diff --git a/lib/route/link.c b/lib/route/link.c
index 9b72574a..d5fcdb0c 100644
--- a/lib/route/link.c
+++ b/lib/route/link.c
@@ -1126,6 +1126,20 @@ static void link_keygen(struct nl_object *obj, uint32_t *hashkey,
 	return;
 }
 
+static int link_update(struct nl_object *old_obj, struct nl_object *new_obj)
+{
+	struct rtnl_link *src = (struct rtnl_link *) new_obj;
+	struct rtnl_link *dst = (struct rtnl_link *) old_obj;
+
+	if (!dst->l_af_ops)
+		return -NLE_OPNOTSUPP;
+
+	if (dst->l_af_ops->ao_update)
+		return dst->l_af_ops->ao_update(dst, src);
+
+	return -NLE_OPNOTSUPP;
+}
+
 static uint64_t link_compare(struct nl_object *_a, struct nl_object *_b,
 			     uint64_t attrs, int flags)
 {
@@ -3215,6 +3229,7 @@ static struct nl_object_ops link_obj_ops = {
 	},
 	.oo_compare		= link_compare,
 	.oo_keygen		= link_keygen,
+	.oo_update		= link_update,
 	.oo_attrs2str		= link_attrs2str,
 	.oo_id_attrs		= LINK_ATTR_IFINDEX | LINK_ATTR_FAMILY,
 };
diff --git a/lib/route/link/bridge.c b/lib/route/link/bridge.c
index 2df8d85e..9d629b58 100644
--- a/lib/route/link/bridge.c
+++ b/lib/route/link/bridge.c
@@ -973,6 +973,29 @@ static int bridge_compare(struct rtnl_link *_a, struct rtnl_link *_b,
 }
 /** @endcond */
 
+static int bridge_update(struct rtnl_link *old_obj, struct rtnl_link *new_obj)
+{
+	struct bridge_data *dst = bridge_data(old_obj);
+	struct bridge_data *src = bridge_data(new_obj);
+
+	/*
+	 * Update only when we're dealing with a case of bridge
+	 * notification on changes to itself as a bridge port.
+	 * E.g. after `bridge vlan add dev br0 vid 3 self`
+	 * Such notifications don't have full bridge details
+	 * and thus have to be merged with parent rather than replace it.
+	 * Reliable criterion to detect the case we're interested in
+	 * is to look if there is IFLA_MASTER attr equal to ifi_index
+	 * in the same message.
+	 */
+	if (new_obj->l_index != new_obj->l_master)
+		return -NLE_OPNOTSUPP;
+
+	*dst = *src;
+
+	return NLE_SUCCESS;
+}
+
 /**
  * Allocate link object of type bridge
  *
@@ -1851,6 +1874,7 @@ static struct rtnl_link_af_ops bridge_ops = {
 	.ao_parse_protinfo		= &bridge_parse_protinfo,
 	.ao_dump[NL_DUMP_DETAILS]	= &bridge_dump_details,
 	.ao_compare			= &bridge_compare,
+	.ao_update			= &bridge_update,
 	.ao_parse_af_full		= &bridge_parse_af_full,
 	.ao_get_af			= &bridge_get_af,
 	.ao_fill_af			= &bridge_fill_af,
diff --git a/lib/route/link/link-api.h b/lib/route/link/link-api.h
index 0e54057d..746ee024 100644
--- a/lib/route/link/link-api.h
+++ b/lib/route/link/link-api.h
@@ -141,6 +141,18 @@ struct rtnl_link_af_ops
 	int		      (*ao_compare)(struct rtnl_link *,
 					    struct rtnl_link *, int, uint32_t, int);
 
+	/**
+	 * Update function
+	 *
+	 * Will be called when af data of the link object given by first argument
+	 * needs to be updated with the af data of the second supplied link object
+	 *
+	 * The function must return 0 for success and error for failure
+	 * to update. In case of failure its assumed that the original
+	 * object is not touched
+	 */
+	int		      (*ao_update)(struct rtnl_link *, struct rtnl_link *);
+
 	/* RTM_NEWLINK override
 	 *
 	 * Called if a change link request is set to the kernel. If this returns