'tunnel add'
+        
+        cmd = ''
+        if '6' in mode:
+            cmd = ' -6 '
+
+        cmd += 'tunnel add'
         cmd += ' %s mode %s' %(tunnelname, mode)
         if attrs:
             for k, v in attrs.iteritems():