diff --git a/sys/net/if_tap.c b/sys/net/if_tap.c
index 93801f10412b..9123e8c85aae 100644
--- a/sys/net/if_tap.c
+++ b/sys/net/if_tap.c
@@ -502,6 +502,7 @@ tapopen(struct cdev *dev, int flag, int mode, struct thread *td)
 	ifp->if_drv_flags &= ~IFF_DRV_OACTIVE;
 	if (tapuponopen)
 		ifp->if_flags |= IFF_UP;
+	if_link_state_change(ifp, LINK_STATE_UP);
 	splx(s);
 
 	TAPDEBUG("%s is open. minor = %#x\n", ifp->if_xname, dev2unit(dev));
@@ -547,6 +548,7 @@ tapclose(struct cdev *dev, int foo, int bar, struct thread *td)
 	} else
 		mtx_unlock(&tp->tap_mtx);
 
+	if_link_state_change(ifp, LINK_STATE_DOWN);
 	funsetown(&tp->tap_sigio);
 	selwakeuppri(&tp->tap_rsel, PZERO+1);
 	KNOTE_UNLOCKED(&tp->tap_rsel.si_note, 0);
diff --git a/sys/net/route.h b/sys/net/route.h
index 6857cb3473dd..66f56b7c93c5 100644
--- a/sys/net/route.h
+++ b/sys/net/route.h
@@ -319,7 +319,9 @@ struct rt_addrinfo {
 
 #ifdef _KERNEL
 
-#define RT_LINK_IS_UP(ifp)	((ifp)->if_link_state == LINK_STATE_UP)
+#define RT_LINK_IS_UP(ifp)	(((ifp)->if_flags &		    \
+				  (IFF_LOOPBACK | IFF_POINTOPOINT)) \
+				 || (ifp)->if_link_state == LINK_STATE_UP)
 
 #define	RT_LOCK_INIT(_rt) \
 	mtx_init(&(_rt)->rt_mtx, "rtentry", NULL, MTX_DEF | MTX_DUPOK)