diff --git a/zebra/interface.c b/zebra/interface.c
index 411712d..8a9225a 100644
--- a/zebra/interface.c
+++ b/zebra/interface.c
@@ -705,9 +705,6 @@
 static void
 if_dump_vty (struct vty *vty, struct interface *ifp)
 {
-#ifdef HAVE_STRUCT_SOCKADDR_DL
-  struct sockaddr_dl *sdl;
-#endif /* HAVE_STRUCT_SOCKADDR_DL */
   struct connected *connected;
   struct listnode *node;
   struct route_node *rn;
@@ -759,19 +756,7 @@
            if_flag_dump (ifp->flags), VTY_NEWLINE);
   
   /* Hardware address. */
-#ifdef HAVE_STRUCT_SOCKADDR_DL
-  sdl = &ifp->sdl;
-  if (sdl != NULL && sdl->sdl_alen != 0)
-    {
-      int i;
-      u_char *ptr;
-
-      vty_out (vty, "  HWaddr: ");
-      for (i = 0, ptr = (u_char *)LLADDR (sdl); i < sdl->sdl_alen; i++, ptr++)
-        vty_out (vty, "%s%02x", i == 0 ? "" : ":", *ptr);
-      vty_out (vty, "%s", VTY_NEWLINE);
-    }
-#else
+  vty_out (vty, "  Type: %s%s", if_link_type_str (ifp->ll_type), VTY_NEWLINE);
   if (ifp->hw_addr_len != 0)
     {
       int i;
@@ -781,7 +766,6 @@
 	vty_out (vty, "%s%02x", i == 0 ? "" : ":", ifp->hw_addr[i]);
       vty_out (vty, "%s", VTY_NEWLINE);
     }
-#endif /* HAVE_STRUCT_SOCKADDR_DL */
   
   /* Bandwidth in kbps */
   if (ifp->bandwidth != 0)
diff --git a/zebra/interface.h b/zebra/interface.h
index 936156e..dbb33c5 100644
--- a/zebra/interface.h
+++ b/zebra/interface.h
@@ -196,6 +196,16 @@
   struct irdp_interface irdp;
 #endif
 
+#ifdef HAVE_STRUCT_SOCKADDR_DL
+  union {
+    /* note that sdl_storage is never accessed, it only exists to make space.
+     * all actual uses refer to sdl - but use sizeof(sdl_storage)!  this fits
+     * best with C aliasing rules. */
+    struct sockaddr_dl sdl;
+    struct sockaddr_storage sdl_storage;
+  };
+#endif
+
 #ifdef SUNOS_5
   /* the real IFF_UP state of the primary interface.
    * need this to differentiate between all interfaces being
diff --git a/zebra/kernel_socket.c b/zebra/kernel_socket.c
index ba03498..10cc48c 100644
--- a/zebra/kernel_socket.c
+++ b/zebra/kernel_socket.c
@@ -20,6 +20,7 @@
  */
 
 #include <zebra.h>
+#include <net/if_types.h>
 
 #include "if.h"
 #include "prefix.h"
@@ -378,6 +379,29 @@
 }
 #endif /* HAVE_BSD_IFI_LINK_STATE */
 
+static enum zebra_link_type
+sdl_to_zebra_link_type (unsigned int sdlt)
+{
+  switch (sdlt)
+  {
+    case IFT_ETHER: return ZEBRA_LLT_ETHER;
+    case IFT_X25: return ZEBRA_LLT_X25;
+    case IFT_FDDI: return ZEBRA_LLT_FDDI;
+    case IFT_PPP: return ZEBRA_LLT_PPP;
+    case IFT_LOOP: return ZEBRA_LLT_LOOPBACK;
+    case IFT_SLIP: return ZEBRA_LLT_SLIP;
+    case IFT_ARCNET: return ZEBRA_LLT_ARCNET;
+    case IFT_ATM: return ZEBRA_LLT_ATM;
+    case IFT_LOCALTALK: return ZEBRA_LLT_LOCALTLK;
+    case IFT_HIPPI: return ZEBRA_LLT_HIPPI;
+#ifdef IFT_IEEE1394
+    case IFT_IEEE1394: return ZEBRA_LLT_IEEE1394;
+#endif
+
+    default: return ZEBRA_LLT_UNKNOWN;
+  }
+}
+
 /*
  * Handle struct if_msghdr obtained from reading routing socket or
  * sysctl (from interface_list).  There may or may not be sockaddrs
@@ -534,14 +558,23 @@
        *    is fine here.
        * a nonzero ifnlen from RTA_NAME_GET() means sdl is valid
        */
+      ifp->ll_type = ZEBRA_LLT_UNKNOWN;
+      ifp->hw_addr_len = 0;
       if (ifnlen)
-      {
+        {
 #ifdef HAVE_STRUCT_SOCKADDR_DL_SDL_LEN
-	memcpy (&ifp->sdl, sdl, sdl->sdl_len);
+          memcpy (&((struct zebra_if *)ifp->info)->sdl, sdl, sdl->sdl_len);
 #else
-	memcpy (&ifp->sdl, sdl, sizeof (struct sockaddr_dl));
+          memcpy (&((struct zebra_if *)ifp->info)->sdl, sdl, sizeof (struct sockaddr_dl));
 #endif /* HAVE_STRUCT_SOCKADDR_DL_SDL_LEN */
-      }
+
+          ifp->ll_type = sdl_to_zebra_link_type (sdl->sdl_type);
+          if (sdl->sdl_alen <= sizeof(ifp->hw_addr))
+            {
+              memcpy (ifp->hw_addr, LLADDR(sdl), sdl->sdl_alen);
+              ifp->hw_addr_len = sdl->sdl_alen;
+            }
+        }
 
