diff --git a/configure.c b/configure.c
index 96d8d886..a5af5a2a 100644
--- a/configure.c
+++ b/configure.c
@@ -392,22 +392,14 @@ desc_route(const char *cmd, const struct rt *rt, const char *ifname)
 /* If something other than dhcpcd removes a route,
  * we need to remove it from our internal table. */
 int
-route_deleted(const struct in_addr *dst,
-	      const struct in_addr *net,
-	      const struct in_addr *gate)
+route_deleted(const struct rt *rt)
 {
-	struct rt rt, *f, *l;
+	struct rt *f, *l;
 
-	rt.dest.s_addr = dst->s_addr;
-	rt.net.s_addr = net->s_addr;
-	rt.gate.s_addr = gate->s_addr;
-	rt.iface = NULL;
-	rt.next = NULL;
-
-	f = find_route(routes, &rt, &l, NULL);
+	f = find_route(routes, rt, &l, NULL);
 	if (f == NULL)
 		return 0;
-	desc_route("removing", f, f->iface->name);
+	desc_route("removing", f, rt->iface->name);
 	if (l)
 		l->next = f->next;
 	else
diff --git a/configure.h b/configure.h
index 5d0124de..d103b6e5 100644
--- a/configure.h
+++ b/configure.h
@@ -33,8 +33,5 @@
 int send_interface(int, const struct interface *);
 int run_script(const struct interface *);
 int configure(struct interface *);
-int route_deleted(const struct in_addr *,
-		  const struct in_addr *,
-		  const struct in_addr *);
-
+int route_deleted(const struct rt *);
 #endif
diff --git a/dhcpcd.c b/dhcpcd.c
index 96ce2bec..4832f186 100644
--- a/dhcpcd.c
+++ b/dhcpcd.c
@@ -78,9 +78,9 @@ static char **margv;
 static int margc;
 static char **ifv;
 static int ifc;
-static int linkfd = -1;
 static char *cffile;
 static char *pidfile;
+static int linkfd = -1;
 
 struct dhcp_op {
 	uint8_t value;
@@ -214,6 +214,16 @@ close_sockets(struct interface *iface)
 	}
 }
 
+struct interface *
+find_interface(const char *ifname)
+{
+	struct interface *ifp;
+	
+	for (ifp = ifaces; ifp; ifp = ifp->next)
+		if (strcmp(ifp->name, ifname) == 0)
+			return ifp;
+	return NULL;
+}
 
 static void
 stop_interface(struct interface *iface)
@@ -1024,11 +1034,11 @@ handle_new_interface(const char *ifname)
 			if (ifn)
 				continue;
 			init_state(ifp, 2, UNCONST(argv));
-			start_interface(ifp);
 			if (ifl)
 				ifl->next = ifp;
 			else
 				ifaces = ifp;
+			start_interface(ifp);
 		}
 	}
 }
@@ -1038,11 +1048,9 @@ handle_remove_interface(const char *ifname)
 {
 	struct interface *iface;
 
-	for (iface = ifaces; iface; iface = iface->next)
-		if (strcmp(iface->name, ifname) == 0) {
-			stop_interface(iface);
-			break;
-		}
+	iface = find_interface(ifname);
+	if (iface != NULL)
+		stop_interface(iface);
 }
 
 /* ARGSUSED */
@@ -1395,7 +1403,7 @@ main(int argc, char **argv)
 
 	syslog(LOG_INFO, "version " VERSION " starting");
 
-	if ((signal_fd =signal_init()) == -1)
+	if ((signal_fd = signal_init()) == -1)
 		exit(EXIT_FAILURE);
 	if (signal_setup() == -1)
 		exit(EXIT_FAILURE);
@@ -1408,6 +1416,7 @@ main(int argc, char **argv)
 		}
 	}
 
+	init_socket();
 	if (ifo->options & DHCPCD_LINK) {
 		linkfd = open_link_socket();
 		if (linkfd == -1)
diff --git a/dhcpcd.h b/dhcpcd.h
index 085550e8..7c33b22c 100644
--- a/dhcpcd.h
+++ b/dhcpcd.h
@@ -116,6 +116,7 @@ extern int ifdc;
 extern char **ifdv;
 extern struct interface *ifaces;
 
