diff --git a/bgpd/bgp_fsm.c b/bgpd/bgp_fsm.c
index b62a42a4f6..0f2926d060 100644
--- a/bgpd/bgp_fsm.c
+++ b/bgpd/bgp_fsm.c
@@ -2196,7 +2196,8 @@ void bgp_fsm_nht_update(struct peer *peer, bool has_valid_nexthops)
 	case OpenConfirm:
 	case Established:
 		if (!has_valid_nexthops
-		    && (peer->gtsm_hops == BGP_GTSM_HOPS_CONNECTED))
+		    && (peer->gtsm_hops == BGP_GTSM_HOPS_CONNECTED
+			|| peer->bgp->fast_convergence))
 			BGP_EVENT_ADD(peer, TCP_fatal_error);
 	case Clearing:
 	case Deleted:
diff --git a/bgpd/bgp_vty.c b/bgpd/bgp_vty.c
index 63b2fbd4e6..ebd6e92d9b 100644
--- a/bgpd/bgp_vty.c
+++ b/bgpd/bgp_vty.c
@@ -4158,6 +4158,28 @@ DEFUN (neighbor_remote_as,
 	return peer_remote_as_vty(vty, argv[idx_peer]->arg,
 				  argv[idx_remote_as]->arg);
 }
+/* Enable fast convergence of bgp sessions. If this is enabled, bgp
+ * sessions do not wait for hold timer expiry to bring down the sessions
+ * when nexthop becomes unreachable
+ */
+DEFUN(bgp_fast_convergence, bgp_fast_convergence_cmd, "bgp fast-convergence",
+      BGP_STR "Fast convergence for bgp sessions\n")
+{
+	VTY_DECLVAR_CONTEXT(bgp, bgp);
+	bgp->fast_convergence = true;
+
+	return CMD_SUCCESS;
+}
+
+DEFUN(no_bgp_fast_convergence, no_bgp_fast_convergence_cmd,
+      "no bgp fast-convergence",
+      NO_STR BGP_STR "Fast convergence for bgp sessions\n")
+{
+	VTY_DECLVAR_CONTEXT(bgp, bgp);
+	bgp->fast_convergence = false;
+
+	return CMD_SUCCESS;
+}
 
 static int peer_conf_interface_get(struct vty *vty, const char *conf_if,
 				   int v6only,
@@ -17147,6 +17169,9 @@ int bgp_config_write(struct vty *vty)
 		if (CHECK_FLAG(bgp->flags, BGP_FLAG_SHUTDOWN))
 			vty_out(vty, " bgp shutdown\n");
 
+		if (bgp->fast_convergence)
+			vty_out(vty, " bgp fast-convergence\n");
+
 		if (bgp->srv6_enabled) {
 			vty_frame(vty, " !\n segment-routing srv6\n");
 			if (strlen(bgp->srv6_locator_name))
@@ -17410,6 +17435,10 @@ void bgp_vty_init(void)
 	install_element(CONFIG_NODE, &bgp_set_route_map_delay_timer_cmd);
 	install_element(CONFIG_NODE, &no_bgp_set_route_map_delay_timer_cmd);
 
+	/* bgp fast-convergence command */
+	install_element(BGP_NODE, &bgp_fast_convergence_cmd);
+	install_element(BGP_NODE, &no_bgp_fast_convergence_cmd);
+
 	/* global bgp update-delay command */
 	install_element(CONFIG_NODE, &bgp_global_update_delay_cmd);
 	install_element(CONFIG_NODE, &no_bgp_global_update_delay_cmd);
diff --git a/bgpd/bgpd.c b/bgpd/bgpd.c
index 591fc1214c..1c558cc550 100644
--- a/bgpd/bgpd.c
+++ b/bgpd/bgpd.c
@@ -3165,7 +3165,7 @@ static struct bgp *bgp_create(as_t *as, const char *name,
 	bgp->reject_as_sets = false;
 	bgp->condition_check_period = DEFAULT_CONDITIONAL_ROUTES_POLL_TIME;
 	bgp_addpath_init_bgp_data(&bgp->tx_addpath);
-
+	bgp->fast_convergence = false;
 	bgp->as = *as;
 
 #ifdef ENABLE_BGP_VNC
diff --git a/bgpd/bgpd.h b/bgpd/bgpd.h
index 867062a88b..ed7642f315 100644
--- a/bgpd/bgpd.h
+++ b/bgpd/bgpd.h
@@ -746,6 +746,8 @@ struct bgp {
 	/* Process Queue for handling routes */
 	struct work_queue *process_queue;
 
+	bool fast_convergence;
+
 	/* BGP Conditional advertisement */
 	uint32_t condition_check_period;
 	uint32_t condition_filter_count;