diff --git a/lib/if.c b/lib/if.c
index 1e34ff4b84..371c6bef87 100644
--- a/lib/if.c
+++ b/lib/if.c
@@ -1423,6 +1423,8 @@ static int lib_interface_create(enum nb_event event,
 #else
 		ifp = if_get_by_name(ifname, vrf->vrf_id);
 #endif /* SUNOS_5 */
+
+		ifp->configured = true;
 		nb_running_set_entry(dnode, ifp);
 		break;
 	}
@@ -1450,6 +1452,8 @@ static int lib_interface_destroy(enum nb_event event,
 		break;
 	case NB_EV_APPLY:
 		ifp = nb_running_unset_entry(dnode);
+
+		ifp->configured = false;
 		if_delete(ifp);
 		break;
 	}
diff --git a/lib/if.h b/lib/if.h
index e3ec278f9f..ee99fad2e1 100644
--- a/lib/if.h
+++ b/lib/if.h
@@ -293,6 +293,12 @@ struct interface {
 	struct route_node *node;
 	vrf_id_t vrf_id;
 
+	/*
+	 * Has the end users entered `interface XXXX` from the cli in some
+	 * fashion?
+	 */
+	bool configured;
+
 	QOBJ_FIELDS
 };
 
diff --git a/zebra/interface.c b/zebra/interface.c
index 6486c01430..d21ab25fed 100644
--- a/zebra/interface.c
+++ b/zebra/interface.c
@@ -767,6 +767,13 @@ void if_delete_update(struct interface *ifp)
 		memset(&zif->brslave_info, 0,
 		       sizeof(struct zebra_l2info_brslave));
 	}
+
+	if (!ifp->configured) {
+		if (IS_ZEBRA_DEBUG_KERNEL)
+			zlog_debug("interface %s is being deleted from the system",
+				   ifp->name);
+		if_delete(ifp);
+	}
 }
 
 /* VRF change for an interface */