+struct interface *find_interface(const char *);
 int handle_args(struct fd_list *, int, char **);
 void handle_exit_timeout(void *);
 void start_interface(void *);
diff --git a/if-bsd.c b/if-bsd.c
index 46a87aca..8648a1a1 100644
--- a/if-bsd.c
+++ b/if-bsd.c
@@ -67,10 +67,25 @@
 	   1 + ( (((struct sockaddr *)(sa))->sa_len - 1) | (sizeof(long) - 1) ) )
 #endif
 
+static int a_fd = -1;
+static int r_fd = -1;
+
+int
+init_socket(void)
+{
+	if ((a_fd = socket(AF_INET, SOCK_DGRAM, 0)) == -1)
+		return -1;
+	set_cloexec(a_fd);
+	if ((r_fd = socket(PF_ROUTE, SOCK_RAW, 0)) == -1)
+		return -1;
+	set_cloexec(a_fd);
+	return 0;
+}
+
 int
 getifssid(const char *ifname, char *ssid)
 {
-	int s, retval = -1;
+	int retval = -1;
 #if defined(SIOCG80211NWID)
 	struct ifreq ifr;
 	struct ieee80211_nwid nwid;
@@ -79,14 +94,12 @@ getifssid(const char *ifname, char *ssid)
 	char nwid[IEEE80211_NWID_LEN + 1];
 #endif
 
-	if ((s = socket(AF_INET, SOCK_DGRAM, 0)) == -1)
-		return retval;
 #if defined(SIOCG80211NWID) /* NetBSD */
 	memset(&ifr, 0, sizeof(ifr));
 	strlcpy(ifr.ifr_name, ifname, sizeof(ifr.ifr_name));
 	memset(&nwid, 0, sizeof(nwid));
 	ifr.ifr_data = (void *)&nwid;
-	if (ioctl(s, SIOCG80211NWID, &ifr) == 0) {
+	if (ioctl(a_fd, SIOCG80211NWID, &ifr) == 0) {
 		retval = nwid.i_len;
 		memcpy(ssid, nwid.i_nwid, nwid.i_len);
 		ssid[nwid.i_len] = '\0';
@@ -97,13 +110,12 @@ getifssid(const char *ifname, char *ssid)
 	ireq.i_type = IEEE80211_IOC_SSID;
 	ireq.i_val = -1;
 	ireq.i_data = &nwid;
-	if (ioctl(s, SIOCG80211, &ireq) == 0) {
+	if (ioctl(a_fd, SIOCG80211, &ireq) == 0) {
 		retval = ireq.i_len;
 		memcpy(ssid, nwid, ireq.i_len);
 		ssid[ireq.i_len] = '\0';
 	}
 #endif
-	close(s);
 	return retval;
 }
 
@@ -112,7 +124,6 @@ if_address(const struct interface *iface, const struct in_addr *address,
 	   const struct in_addr *netmask, const struct in_addr *broadcast,
 	   int action)
 {
-	int s;
 	int retval;
 	struct ifaliasreq ifa;
 	union {
@@ -120,9 +131,6 @@ if_address(const struct interface *iface, const struct in_addr *address,
 		struct sockaddr_in *sin;
 	} _s;
 
-	if ((s = socket(AF_INET, SOCK_DGRAM, 0)) == -1)
-		return -1;
-
 	memset(&ifa, 0, sizeof(ifa));
 	strlcpy(ifa.ifra_name, iface->name, sizeof(ifa.ifra_name));
 
@@ -141,10 +149,9 @@ if_address(const struct interface *iface, const struct in_addr *address,
 #undef ADDADDR
 
 	if (action < 0)
-		retval = ioctl(s, SIOCDIFADDR, &ifa);
+		retval = ioctl(a_fd, SIOCDIFADDR, &ifa);
 	else
-		retval = ioctl(s, SIOCAIFADDR, &ifa);
-	close(s);
+		retval = ioctl(a_fd, SIOCAIFADDR, &ifa);
 	return retval;
 }
 
@@ -154,7 +161,6 @@ if_route(const struct interface *iface, const struct in_addr *dest,
 	 const struct in_addr *net, const struct in_addr *gate,
 	 _unused int metric, int action)
 {
-	int s;
 	union sockunion {
 		struct sockaddr sa;
 		struct sockaddr_in sin;
@@ -186,9 +192,6 @@ if_route(const struct interface *iface, const struct in_addr *dest,
 	ADDSU(su); \
 }
 
