diff --git a/src/core/netdev.c b/src/core/netdev.c
index 28eafbd..e244ed1 100644
--- a/src/core/netdev.c
+++ b/src/core/netdev.c
@@ -470,6 +470,29 @@
 	return MNL_CB_OK;
 }
 
+/* Trigger an initial dump of the iface to get link information */
+static int netdev_mnl_request_initial_dump(struct osmo_mnl *omnl, unsigned int if_index)
+{
+	char buf[MNL_SOCKET_BUFFER_SIZE];
+	struct nlmsghdr *nlh = mnl_nlmsg_put_header(buf);
+	struct ifinfomsg *ifm;
+
+	nlh->nlmsg_type	= RTM_GETLINK;
+	nlh->nlmsg_flags = NLM_F_REQUEST | NLM_F_ACK;
+	nlh->nlmsg_seq = time(NULL);
+
+	ifm = mnl_nlmsg_put_extra_header(nlh, sizeof(*ifm));
+	ifm->ifi_family = AF_UNSPEC;
+	ifm->ifi_index = if_index;
+
+	if (mnl_socket_sendto(omnl->mnls, nlh, nlh->nlmsg_len) < 0) {
+		LOGP(DLGLOBAL, LOGL_ERROR, "mnl_socket_sendto\n");
+		return -EIO;
+	}
+
+	return 0;
+}
+
 static int netdev_mnl_set_ifupdown(struct osmo_mnl *omnl, unsigned int if_index,
 				   const char *dev_name, bool up)
 {
@@ -669,6 +692,10 @@
 	}
 	osmo_talloc_replace_string(netdev, &netdev->dev_name, ifnamebuf);
 
+#if ENABLE_LIBMNL
+	rc = netdev_mnl_request_initial_dump(netdev->netns_ctx->omnl, netdev->ifindex);
+#endif
+
 	NETDEV_NETNS_EXIT(netdev, &switch_state, "register");
 
 	netdev->registered = true;
diff --git a/src/gb/Makefile.am b/src/gb/Makefile.am
index 1a26939..5bda374 100644
--- a/src/gb/Makefile.am
+++ b/src/gb/Makefile.am
@@ -6,7 +6,6 @@
 AM_CPPFLAGS = -I$(top_srcdir)/include -I$(top_builddir)/include -I$(top_builddir)
 AM_CFLAGS = -Wall -fno-strict-aliasing \
 	    $(TALLOC_CFLAGS) \
-	    $(LIBMNL_CFLAGS) \
 	    $(NULL)
 
 # FIXME: this should eventually go into a milenage/Makefile.am
diff --git a/src/gb/gprs_ns2_fr.c b/src/gb/gprs_ns2_fr.c
index f85b1e4..d651601 100644
--- a/src/gb/gprs_ns2_fr.c
+++ b/src/gb/gprs_ns2_fr.c
@@ -55,13 +55,10 @@
 #include <osmocom/core/timer.h>
 #include <osmocom/core/talloc.h>
 #include <osmocom/gprs/gprs_ns2.h>
+#include <osmocom/core/netdev.h>
 #include <osmocom/gprs/protocol/gsm_08_16.h>
 #include <osmocom/gprs/protocol/gsm_08_18.h>
 
-#ifdef ENABLE_LIBMNL
-#include <osmocom/core/mnl.h>
-#endif
-
 #include "config.h"
 #include "common_vty.h"
 #include "gprs_ns2_internal.h"
@@ -92,6 +89,7 @@
 };
 
 struct priv_bind {
+	struct osmo_netdev *netdev;
 	char netif[IFNAMSIZ];
 	struct osmo_fr_link *link;
 	int ifindex;
@@ -172,6 +170,7 @@
 	}
 	msgb_free(priv->backlog.lmi_msg);
 
+	osmo_netdev_free(priv->netdev);
 	osmo_fr_link_free(priv->link);
 	osmo_fd_close(&priv->backlog.ofd);
 	talloc_free(priv);
@@ -515,60 +514,14 @@
 	return fd;
 }
 
