diff --git a/cmd/ifquery.c b/cmd/ifquery.c
index ac07cbd..54625b1 100644
--- a/cmd/ifquery.c
+++ b/cmd/ifquery.c
@@ -63,7 +63,7 @@ print_interface_dot(struct lif_dict *collection, struct lif_interface *iface, st
 	if (!lif_lifecycle_query_dependents(&exec_opts, iface, iface->ifname))
 		return;
 
-	if (iface->is_up)
+	if (iface->refcount > 0)
 		return;
 
 	if (parent != NULL)
@@ -87,7 +87,7 @@ print_interface_dot(struct lif_dict *collection, struct lif_interface *iface, st
 		struct lif_interface *child_if = lif_interface_collection_find(collection, tokenp);
 
 		print_interface_dot(collection, child_if, iface);
-		child_if->is_up = true;
+		child_if->refcount++;
 	}
 }
 
diff --git a/libifupdown/interface.h b/libifupdown/interface.h
index 3f2c287..a18c4b7 100644
--- a/libifupdown/interface.h
+++ b/libifupdown/interface.h
@@ -53,7 +53,7 @@ struct lif_interface {
 
 	struct lif_dict vars;
 
-	bool is_up;
+	size_t refcount;	/* >= 0 if up, else 0 */
 };
 
 #define LIF_INTERFACE_COLLECTION_FOREACH(iter, collection) \
diff --git a/libifupdown/lifecycle.c b/libifupdown/lifecycle.c
index f34041f..2b77ed0 100644
--- a/libifupdown/lifecycle.c
+++ b/libifupdown/lifecycle.c
@@ -279,7 +279,7 @@ handle_dependents(const struct lif_execute_opts *opts, struct lif_interface *par
 		struct lif_interface *iface = lif_interface_collection_find(collection, tokenp);
 
 		/* already up or down, skip */
-		if (up == iface->is_up)
+		if (up && iface->refcount > 0)
 		{
 			if (opts->verbose)
 				fprintf(stderr, "ifupdown: skipping dependent interface %s (of %s)\n",
@@ -328,7 +328,7 @@ lif_lifecycle_run(const struct lif_execute_opts *opts, struct lif_interface *ifa
 
 		lif_state_upsert(state, lifname, iface);
 
-		iface->is_up = true;
+		iface->refcount++;
 	}
 	else
 	{
@@ -347,7 +347,7 @@ lif_lifecycle_run(const struct lif_execute_opts *opts, struct lif_interface *ifa
 
 		lif_state_delete(state, lifname);
 
-		iface->is_up = false;
+		iface->refcount--;
 	}
 
 	return true;
diff --git a/libifupdown/state.c b/libifupdown/state.c
index 74d0e0c..a05e3dd 100644
--- a/libifupdown/state.c
+++ b/libifupdown/state.c
@@ -126,7 +126,7 @@ lif_state_sync(struct lif_dict *state, struct lif_dict *if_collection)
 		struct lif_dict_entry *entry = iter->data;
 		struct lif_interface *iface = lif_interface_collection_find(if_collection, entry->key);
 
-		iface->is_up = true;
+		iface->refcount++;
 	}
 
 	return true;