       if_add_update (ifp);
     }
@@ -1099,7 +1132,7 @@
             __func__, dest_buf, mask_buf, index);
           return -1;
         }
-      gate = (union sockunion *) & ifp->sdl;
+      gate = (union sockunion *) &((struct zebra_if *)ifp->info)->sdl;
     }
 
   if (mask)
diff --git a/zebra/rt_netlink.c b/zebra/rt_netlink.c
index 930271d..b164c7a 100644
--- a/zebra/rt_netlink.c
+++ b/zebra/rt_netlink.c
@@ -20,6 +20,7 @@
  */
 
 #include <zebra.h>
+#include <net/if_arp.h>
 
 /* Hack for GNU libc version 2. */
 #ifndef MSG_TRUNC
@@ -462,6 +463,68 @@
     }
 }
 
+static enum zebra_link_type
+netlink_to_zebra_link_type (unsigned int hwt)
+{
+  switch (hwt)
+  {
+    case ARPHRD_ETHER: return ZEBRA_LLT_ETHER;
+    case ARPHRD_EETHER: return ZEBRA_LLT_EETHER;
+    case ARPHRD_AX25: return ZEBRA_LLT_AX25;
+    case ARPHRD_PRONET: return ZEBRA_LLT_PRONET;
+    case ARPHRD_IEEE802: return ZEBRA_LLT_IEEE802;
+    case ARPHRD_ARCNET: return ZEBRA_LLT_ARCNET;
+    case ARPHRD_APPLETLK: return ZEBRA_LLT_APPLETLK;
+    case ARPHRD_DLCI: return ZEBRA_LLT_DLCI;
+    case ARPHRD_ATM: return ZEBRA_LLT_ATM;
+    case ARPHRD_METRICOM: return ZEBRA_LLT_METRICOM;
+    case ARPHRD_IEEE1394: return ZEBRA_LLT_IEEE1394;
+    case ARPHRD_EUI64: return ZEBRA_LLT_EUI64;
+    case ARPHRD_INFINIBAND: return ZEBRA_LLT_INFINIBAND;
+    case ARPHRD_SLIP: return ZEBRA_LLT_SLIP;
+    case ARPHRD_CSLIP: return ZEBRA_LLT_CSLIP;
+    case ARPHRD_SLIP6: return ZEBRA_LLT_SLIP6;
+    case ARPHRD_CSLIP6: return ZEBRA_LLT_CSLIP6;
+    case ARPHRD_RSRVD: return ZEBRA_LLT_RSRVD;
+    case ARPHRD_ADAPT: return ZEBRA_LLT_ADAPT;
+    case ARPHRD_ROSE: return ZEBRA_LLT_ROSE;
+    case ARPHRD_X25: return ZEBRA_LLT_X25;
+    case ARPHRD_PPP: return ZEBRA_LLT_PPP;
+    case ARPHRD_CISCO: return ZEBRA_LLT_CHDLC;
+    case ARPHRD_LAPB: return ZEBRA_LLT_LAPB;
+    case ARPHRD_RAWHDLC: return ZEBRA_LLT_RAWHDLC;
+    case ARPHRD_TUNNEL: return ZEBRA_LLT_IPIP;
+    case ARPHRD_TUNNEL6: return ZEBRA_LLT_IPIP6;
+    case ARPHRD_FRAD: return ZEBRA_LLT_FRAD;
+    case ARPHRD_SKIP: return ZEBRA_LLT_SKIP;
+    case ARPHRD_LOOPBACK: return ZEBRA_LLT_LOOPBACK;
+    case ARPHRD_LOCALTLK: return ZEBRA_LLT_LOCALTLK;
+    case ARPHRD_FDDI: return ZEBRA_LLT_FDDI;
+    case ARPHRD_SIT: return ZEBRA_LLT_SIT;
+    case ARPHRD_IPDDP: return ZEBRA_LLT_IPDDP;
+    case ARPHRD_IPGRE: return ZEBRA_LLT_IPGRE;
+    case ARPHRD_PIMREG: return ZEBRA_LLT_PIMREG;
+    case ARPHRD_HIPPI: return ZEBRA_LLT_HIPPI;
+    case ARPHRD_ECONET: return ZEBRA_LLT_ECONET;
+    case ARPHRD_IRDA: return ZEBRA_LLT_IRDA;
+    case ARPHRD_FCPP: return ZEBRA_LLT_FCPP;
+    case ARPHRD_FCAL: return ZEBRA_LLT_FCAL;
+    case ARPHRD_FCPL: return ZEBRA_LLT_FCPL;
+    case ARPHRD_FCFABRIC: return ZEBRA_LLT_FCFABRIC;
+    case ARPHRD_IEEE802_TR: return ZEBRA_LLT_IEEE802_TR;
+    case ARPHRD_IEEE80211: return ZEBRA_LLT_IEEE80211;
+    case ARPHRD_IEEE802154: return ZEBRA_LLT_IEEE802154;
+#ifdef ARPHRD_IP6GRE
+    case ARPHRD_IP6GRE: return ZEBRA_LLT_IP6GRE;
+#endif
+#ifdef ARPHRD_IEEE802154_PHY
+    case ARPHRD_IEEE802154_PHY: return ZEBRA_LLT_IEEE802154_PHY;
+#endif
+
+    default: return ZEBRA_LLT_UNKNOWN;
+  }
+}
+
 /* Called from interface_lookup_netlink().  This function is only used
    during bootstrap. */
 static int
@@ -509,7 +572,7 @@
   ifp->metric = 0;
 
