diff --git a/ifupdown2/addons/addressvirtual.py b/ifupdown2/addons/addressvirtual.py
index 5566c0a..be16c81 100644
--- a/ifupdown2/addons/addressvirtual.py
+++ b/ifupdown2/addons/addressvirtual.py
@@ -432,7 +432,7 @@ class addressvirtual(moduleBase):
                 self.ipcmd.ipv6_addrgen(macvlan_ifname, ipv6_addrgen_user_value, link_created)
 
             if macvlan_hwaddr:
-                self.ipcmd.link_set_hwaddress(macvlan_ifname, macvlan_hwaddr)
+                self.ipcmd.link_set_hwaddress(macvlan_ifname, macvlan_hwaddr, keep_down=ifaceobj.link_privflags & ifaceLinkPrivFlags.KEEP_LINK_DOWN)
                 hw_address_list.append(macvlan_hwaddr)
 
             if self.addressvirtual_with_route_metric and self.ipcmd.addr_metric_support():
@@ -448,6 +448,10 @@ class addressvirtual(moduleBase):
                 metric=metric
             )
 
+            if ifaceobj.link_privflags & ifaceLinkPrivFlags.KEEP_LINK_DOWN:
+                self.logger.info("%s: keeping macvlan down - link-down yes on lower device %s" % (macvlan_ifname, ifname))
+                netlink.link_set_updown(macvlan_ifname, "down")
+
             # If link existed before, flap the link
             if not link_created:
 
@@ -472,7 +476,8 @@ class addressvirtual(moduleBase):
                 # since we auto create them here..we are responsible
                 # to bring them up here in the case they were brought down
                 # by some other entity in the system.
-                netlink.link_set_updown(macvlan_ifname, "up")
+                if not ifaceobj.link_privflags & ifaceLinkPrivFlags.KEEP_LINK_DOWN:
+                    netlink.link_set_updown(macvlan_ifname, "up")
             else:
                 try:
                     if not self.addressvirtual_with_route_metric or not self.ipcmd.addr_metric_support():
diff --git a/ifupdown2/ifupdownaddons/LinkUtils.py b/ifupdown2/ifupdownaddons/LinkUtils.py
index 8078093..2b29bfe 100644
--- a/ifupdown2/ifupdownaddons/LinkUtils.py
+++ b/ifupdown2/ifupdownaddons/LinkUtils.py
@@ -1090,7 +1090,7 @@ class LinkUtils(utilsBase):
         if key not in ['master', 'nomaster']:
             self._cache_update([ifacename, key], value)
 
-    def link_set_hwaddress(self, ifacename, hwaddress, force=False):
+    def link_set_hwaddress(self, ifacename, hwaddress, force=False, keep_down=False):
         if not force:
             link_hwaddress = self.link_get_hwaddress(ifacename)
 
@@ -1103,7 +1103,9 @@ class LinkUtils(utilsBase):
             self.add_to_batch(cmd)
         else:
             utils.exec_command('%s %s' % (utils.ip_cmd, cmd))
-        self.link_up(ifacename)
+
+        if not keep_down:
+            self.link_up(ifacename)
         self._cache_update([ifacename, 'hwaddress'], hwaddress)
         return True