int     no_xfrm;
        int     no_policy;
        int     force_igmp_version;
+       int     promote_secondaries;
        void    *sysctl;
 };
 
 #define IN_DEV_SEC_REDIRECTS(in_dev)   (ipv4_devconf.secure_redirects || (in_dev)->cnf.secure_redirects)
 #define IN_DEV_IDTAG(in_dev)           ((in_dev)->cnf.tag)
 #define IN_DEV_MEDIUM_ID(in_dev)       ((in_dev)->cnf.medium_id)
+#define IN_DEV_PROMOTE_SECONDARIES(in_dev)     (ipv4_devconf.promote_secondaries || (in_dev)->cnf.promote_secondaries)
 
 #define IN_DEV_RX_REDIRECTS(in_dev) \
        ((IN_DEV_FORWARD(in_dev) && \
 
 static void inet_del_ifa(struct in_device *in_dev, struct in_ifaddr **ifap,
                         int destroy)
 {
+       struct in_ifaddr *promote = NULL;
        struct in_ifaddr *ifa1 = *ifap;
 
        ASSERT_RTNL();
 
-       /* 1. Deleting primary ifaddr forces deletion all secondaries */
+       /* 1. Deleting primary ifaddr forces deletion all secondaries 
+        * unless alias promotion is set
+        **/
 
        if (!(ifa1->ifa_flags & IFA_F_SECONDARY)) {
                struct in_ifaddr *ifa;
                                continue;
                        }
 
-                       *ifap1 = ifa->ifa_next;
+                       if (!IN_DEV_PROMOTE_SECONDARIES(in_dev)) {
+                               *ifap1 = ifa->ifa_next;
 
-                       rtmsg_ifa(RTM_DELADDR, ifa);
-                       notifier_call_chain(&inetaddr_chain, NETDEV_DOWN, ifa);
-                       inet_free_ifa(ifa);
+                               rtmsg_ifa(RTM_DELADDR, ifa);
+                               notifier_call_chain(&inetaddr_chain, NETDEV_DOWN, ifa);
+                               inet_free_ifa(ifa);
+                       } else {
+                               promote = ifa;
+                               break;
+                       }
                }
        }
 
                if (!in_dev->ifa_list)
                        inetdev_destroy(in_dev);
        }
+
+       if (promote && IN_DEV_PROMOTE_SECONDARIES(in_dev)) {
+               /* not sure if we should send a delete notify first? */
+               promote->ifa_flags &= ~IFA_F_SECONDARY;
+               rtmsg_ifa(RTM_NEWADDR, promote);
+               notifier_call_chain(&inetaddr_chain, NETDEV_UP, promote);
+       }
 }
 
 static int inet_insert_ifa(struct in_ifaddr *ifa)
                        .proc_handler   = &ipv4_doint_and_flush,
                        .strategy       = &ipv4_doint_and_flush_strategy,
                },
+               {
+                       .ctl_name       = NET_IPV4_CONF_PROMOTE_SECONDARIES,
+                       .procname       = "promote_secondaries",
+                       .data           = &ipv4_devconf.promote_secondaries,
+                       .maxlen         = sizeof(int),
+                       .mode           = 0644,
+                       .proc_handler   = &ipv4_doint_and_flush,
+                       .strategy       = &ipv4_doint_and_flush_strategy,
+               },
        },
        .devinet_dev = {
                {