diff --git a/ip/ip_common.h b/ip/ip_common.h
index b45c5ee..6288437 100644
--- a/ip/ip_common.h
+++ b/ip/ip_common.h
@@ -1,3 +1,4 @@
+extern int get_operstate(const char *name);
 extern int print_linkinfo(const struct sockaddr_nl *who,
 			  struct nlmsghdr *n,
 			  void *arg);
diff --git a/ip/ipaddress.c b/ip/ipaddress.c
index aea1a81..9306a37 100644
--- a/ip/ipaddress.c
+++ b/ip/ipaddress.c
@@ -131,6 +131,16 @@
 		fprintf(f, "state %s ", oper_states[state]);
 }
 
+int get_operstate(const char *name)
+{
+	int i;
+
+	for (i = 0; i < sizeof(oper_states)/sizeof(oper_states[0]); i++)
+		if (strcasecmp(name, oper_states[i]) == 0)
+			return i;
+	return -1;
+}
+
 static void print_queuelen(FILE *f, struct rtattr *tb[IFLA_MAX + 1])
 {
 	int qlen;
diff --git a/ip/iplink.c b/ip/iplink.c
index 814a92c..a58e4d0 100644
--- a/ip/iplink.c
+++ b/ip/iplink.c
@@ -433,10 +433,18 @@
 		} else if (strcmp(*argv, "mode") == 0) {
 			int mode;
 			NEXT_ARG();
-			mode  = get_link_mode(*argv);
+			mode =  get_link_mode(*argv);
 			if (mode < 0)
 				invarg("Invalid link mode\n", *argv);
 			addattr8(&req->n, sizeof(*req), IFLA_LINKMODE, mode);
+		} else if (strcmp(*argv, "state") == 0) {
+			int state;
+			NEXT_ARG();
+			state = get_operstate(*argv);
+			if (state < 0)
+				invarg("Invalid operstate\n", *argv);
+
+			addattr8(&req->n, sizeof(*req), IFLA_OPERSTATE, state);
 		} else {
 			if (strcmp(*argv, "dev") == 0) {
 				NEXT_ARG();
diff --git a/man/man8/ip-link.8 b/man/man8/ip-link.8
index acc6d28..72f4cfd 100644
--- a/man/man8/ip-link.8
+++ b/man/man8/ip-link.8
@@ -103,6 +103,9 @@
 .B mode
 .IR LINKMODE " |"
 .br
+.B state
+.IR LINKSTATE " |"
+.br
 .B master
 .IR DEVICE
 .br
@@ -260,6 +263,10 @@
 of UP when driver is ready.
 
 .TP
+.BI state " LINKSTATE"
+allows setting the operational link state. The values (defined in RFC2863)
+are: UP, DOWN, TESTING, UNKNOWN, DORMANT, NOTPRESENT, LOWERLAYERDOWN.
+.TP
 .BI alias " NAME"
 give the device a symbolic name for easy reference.