diff --git a/include/net/ip_fib.h b/include/net/ip_fib.h
index 727d6e9a9685..965fa5b1a274 100644
--- a/include/net/ip_fib.h
+++ b/include/net/ip_fib.h
@@ -317,7 +317,7 @@ void fib_flush_external(struct net *net);
 
 /* Exported by fib_semantics.c */
 int ip_fib_check_default(__be32 gw, struct net_device *dev);
-int fib_sync_down_dev(struct net_device *dev, unsigned long event);
+int fib_sync_down_dev(struct net_device *dev, unsigned long event, bool force);
 int fib_sync_down_addr(struct net *net, __be32 local);
 int fib_sync_up(struct net_device *dev, unsigned int nh_flags);
 void fib_select_multipath(struct fib_result *res);
diff --git a/net/ipv4/fib_frontend.c b/net/ipv4/fib_frontend.c
index 690bcbc59f26..457b2cd75b85 100644
--- a/net/ipv4/fib_frontend.c
+++ b/net/ipv4/fib_frontend.c
@@ -1110,9 +1110,10 @@ static void nl_fib_lookup_exit(struct net *net)
 	net->ipv4.fibnl = NULL;
 }
 
-static void fib_disable_ip(struct net_device *dev, unsigned long event)
+static void fib_disable_ip(struct net_device *dev, unsigned long event,
+			   bool force)
 {
-	if (fib_sync_down_dev(dev, event))
+	if (fib_sync_down_dev(dev, event, force))
 		fib_flush(dev_net(dev));
 	rt_cache_flush(dev_net(dev));
 	arp_ifdown(dev);
@@ -1140,7 +1141,7 @@ static int fib_inetaddr_event(struct notifier_block *this, unsigned long event,
 			/* Last address was deleted from this interface.
 			 * Disable IP.
 			 */
-			fib_disable_ip(dev, event);
+			fib_disable_ip(dev, event, true);
 		} else {
 			rt_cache_flush(dev_net(dev));
 		}
@@ -1157,7 +1158,7 @@ static int fib_netdev_event(struct notifier_block *this, unsigned long event, vo
 	unsigned int flags;
 
 	if (event == NETDEV_UNREGISTER) {
-		fib_disable_ip(dev, event);
+		fib_disable_ip(dev, event, true);
 		rt_flush_dev(dev);
 		return NOTIFY_DONE;
 	}
@@ -1178,14 +1179,14 @@ static int fib_netdev_event(struct notifier_block *this, unsigned long event, vo
 		rt_cache_flush(net);
 		break;
 	case NETDEV_DOWN:
-		fib_disable_ip(dev, event);
+		fib_disable_ip(dev, event, false);
 		break;
 	case NETDEV_CHANGE:
 		flags = dev_get_flags(dev);
 		if (flags & (IFF_RUNNING | IFF_LOWER_UP))
 			fib_sync_up(dev, RTNH_F_LINKDOWN);
 		else
-			fib_sync_down_dev(dev, event);
+			fib_sync_down_dev(dev, event, false);
 		/* fall through */
 	case NETDEV_CHANGEMTU:
 		rt_cache_flush(net);
diff --git a/net/ipv4/fib_semantics.c b/net/ipv4/fib_semantics.c
index 064bd3caaa4f..2aa5b5e7da75 100644
--- a/net/ipv4/fib_semantics.c
+++ b/net/ipv4/fib_semantics.c
@@ -1281,7 +1281,13 @@ int fib_sync_down_addr(struct net *net, __be32 local)
 	return ret;
 }
 
-int fib_sync_down_dev(struct net_device *dev, unsigned long event)
+/* Event              force Flags           Description
+ * NETDEV_CHANGE      0     LINKDOWN        Carrier OFF, not for scope host
+ * NETDEV_DOWN        0     LINKDOWN|DEAD   Link down, not for scope host
+ * NETDEV_DOWN        1     LINKDOWN|DEAD   Last address removed
+ * NETDEV_UNREGISTER  1     LINKDOWN|DEAD   Device removed
+ */
+int fib_sync_down_dev(struct net_device *dev, unsigned long event, bool force)
 {
 	int ret = 0;
 	int scope = RT_SCOPE_NOWHERE;
@@ -1290,8 +1296,7 @@ int fib_sync_down_dev(struct net_device *dev, unsigned long event)
 	struct hlist_head *head = &fib_info_devhash[hash];
 	struct fib_nh *nh;
 
-	if (event == NETDEV_UNREGISTER ||
-	    event == NETDEV_DOWN)
+	if (force)
 		scope = -1;
 
 	hlist_for_each_entry(nh, head, nh_hash) {