-	if ((s = socket(PF_ROUTE, SOCK_RAW, 0)) == -1)
-		return -1;
-
 	memset(&rtm, 0, sizeof(rtm));
 	rtm.hdr.rtm_version = RTM_VERSION;
 	rtm.hdr.rtm_seq = 1;
@@ -244,22 +247,19 @@ if_route(const struct interface *iface, const struct in_addr *dest,
 		ADDADDR(&iface->addr);
 
 	rtm.hdr.rtm_msglen = l = bp - (char *)&rtm;
-	if (write(s, &rtm, l) == -1)
+	if (write(r_fd, &rtm, l) == -1)
 		retval = -1;
-	close(s);
 	return retval;
 }
 
 int
 arp_flush(void)
 {
-	int s, mib[6], retval = 0;
+	int mib[6], retval = 0;
 	size_t buffer_len = 0;
 	char *buffer, *e, *p;
 	struct rt_msghdr *rtm;
 
-	if ((s = socket(PF_ROUTE, SOCK_RAW, 0)) == -1)
-		return -1;
 	mib[0] = CTL_NET;
 	mib[1] = PF_ROUTE;
 	mib[2] = 0;
@@ -280,13 +280,12 @@ arp_flush(void)
 		if (rtm->rtm_flags & RTF_STATIC)
 			continue;
 		rtm->rtm_type = RTM_DELETE;
-		if (write(s, rtm, rtm->rtm_msglen) == -1) {
+		if (write(r_fd, rtm, rtm->rtm_msglen) == -1) {
 			retval = -1;
 			break;
 		}
 	}
 	free(buffer);
-	close(s);
 	return retval;
 }
 
diff --git a/if-linux.c b/if-linux.c
index 6763c2b8..71723e92 100644
--- a/if-linux.c
+++ b/if-linux.c
@@ -66,6 +66,7 @@
 
 #include "config.h"
 #include "common.h"
+#include "configure.h"
 #include "dhcp.h"
 #include "net.h"
 
@@ -75,6 +76,9 @@ static void (*nl_carrier)(const char *);
 static void (*nl_add)(const char *);
 static void (*nl_remove)(const char *);
 
+static int sock_fd;
+static struct sockaddr_nl sock_nl;
+
 int
 getifssid(const char *ifname, char *ssid)
 {
@@ -96,23 +100,37 @@ getifssid(const char *ifname, char *ssid)
 	return retval;
 }
 
-int
-open_link_socket(void)
+static int
+_open_link_socket(struct sockaddr_nl *nl)
 {
 	int fd;
-	struct sockaddr_nl nl;
 
 	if ((fd = socket(AF_NETLINK, SOCK_RAW, NETLINK_ROUTE)) == -1)
 		return -1;
-	memset(&nl, 0, sizeof(nl));
-	nl.nl_family = AF_NETLINK;
-	nl.nl_groups = RTMGRP_LINK;
-	if (bind(fd, (struct sockaddr *)&nl, sizeof(nl)) == -1)
+	nl->nl_family = AF_NETLINK;
+	if (bind(fd, (struct sockaddr *)nl, sizeof(*nl)) == -1)
 		return -1;
 	set_cloexec(fd);
 	return fd;
 }
 
+int
+init_socket(void)
+{
+	sock_fd = _open_link_socket(&sock_nl);
+	return sock_fd;
+}
+
+int
+open_link_socket(void)
+{
+	struct sockaddr_nl snl;
+
+	memset(&snl, 0, sizeof(snl));
+	snl.nl_groups = RTMGRP_LINK | RTMGRP_IPV4_ROUTE;
+	return _open_link_socket(&snl);
+}
+
 static int
 get_netlink(int fd, int flags,
 	    int (*callback)(struct nlmsghdr *))
@@ -169,6 +187,63 @@ err_netlink(struct nlmsghdr *nlm)
 	return -1;
 }
 