   /* Hardware type and address. */
-  ifp->hw_type = ifi->ifi_type;
+  ifp->ll_type = netlink_to_zebra_link_type (ifi->ifi_type);
   netlink_interface_update_hw_addr (tb, ifp);
 
   if_add_update (ifp);
diff --git a/zebra/rtadv.c b/zebra/rtadv.c
index 6b49cf6..7bb9305 100644
--- a/zebra/rtadv.c
+++ b/zebra/rtadv.c
@@ -294,24 +294,6 @@
     }
 
   /* Hardware address. */
-#ifdef HAVE_STRUCT_SOCKADDR_DL
-  sdl = &ifp->sdl;
-  if (sdl != NULL && sdl->sdl_alen != 0)
-    {
-      buf[len++] = ND_OPT_SOURCE_LINKADDR;
-
-      /* Option length should be rounded up to next octet if
-         the link address does not end on an octet boundary. */
-      buf[len++] = (sdl->sdl_alen + 9) >> 3;
-
-      memcpy (buf + len, LLADDR (sdl), sdl->sdl_alen);
-      len += sdl->sdl_alen;
-
-      /* Pad option to end on an octet boundary. */
-      memset (buf + len, 0, -(sdl->sdl_alen + 2) & 0x7);
-      len += -(sdl->sdl_alen + 2) & 0x7;
-    }
-#else
   if (ifp->hw_addr_len != 0)
     {
       buf[len++] = ND_OPT_SOURCE_LINKADDR;
@@ -327,7 +309,6 @@
       memset (buf + len, 0, -(ifp->hw_addr_len + 2) & 0x7);
       len += -(ifp->hw_addr_len + 2) & 0x7;
     }
-#endif /* HAVE_STRUCT_SOCKADDR_DL */
 
   /* MTU */
   if (zif->rtadv.AdvLinkMTU)
diff --git a/zebra/zserv.c b/zebra/zserv.c
index 600b0e5..2fd10d9 100644
--- a/zebra/zserv.c
+++ b/zebra/zserv.c
@@ -154,13 +154,10 @@
   stream_putl (s, ifp->mtu);
   stream_putl (s, ifp->mtu6);
   stream_putl (s, ifp->bandwidth);
-#ifdef HAVE_STRUCT_SOCKADDR_DL
-  stream_put (s, &ifp->sdl, sizeof (ifp->sdl_storage));
-#else
+  stream_putl (s, ifp->ll_type);
   stream_putl (s, ifp->hw_addr_len);
   if (ifp->hw_addr_len)
     stream_put (s, ifp->hw_addr, ifp->hw_addr_len);
-#endif /* HAVE_STRUCT_SOCKADDR_DL */
 
   /* Write packet size. */
   stream_putw_at (s, 0, stream_get_endp (s));