-#ifdef ENABLE_LIBMNL
-
-#include <osmocom/core/mnl.h>
-#include <linux/if_link.h>
-#include <linux/rtnetlink.h>
-
-#ifndef ARPHRD_FRAD
-#define ARPHRD_FRAD  770
-#endif
-
-/* validate the netlink attributes */
-static int data_attr_cb(const struct nlattr *attr, void *data)
+static int gprs_n2_fr_ifupdown_ind_cb(struct osmo_netdev *netdev, bool if_running)
 {
-	const struct nlattr **tb = data;
-	int type = mnl_attr_get_type(attr);
-
-	if (mnl_attr_type_valid(attr, IFLA_MAX) < 0)
-		return MNL_CB_OK;
-
-	switch (type) {
-	case IFLA_MTU:
-		if (mnl_attr_validate(attr, MNL_TYPE_U32) < 0)
-			return MNL_CB_ERROR;
-		break;
-	case IFLA_IFNAME:
-		if (mnl_attr_validate(attr, MNL_TYPE_STRING) < 0)
-			return MNL_CB_ERROR;
-		break;
-	}
-	tb[type] = attr;
-	return MNL_CB_OK;
-}
-
-/* find the bind for the netdev (if any) */
-static struct gprs_ns2_vc_bind *bind4netdev(struct gprs_ns2_inst *nsi, const char *ifname)
-{
-	struct gprs_ns2_vc_bind *bind;
-
-	llist_for_each_entry(bind, &nsi->binding, list) {
-		struct priv_bind *bpriv = bind->priv;
-		if (!strcmp(bpriv->netif, ifname))
-			return bind;
-	}
-
-	return NULL;
-}
-
-static void link_state_change(struct gprs_ns2_vc_bind *bind, bool if_running)
-{
+	struct gprs_ns2_vc_bind *bind = osmo_netdev_get_priv_data(netdev);
 	struct priv_bind *bpriv = bind->priv;
 	struct msgb *msg, *msg2;
 
 	if (bpriv->if_running == if_running)
-		return;
+		return 0;
 
 	LOGBIND(bind, LOGL_NOTICE, "FR net-device '%s': Physical link state changed: %s\n",
 		bpriv->netif, if_running ? "UP" : "DOWN");
@@ -589,93 +542,36 @@
 	}
 
 	bpriv->if_running = if_running;
+	return 0;
 }
 
-static void mtu_change(struct gprs_ns2_vc_bind *bind, uint32_t mtu)
+static int gprs_n2_fr_mtu_chg_cb(struct osmo_netdev *netdev, uint32_t new_mtu)
 {
+	struct gprs_ns2_vc_bind *bind = osmo_netdev_get_priv_data(netdev);
 	struct priv_bind *bpriv = bind->priv;
 	struct gprs_ns2_nse *nse;
 
 	/* 2 byte DLCI header */
-	if (mtu <= 2)
-		return;
-	mtu -= 2;
+	if (new_mtu <= 2)
+		return 0;
+	new_mtu -= 2;
 
-	if (mtu == bind->mtu)
-		return;
+	if (new_mtu == bind->mtu)
+		return 0;
 
 	LOGBIND(bind, LOGL_INFO, "MTU changed from %d to %d.\n",
-		bind->mtu + 2, mtu + 2);
+		bind->mtu + 2, new_mtu + 2);
 
-	bind->mtu = mtu;
+	bind->mtu = new_mtu;
 	if (!bpriv->if_running)
-		return;
+		return 0;
 
 	llist_for_each_entry(nse, &bind->nsi->nse, list) {
 		ns2_nse_update_mtu(nse);
 	}
+	return 0;
 }
 
-/* handle a single netlink message received via libmnl */
-static int linkmon_mnl_cb(const struct nlmsghdr *nlh, void *data)
-{
-	struct osmo_mnl *omnl = data;
-	struct gprs_ns2_vc_bind *bind;
-	struct nlattr *tb[IFLA_MAX+1] = {};
-	struct ifinfomsg *ifm = mnl_nlmsg_get_payload(nlh);
-	struct gprs_ns2_inst *nsi;
-	const char *ifname;
-	bool if_running;
-
-	OSMO_ASSERT(omnl);
-	OSMO_ASSERT(ifm);
-
-	nsi = omnl->priv;
-
-	if (ifm->ifi_type != ARPHRD_FRAD)
-		return MNL_CB_OK;
-
-	mnl_attr_parse(nlh, sizeof(*ifm), data_attr_cb, tb);
-
-	if (!tb[IFLA_IFNAME])
-		return MNL_CB_OK;
-	ifname = mnl_attr_get_str(tb[IFLA_IFNAME]);
-	if_running = !!(ifm->ifi_flags & IFF_RUNNING);
-
-	bind = bind4netdev(nsi, ifname);
-	if (!bind)
-		return MNL_CB_OK;
-
-	if (tb[IFLA_MTU]) {
-		mtu_change(bind, mnl_attr_get_u32(tb[IFLA_MTU]));
-	}
-
-	link_state_change(bind, if_running);
-
-	return MNL_CB_OK;
-}
-
-/* trigger one initial dump of all link information */
-static void linkmon_initial_dump(struct osmo_mnl *omnl)
-{
-	char buf[MNL_SOCKET_BUFFER_SIZE];
-	struct nlmsghdr *nlh = mnl_nlmsg_put_header(buf);
-	struct rtgenmsg *rt;
-
-	nlh->nlmsg_type = RTM_GETLINK;
-	nlh->nlmsg_flags = NLM_F_REQUEST | NLM_F_DUMP;
-	nlh->nlmsg_seq = time(NULL);
-	rt = mnl_nlmsg_put_extra_header(nlh, sizeof(struct rtgenmsg));
-	rt->rtgen_family = AF_PACKET;
-
-	if (mnl_socket_sendto(omnl->mnls, nlh, nlh->nlmsg_len) < 0) {
-		LOGP(DLNS, LOGL_ERROR, "linkmon: Cannot send rtnetlink message: %s\n", strerror(errno));
-	}
-
-	/* the response[s] will be handled just like the events */
-}
-#endif /* LIBMNL */
-
 static int set_ifupdown(const char *netif, bool up)
 {
 	int sock, rc;
@@ -854,16 +750,31 @@
 		goto err_fr;
 	}
 
