diff --git a/docs/formatdomain.html.in b/docs/formatdomain.html.in
index 54e81b0d9e..0a7abafac4 100644
--- a/docs/formatdomain.html.in
+++ b/docs/formatdomain.html.in
@@ -2131,6 +2131,27 @@ qemu-kvm -net nic,model=? /dev/null
       <span class="since">Since 0.9.4</span>
     </p>
 
+    <h5><a name="elementLink">Modyfing virtual link state</a></h5>
+<pre>
+  ...
+  &lt;devices&gt;
+    &lt;interface type='network'&gt;
+      &lt;source network='default'/&gt;
+      &lt;target dev='vnet0'/&gt;
+      <b>&lt;link state='down'/&gt;</b>
+    &lt;/interface&gt;
+  &lt;devices&gt;
+  ...</pre>
+
+    <p>
+      This element provides means of setting state of the virtual network link.
+      Possible values for attribute <code>state</code> are <code>up</code> and
+      <code>down</code>. If <code>down</code> is specified as the value, the interface
+      behaves as if it had the network cable disconnected. Default behavior if this
+      element is unspecified is to have the link state <code>up</code>.
+      <span class="since">Since 0.9.5</span>
+    </p>
+
     <h4><a name="elementsInput">Input devices</a></h4>
 
     <p>
diff --git a/docs/schemas/network.rng b/docs/schemas/network.rng
index 1c44471271..937e1808ee 100644
--- a/docs/schemas/network.rng
+++ b/docs/schemas/network.rng
@@ -150,6 +150,17 @@
        <optional>
          <ref name="bandwidth"/>
        </optional>
+       <optional>
+         <element name="link">
+           <attribute name="state">
+             <choice>
+               <value>up</value>
+               <value>down</value>
+             </choice>
+           </attribute>
+           <empty/>
+         </element>
+        </optional>
 
         <!-- <ip> element -->
         <zeroOrMore>
diff --git a/src/conf/domain_conf.c b/src/conf/domain_conf.c
index 5d95ee7136..74f8d6aec3 100644
--- a/src/conf/domain_conf.c
+++ b/src/conf/domain_conf.c
@@ -257,6 +257,11 @@ VIR_ENUM_IMPL(virDomainNetVirtioTxMode, VIR_DOMAIN_NET_VIRTIO_TX_MODE_LAST,
               "iothread",
               "timer")
 
+VIR_ENUM_IMPL(virDomainNetInterfaceLinkState, VIR_DOMAIN_NET_INTERFACE_LINK_STATE_LAST,
+              "default",
+              "up",
+              "down")
+
 VIR_ENUM_IMPL(virDomainChrChannelTarget,
               VIR_DOMAIN_CHR_CHANNEL_TARGET_TYPE_LAST,
               "guestfwd",
@@ -2980,6 +2985,7 @@ virDomainNetDefParseXML(virCapsPtr caps,
     char *internal = NULL;
     char *devaddr = NULL;
     char *mode = NULL;
+    char *linkstate = NULL;
     virNWFilterHashTablePtr filterparams = NULL;
     virVirtualPortProfileParamsPtr virtPort = NULL;
     virDomainActualNetDefPtr actual = NULL;
@@ -3056,6 +3062,9 @@ virDomainNetDefParseXML(virCapsPtr caps,
                     /* An auto-generated target name, blank it out */
                     VIR_FREE(ifname);
                 }
+            } else if ((linkstate == NULL) &&
+                       xmlStrEqual(cur->name, BAD_CAST "link")) {
+                linkstate = virXMLPropString(cur, "state");
             } else if ((script == NULL) &&
                        (def->type == VIR_DOMAIN_NET_TYPE_ETHERNET ||
                         def->type == VIR_DOMAIN_NET_TYPE_BRIDGE) &&
@@ -3320,6 +3329,16 @@ virDomainNetDefParseXML(virCapsPtr caps,
         }
     }
 
+    def->linkstate = VIR_DOMAIN_NET_INTERFACE_LINK_STATE_DEFAULT;
+    if (linkstate != NULL) {
+        if ((def->linkstate = virDomainNetInterfaceLinkStateTypeFromString(linkstate)) <= 0) {
+            virDomainReportError(VIR_ERR_CONFIG_UNSUPPORTED,
+                                 _("unknown interface link state '%s'"),
+                                 linkstate);
+            goto error;
+        }
+    }
+
     if (filter != NULL) {
         switch (def->type) {
         case VIR_DOMAIN_NET_TYPE_ETHERNET:
@@ -3367,6 +3386,7 @@ cleanup:
     VIR_FREE(internal);
     VIR_FREE(devaddr);
     VIR_FREE(mode);
+    VIR_FREE(linkstate);
     virNWFilterHashTableFree(filterparams);
 
     return def;
@@ -9510,6 +9530,10 @@ virDomainNetDefFormat(virBufferPtr buf,
         virBufferAddLit(buf,   "      </tune>\n");
     }
 
+    if (def->linkstate)
+        virBufferAsprintf(buf, "      <link state='%s'/>\n",
+                          virDomainNetInterfaceLinkStateTypeToString(def->linkstate));
+
     if (virBandwidthDefFormat(buf, def->bandwidth, "      ") < 0)
         return -1;
 
diff --git a/src/conf/domain_conf.h b/src/conf/domain_conf.h
index bb9d3dbc76..371f2701f9 100644
--- a/src/conf/domain_conf.h
+++ b/src/conf/domain_conf.h
@@ -410,6 +410,15 @@ enum virDomainNetVirtioTxModeType {
     VIR_DOMAIN_NET_VIRTIO_TX_MODE_LAST,
 };
 
+/* link interface states */
+enum virDomainNetInterfaceLinkState {
+        VIR_DOMAIN_NET_INTERFACE_LINK_STATE_DEFAULT = 0, /* Default link state (up) */
+        VIR_DOMAIN_NET_INTERFACE_LINK_STATE_UP,          /* Link is up. ("cable" connected) */
+        VIR_DOMAIN_NET_INTERFACE_LINK_STATE_DOWN ,       /* Link is down. ("cable" disconnected) */
+
+        VIR_DOMAIN_NET_INTERFACE_LINK_STATE_LAST
+};
+
 /* Config that was actually used to bring up interface, after
  * resolving network reference. This is private data, only used within
  * libvirt, but still must maintain backward compatibility, because
@@ -495,6 +504,7 @@ struct _virDomainNetDef {
     char *filter;
     virNWFilterHashTablePtr filterparams;
     virBandwidthPtr bandwidth;
+    int linkstate;
 };
 
 /* Used for prefix of ifname of any network name generated dynamically
@@ -1829,6 +1839,7 @@ VIR_ENUM_DECL(virDomainFSAccessMode)
 VIR_ENUM_DECL(virDomainNet)
 VIR_ENUM_DECL(virDomainNetBackend)
 VIR_ENUM_DECL(virDomainNetVirtioTxMode)
+VIR_ENUM_DECL(virDomainNetInterfaceLinkState)
 VIR_ENUM_DECL(virDomainChrDevice)
 VIR_ENUM_DECL(virDomainChrChannelTarget)
 VIR_ENUM_DECL(virDomainChrConsoleTarget)