+static int
+link_delroute(struct nlmsghdr *nlm)
+{
+	int len, idx, metric;
+	struct rtattr *rta;
+	struct rtmsg *rtm;
+	struct rt rt;
+	char ifn[IF_NAMESIZE + 1];
+
+	len = nlm->nlmsg_len - sizeof(*nlm);
+	if ((size_t)len < sizeof(*rtm)) {
+		errno = EBADMSG;
+		return -1;
+	}
+	rtm = NLMSG_DATA(nlm);
+	if (rtm->rtm_type != RTN_UNICAST ||
+	    rtm->rtm_table != RT_TABLE_MAIN ||
+	    rtm->rtm_family != AF_INET ||
+	    nlm->nlmsg_pid == (uint32_t)getpid())
+		return 1;
+	rta = (struct rtattr *) ((char *)rtm + NLMSG_ALIGN(sizeof(*rtm)));
+	len = NLMSG_PAYLOAD(nlm, sizeof(*rtm));
+	rt.iface = NULL;
+	rt.next = NULL;
+	metric = 0;
+	while (RTA_OK(rta, len)) {
+		switch (rta->rta_type) {
+		case RTA_DST:
+			memcpy(&rt.dest.s_addr, RTA_DATA(rta),
+			       sizeof(rt.dest.s_addr));
+			break;
+		case RTA_GATEWAY:
+			memcpy(&rt.gate.s_addr, RTA_DATA(rta),
+			       sizeof(rt.gate.s_addr));
+			break;
+		case RTA_OIF:
+			idx = *(int *)RTA_DATA(rta);
+			if (if_indextoname(idx, ifn))
+				rt.iface = find_interface(ifn);
+			break;
+		case RTA_PRIORITY:
+			metric = *(int *)RTA_DATA(rta);
+			break;
+		}
+		rta = RTA_NEXT(rta, len);
+	}
+	if (rt.iface != NULL) {
+		if (metric == rt.iface->metric) {
+			if (rt.dest.s_addr == INADDR_BROADCAST)
+				rt.dest.s_addr = INADDR_ANY;
+			inet_cidrtoaddr(rtm->rtm_dst_len, &rt.net);
+			route_deleted(&rt);
+		}
+	}
+	return 1;
+}
+
 static int
 link_netlink(struct nlmsghdr *nlm)
 {
@@ -177,6 +252,9 @@ link_netlink(struct nlmsghdr *nlm)
 	struct ifinfomsg *ifi;
 	char ifn[IF_NAMESIZE + 1];
 
+	if (nlm->nlmsg_type == RTM_DELROUTE)
+		return link_delroute(nlm);
+
 	if (nlm->nlmsg_type != RTM_NEWLINK && nlm->nlmsg_type != RTM_DELLINK)
 		return 0;
 	len = nlm->nlmsg_len - sizeof(*nlm);
@@ -234,37 +312,27 @@ manage_link(int fd,
 static int
 send_netlink(struct nlmsghdr *hdr)
 {
-	int fd, r;
-	struct sockaddr_nl nl;
+	int r;
 	struct iovec iov;
 	struct msghdr msg;
 	static unsigned int seq;
 
-	if ((fd = socket(AF_NETLINK, SOCK_RAW, NETLINK_ROUTE)) == -1)
-		return -1;
-	memset(&nl, 0, sizeof(nl));
-	nl.nl_family = AF_NETLINK;
-	if (bind(fd, (struct sockaddr *)&nl, sizeof(nl)) == -1) {
-		close(fd);
-		return -1;
-	}
 	memset(&iov, 0, sizeof(iov));
 	iov.iov_base = hdr;
 	iov.iov_len = hdr->nlmsg_len;
 	memset(&msg, 0, sizeof(msg));
-	msg.msg_name = &nl;
-	msg.msg_namelen = sizeof(nl);
+	msg.msg_name = &sock_nl;
+	msg.msg_namelen = sizeof(sock_nl);
 	msg.msg_iov = &iov;
 	msg.msg_iovlen = 1;
 	/* Request a reply */
 	hdr->nlmsg_flags |= NLM_F_ACK;
 	hdr->nlmsg_seq = ++seq;
 
-	if (sendmsg(fd, &msg, 0) != -1)
-		r = get_netlink(fd, 0, &err_netlink);
+	if (sendmsg(sock_fd, &msg, 0) != -1)
+		r = get_netlink(sock_fd, 0, &err_netlink);
 	else
 		r = -1;
-	close(fd);
 	return r;
 }
 
diff --git a/net.h b/net.h
index b65dc7ee..a8ede771 100644
--- a/net.h
+++ b/net.h
@@ -145,6 +145,7 @@ ssize_t send_raw_packet(const struct interface *, int,
 			const void *, ssize_t);
 ssize_t get_raw_packet(struct interface *, int, void *, ssize_t);
 
+int init_socket(void);
 int open_link_socket(void);
 int manage_link(int,
 		void (*)(const char *),