+	priv->netdev = osmo_netdev_alloc(bind, name);
+	if (!priv->netdev) {
+		rc = -ENOENT;
+		goto err_fr;
+	}
+	osmo_netdev_set_priv_data(priv->netdev, bind);
+	osmo_netdev_set_ifupdown_ind_cb(priv->netdev, gprs_n2_fr_ifupdown_ind_cb);
+	osmo_netdev_set_mtu_chg_cb(priv->netdev, gprs_n2_fr_mtu_chg_cb);
+	rc = osmo_netdev_set_ifindex(priv->netdev, priv->ifindex);
+	if (rc < 0)
+		goto err_free_netdev;
+	rc = osmo_netdev_register(priv->netdev);
+	if (rc < 0)
+		goto err_free_netdev;
+
 	/* set protocol frame relay and lmi */
 	rc = setup_device(priv->netif, bind);
 	if(rc < 0) {
 		LOGBIND(bind, LOGL_ERROR, "Failed to setup the interface %s for frame relay and lmi\n", netif);
-		goto err_fr;
+		goto err_free_netdev;
 	}
 
 	rc = open_socket(priv->ifindex, bind);
 	if (rc < 0)
-		goto err_fr;
+		goto err_free_netdev;
 	priv->backlog.retry_us = 2500; /* start with some non-zero value; this corrsponds to 496 bytes */
 	osmo_timer_setup(&priv->backlog.timer, fr_backlog_timer_cb, bind);
 	osmo_fd_setup(&priv->backlog.ofd, rc, OSMO_FD_READ, fr_netif_ofd_cb, bind, 0);
@@ -871,16 +782,6 @@
 	if (rc < 0)
 		goto err_fd;
 
-#ifdef ENABLE_LIBMNL
-	if (!nsi->linkmon_mnl)
-		nsi->linkmon_mnl = osmo_mnl_init(nsi, NETLINK_ROUTE, RTMGRP_LINK, linkmon_mnl_cb, nsi);
-
-	/* we get a new full dump after every bind. which is a bit excessive. But that's just once
-	 * at start-up, so we can get away with it */
-	if (nsi->linkmon_mnl)
-		linkmon_initial_dump(nsi->linkmon_mnl);
-#endif
-
 	if (result)
 		*result = bind;
 
@@ -888,6 +789,9 @@
 
 err_fd:
 	close(priv->backlog.ofd.fd);
+err_free_netdev:
+	osmo_netdev_free(priv->netdev);
+	priv->netdev = NULL;
 err_fr:
 	osmo_fr_link_free(fr_link);
 	priv->link = NULL;
diff --git a/src/gb/gprs_ns2_internal.h b/src/gb/gprs_ns2_internal.h
index 93aaa99..4f33221 100644
--- a/src/gb/gprs_ns2_internal.h
+++ b/src/gb/gprs_ns2_internal.h
@@ -163,9 +163,6 @@
 	/*! workaround for rate counter until rate counter accepts char str as index */
 	uint32_t nsvc_rate_ctr_idx;
 	uint32_t bind_rate_ctr_idx;
-
-	/*! libmnl netlink socket for link state monitoring */
-	struct osmo_mnl *linkmon_mnl;
 };
 
 
diff --git a/tests/Makefile.am b/tests/Makefile.am
index a28aa7f..c637c16 100644
--- a/tests/Makefile.am
+++ b/tests/Makefile.am
@@ -211,9 +211,6 @@
 			$(top_builddir)/src/gsm/libosmogsm.la \
 			$(top_builddir)/src/core/libosmocore.la \
 			$(top_builddir)/src/gb/libosmogb-test.la
-if ENABLE_LIBMNL
-gb_gprs_ns2_test_LDADD += $(LIBMNL_LIBS)
-endif
 
 logging_logging_test_SOURCES = logging/logging_test.c