diff --git a/share/man/man4/tap.4 b/share/man/man4/tap.4
index 6e4299609c7..a95627be783 100644
--- a/share/man/man4/tap.4
+++ b/share/man/man4/tap.4
@@ -1,7 +1,7 @@
 .\" $FreeBSD$
 .\" Based on PR#2411
 .\"
-.Dd November 30, 2014
+.Dd April 10, 2015
 .Dt TAP 4
 .Os
 .Sh NAME
@@ -275,7 +275,9 @@ brought down
 .Dq ifconfig tap Ns Sy N No down )
 unless the device is a
 .Em VMnet
-device.
+device, or has
+.Dv IFF_LINK0
+flag set.
 All queued frames are thrown away.
 If the interface is up when the data
 device is not open, output frames are thrown away rather than
diff --git a/sys/net/if_tap.c b/sys/net/if_tap.c
index 5f6f0aaaade..b23ab34a130 100644
--- a/sys/net/if_tap.c
+++ b/sys/net/if_tap.c
@@ -156,7 +156,6 @@ static int			tapdebug = 0;        /* debug flag   */
 static int			tapuopen = 0;        /* allow user open() */
 static int			tapuponopen = 0;    /* IFF_UP on open() */
 static int			tapdclone = 1;	/* enable devfs cloning */
-static int			tapclosedeladdrs = 1; /* del addrs on close */
 static SLIST_HEAD(, tap_softc)	taphead;             /* first device */
 static struct clonedevs 	*tapclones;
 
@@ -173,9 +172,6 @@ SYSCTL_INT(_net_link_tap, OID_AUTO, up_on_open, CTLFLAG_RW, &tapuponopen, 0,
 	"Bring interface up when /dev/tap is opened");
 SYSCTL_INT(_net_link_tap, OID_AUTO, devfs_cloning, CTLFLAG_RWTUN, &tapdclone, 0,
 	"Enably legacy devfs interface creation");
-SYSCTL_INT(_net_link_tap, OID_AUTO, deladdrs_on_close, CTLFLAG_RW,
-	&tapclosedeladdrs, 0, "Delete addresses and routes when /dev/tap is "
-	"closed");
 SYSCTL_INT(_net_link_tap, OID_AUTO, debug, CTLFLAG_RW, &tapdebug, 0, "");
 
 DEV_MODULE(if_tap, tapmodevent, NULL);
@@ -536,12 +532,11 @@ tapclose(struct cdev *dev, int foo, int bar, struct thread *td)
 	IF_DRAIN(&ifp->if_snd);
 
 	/*
-	 * do not bring the interface down, and do not anything with
-	 * interface, if we are in VMnet mode. just close the device.
+	 * Do not bring the interface down, and do not anything with
+	 * interface, if we are in VMnet mode. Just close the device.
 	 */
-
-	if (tapclosedeladdrs == 1 && ((tp->tap_flags & TAP_VMNET) == 0) &&
-	    (ifp->if_flags & IFF_UP)) {
+	if (((tp->tap_flags & TAP_VMNET) == 0) &&
+	    (ifp->if_flags & (IFF_UP | IFF_LINK0)) == IFF_UP) {
 		mtx_unlock(&tp->tap_mtx);
 		if_down(ifp);
 		mtx_lock(&tp->tap_mtx);