diff --git a/net/ipv4/devinet.c b/net/ipv4/devinet.c
index 3cc9673..478a301 100644
--- a/net/ipv4/devinet.c
+++ b/net/ipv4/devinet.c
@@ -233,11 +233,14 @@
 static void inet_del_ifa(struct in_device *in_dev, struct in_ifaddr **ifap,
 			 int destroy)
 {
+	struct in_ifaddr *promote = NULL;
 	struct in_ifaddr *ifa1 = *ifap;
 
 	ASSERT_RTNL();
 
-	/* 1. Deleting primary ifaddr forces deletion all secondaries */
+	/* 1. Deleting primary ifaddr forces deletion all secondaries 
+	 * unless alias promotion is set
+	 **/
 
 	if (!(ifa1->ifa_flags & IFA_F_SECONDARY)) {
 		struct in_ifaddr *ifa;
@@ -251,11 +254,16 @@
 				continue;
 			}
 
-			*ifap1 = ifa->ifa_next;
+			if (!IN_DEV_PROMOTE_SECONDARIES(in_dev)) {
+				*ifap1 = ifa->ifa_next;
 
-			rtmsg_ifa(RTM_DELADDR, ifa);
-			notifier_call_chain(&inetaddr_chain, NETDEV_DOWN, ifa);
-			inet_free_ifa(ifa);
+				rtmsg_ifa(RTM_DELADDR, ifa);
+				notifier_call_chain(&inetaddr_chain, NETDEV_DOWN, ifa);
+				inet_free_ifa(ifa);
+			} else {
+				promote = ifa;
+				break;
+			}
 		}
 	}
 
@@ -281,6 +289,13 @@
 		if (!in_dev->ifa_list)
 			inetdev_destroy(in_dev);
 	}
+
+	if (promote && IN_DEV_PROMOTE_SECONDARIES(in_dev)) {
+		/* not sure if we should send a delete notify first? */
+		promote->ifa_flags &= ~IFA_F_SECONDARY;
+		rtmsg_ifa(RTM_NEWADDR, promote);
+		notifier_call_chain(&inetaddr_chain, NETDEV_UP, promote);
+	}
 }
 
 static int inet_insert_ifa(struct in_ifaddr *ifa)
@@ -1384,6 +1399,15 @@
 			.proc_handler	= &ipv4_doint_and_flush,
 			.strategy	= &ipv4_doint_and_flush_strategy,
 		},
+		{
+			.ctl_name	= NET_IPV4_CONF_PROMOTE_SECONDARIES,
+			.procname	= "promote_secondaries",
+			.data		= &ipv4_devconf.promote_secondaries,
+			.maxlen		= sizeof(int),
+			.mode		= 0644,
+			.proc_handler	= &ipv4_doint_and_flush,
+			.strategy	= &ipv4_doint_and_flush_strategy,
+		},
 	},
 	.devinet_dev = {
 		{