diff --git a/keepalived/core/keepalived_netlink.c b/keepalived/core/keepalived_netlink.c
index 0f95cbfb3c..3582dee043 100644
--- a/keepalived/core/keepalived_netlink.c
+++ b/keepalived/core/keepalived_netlink.c
@@ -1978,6 +1978,8 @@ netlink_if_link_populate(interface_t *ifp, struct rtattr *tb[], struct ifinfomsg
 #endif /* _HAVE_VRF_ */
 
 	ifp->rp_filter = UINT_MAX;	/* We have not read it yet */
+
+	ifp->cleaning = false;
 #endif /* _HAVE_VRRP_VMAC_ */
 
 	ifp->ifi_flags = ifi->ifi_flags;
diff --git a/keepalived/include/vrrp_if.h b/keepalived/include/vrrp_if.h
index 0ee5bb7576..248b09cfc6 100644
--- a/keepalived/include/vrrp_if.h
+++ b/keepalived/include/vrrp_if.h
@@ -161,6 +161,7 @@ typedef struct _interface {
 							   otherwise the physical interface */
 	bool			is_ours;		/* keepalived created the interface */
 	bool			deleting;		/* Set when we are deleting the interface */
+	bool			cleaning;		/* Set when we are cleaning the interface */
 	bool			seen_interface;		/* The interface has existed at some point since we started */
 	bool			changeable_type;	/* The interface type or underlying interface can be changed */
 #ifdef _HAVE_VRF_
diff --git a/keepalived/vrrp/vrrp_if.c b/keepalived/vrrp/vrrp_if.c
index f9bde8dbae..60befa04d6 100644
--- a/keepalived/vrrp/vrrp_if.c
+++ b/keepalived/vrrp/vrrp_if.c
@@ -1394,6 +1394,11 @@ cleanup_lost_interface(interface_t *ifp)
 	tracking_obj_t *top;
 	vrrp_t *vrrp;
 
+#ifdef _HAVE_VRRP_VMAC_
+	ifp->cleaning = true;
+#endif /* _HAVE_VRRP_VMAC_ */
+
+
 	list_for_each_entry(top, &ifp->tracking_vrrp, e_list) {
 		vrrp = top->obj.vrrp;
 
@@ -1476,12 +1481,19 @@ cleanup_lost_interface(interface_t *ifp)
 
 	interface_down(ifp);
 
+#ifdef _HAVE_VRRP_VMAC_
+	if (!ifp->cleaning)
+		/* interface has been refreshed. Do not clean */
+		return;
+#endif /* _HAVE_VRRP_VMAC_ */
+
 	ifp->ifindex = 0;
 	ifp->ifi_flags = 0;
 	ifp->seen_up = false;
 #ifdef _HAVE_VRRP_VMAC_
 	if (!ifp->is_ours)
 		ifp->base_ifp = ifp;
+	ifp->cleaning = false;
 #endif
 #ifdef _HAVE_VRF_
 	ifp->vrf_master_ifp = NULL;