diff --git a/cmd/ifquery.c b/cmd/ifquery.c
index 621b9d7..dd17ddc 100644
--- a/cmd/ifquery.c
+++ b/cmd/ifquery.c
@@ -159,6 +159,7 @@ list_interfaces(struct lif_dict *collection, struct match_options *opts)
 }
 
 static bool listing = false, listing_stat = false, listing_running = false;
+static bool allow_undefined = false;
 
 void
 list_state(struct lif_dict *state, struct match_options *opts)
@@ -228,6 +229,13 @@ set_property(const char *opt_arg)
 	match_opts.property = opt_arg;
 }
 
+static void
+set_allow_undefined(const char *opt_arg)
+{
+	(void) opt_arg;
+	allow_undefined = true;
+}
+
 static struct if_option local_options[] = {
 	{'r', "running", NULL, "show configured (running) interfaces", false, set_show_running},
 	{'s', "state", NULL, "show configured state", false, set_show_state},
@@ -235,6 +243,7 @@ static struct if_option local_options[] = {
 	{'D', "dot", NULL, "generate a dependency graph", false, set_output_dot},
 	{'L', "list", NULL, "list matching interfaces", false, set_listing},
 	{'P', "pretty-print", NULL, "pretty print the interfaces instead of just listing", false, set_pretty_print},
+	{'U', "allow-undefined", NULL, "allow querying undefined (virtual) interfaces", false, set_allow_undefined},
 };
 
 static struct if_option_group local_option_group = {
@@ -307,6 +316,9 @@ ifquery_main(int argc, char *argv[])
 
 			if (entry != NULL)
 				iface = entry->data;
+
+			if (entry == NULL && allow_undefined)
+				iface = lif_interface_collection_find(&collection, argv[idx]);
 		}
 
 		if (iface == NULL)
diff --git a/doc/ifquery.scd b/doc/ifquery.scd
index 6e2b6bd..83c8480 100644
--- a/doc/ifquery.scd
+++ b/doc/ifquery.scd
@@ -54,6 +54,11 @@ configuration file to the current format.
 	When listing interfaces, print their configuration in a format
 	that is compatible with *interfaces*(5) files.
 
+*-U, --allow-undefined*
+	Create virtual interfaces for any interfaces not explicitly
+	defined in the configuration file.  This is primarily useful
+	for property queries.
+
 *-S, --state-file* _FILE_
 	Use _FILE_ as the state database.
 
diff --git a/tests/ifquery_test b/tests/ifquery_test
index e095255..92a4b6b 100755
--- a/tests/ifquery_test
+++ b/tests/ifquery_test
@@ -34,7 +34,9 @@ tests_init \
 	vlan_explicit_learned_dependency \
 	vlan_guessed_learned_dependency \
 	vlan_complex_learned_dependency \
-	wireguard
+	wireguard \
+	allow_undefined_positive \
+	allow_undefined_negative
 
 noargs_body() {
 	atf_check -s exit:1 -e ignore ifquery -S/dev/null
@@ -226,3 +228,17 @@ wireguard_body() {
 		-o match:"use wireguard" \
 		ifquery -E $EXECUTORS_LINUX -i $FIXTURES/wireguard.interfaces wg0
 }
+
+allow_undefined_positive_body() {
+	atf_check -s exit:0 \
+		-o ignore \
+		-e ignore \
+		ifquery -U -i /dev/null -p address foo
+}
+
+allow_undefined_negative_body() {
+	atf_check -s exit:1 \
+		-o ignore \
+		-e ignore \
+		ifquery -i /dev/null -p address foo
+}