diff --git a/cmd/ifupdown.c b/cmd/ifupdown.c
index 9124320..6405cbf 100644
--- a/cmd/ifupdown.c
+++ b/cmd/ifupdown.c
@@ -96,6 +96,9 @@ acquire_state_lock(const char *state_path, const char *lifname)
 bool
 skip_interface(struct lif_interface *iface, const char *ifname)
 {
+	if (exec_opts.force)
+		return false;
+
 	if (up && iface->refcount > 0)
 	{
 		fprintf(stderr, "%s: skipping %s (already configured), use --force to force configuration\n",
diff --git a/cmd/multicall-exec-options.c b/cmd/multicall-exec-options.c
index cd57a22..f56228c 100644
--- a/cmd/multicall-exec-options.c
+++ b/cmd/multicall-exec-options.c
@@ -68,13 +68,14 @@ set_no_lock(const char *opt_arg)
 }
 
 static void
-no_op(const char *opt_arg)
+set_force(const char *opt_arg)
 {
 	(void) opt_arg;
+	exec_opts.force = true;
 }
 
 static struct if_option exec_options[] = {
-	{'f', "force", NULL, "force (de)configuration", false, no_op},
+	{'f', "force", NULL, "force (de)configuration", false, set_force},
 	{'i', "interfaces", "interfaces FILE", "use FILE for interface definitions", true, set_interfaces_file},
 	{'l', "no-lock", NULL, "do not use a lockfile to serialize state changes", false, set_no_lock},
 	{'n', "no-act", NULL, "do not actually run any commands", false, set_no_act},
diff --git a/libifupdown/execute.h b/libifupdown/execute.h
index fa4af78..89b9815 100644
--- a/libifupdown/execute.h
+++ b/libifupdown/execute.h
@@ -23,6 +23,7 @@ struct lif_execute_opts {
 	bool verbose;
 	bool mock;
 	bool no_lock;
+	bool force;
 	const char *executor_path;
 	const char *interfaces_file;
 	const char *state_file;