diff --git a/roles/simulate-fabric/defaults/main.yml b/roles/simulate-fabric/defaults/main.yml
index b41396d..c52e0c0 100644
--- a/roles/simulate-fabric/defaults/main.yml
+++ b/roles/simulate-fabric/defaults/main.yml
@@ -10,13 +10,11 @@
       - veth0
 
 simfabric_links:
-  - name: veth
+  - type: veth
+    dev: veth0
+    peer: fabric
     mac: "02:42:0a:a8:00:01"
 
-simfabric_interfaces:
-  - veth0
-  - veth1
-
 # see note in playbook, won't apply until ansible gets module support
 simfabric_iptables:
   - table: nat
diff --git a/roles/simulate-fabric/files/simulate-fabric-playbook.yml b/roles/simulate-fabric/files/simulate-fabric-playbook.yml
index 6f24f42..55b6587 100644
--- a/roles/simulate-fabric/files/simulate-fabric-playbook.yml
+++ b/roles/simulate-fabric/files/simulate-fabric-playbook.yml
@@ -38,8 +38,8 @@
       with_items: "{{ simfabric_bridges }}"
 
     - name: Create ip links
-      when: "ansible_{{ item.name }}0 is not defined"
-      command: "ip link add address {{ item.mac }} type {{ item.name }}"
+      when: "ansible_{{ item.dev }} is not defined"
+      command: "ip link add dev {{ item.dev }} address {{ item.mac }} type {{ item.type }} peer name {{ item.peer }}"
       with_items: "{{ simfabric_links }}"
 
     - name: Run setup again to obtain link info
@@ -48,7 +48,9 @@
     - name: Start interfaces
       when: "not ansible_{{ item }}.active"
       command: "ip link set dev {{ item }} up"
-      with_items: "{{ simfabric_interfaces }}"
+      with_items:
+      - "{{ simfabric_links | map(attribute='dev') | list }}"
+      - "{{ simfabric_links | map(attribute='peer') | list }}"
 
     - name: Add interfaces to bridges
       when: "not item.1 in ansible_{{ item.0.name }}.interfaces"
diff --git a/roles/simulate-fabric/templates/simulate-fabric-vars.yml.j2 b/roles/simulate-fabric/templates/simulate-fabric-vars.yml.j2
index 599443f..0d183a2 100644
--- a/roles/simulate-fabric/templates/simulate-fabric-vars.yml.j2
+++ b/roles/simulate-fabric/templates/simulate-fabric-vars.yml.j2
@@ -6,9 +6,6 @@
 simfabric_links:
 {{ simfabric_links | to_nice_yaml }}
 
-simfabric_interfaces:
-{{ simfabric_interfaces | to_nice_yaml }}
-
 simfabric_iptables:
 {{ simfabric_iptables | to_nice_yaml }}