diff --git a/etc/network.subr b/etc/network.subr
index 5e68a3d502a8..fba88d1070cb 100644
--- a/etc/network.subr
+++ b/etc/network.subr
@@ -146,7 +146,8 @@ network_start()
 
 	dhcp_interfaces=""
 	for ifn in ${network_interfaces}; do
-		if ifconfig ${ifn} | grep -s UP, > /dev/null 2>&1; then
+		_up=`ifconfig ${ifn} | head -1 | grep -v LOOPBACK | grep UP,`
+		if [ "$_up" != "" ]; then
 			# Interface is already up, so ignore it.
 			continue;
 		fi
diff --git a/etc/rc.d/network1 b/etc/rc.d/network1
index 5e68a3d502a8..fba88d1070cb 100644
--- a/etc/rc.d/network1
+++ b/etc/rc.d/network1
@@ -146,7 +146,8 @@ network_start()
 
 	dhcp_interfaces=""
 	for ifn in ${network_interfaces}; do
-		if ifconfig ${ifn} | grep -s UP, > /dev/null 2>&1; then
+		_up=`ifconfig ${ifn} | head -1 | grep -v LOOPBACK | grep UP,`
+		if [ "$_up" != "" ]; then
 			# Interface is already up, so ignore it.
 			continue;
 		fi
diff --git a/etc/rc.network b/etc/rc.network
index 845dff4510ac..d3d75d60526b 100644
--- a/etc/rc.network
+++ b/etc/rc.network
@@ -209,7 +209,8 @@ network_pass1() {
 
 	dhcp_interfaces=""
 	for ifn in ${network_interfaces}; do
-		if ifconfig ${ifn} | grep -s UP, > /dev/null 2>&1; then
+		_up=`ifconfig ${ifn} | head -1 | grep -v LOOPBACK | grep UP,`
+		if [ "$_up" != "" ]; then
 			# Interface is already up, so ignore it.
 			continue;
 		fi