diff --git a/net/ipv6/addrconf.c b/net/ipv6/addrconf.c
index 93b7a933a7758254ed70ed849d333ad4d19114a7..848b355910424e75d42df6b9218eae3824ee213c 100644
--- a/net/ipv6/addrconf.c
+++ b/net/ipv6/addrconf.c
@@ -2669,7 +2669,9 @@ static int addrconf_ifdown(struct net_device *dev, int how)
 
 	ASSERT_RTNL();
 
-	rt6_ifdown(net, dev);
+	/* Flush routes if device is being removed or it is not loopback */
+	if (how || !(dev->flags & IFF_LOOPBACK))
+		rt6_ifdown(net, dev);
 	neigh_ifdown(&nd_tbl, dev);
 
 	idev = __in6_dev_get(dev);