diff --git a/src/adhoc.c b/src/adhoc.c
index 8c61f81e..8a995481 100644
--- a/src/adhoc.c
+++ b/src/adhoc.c
@@ -24,6 +24,9 @@
 #include <config.h>
 #endif
 
+#include <linux/rtnetlink.h>
+#include <linux/if.h>
+
 #include <ell/ell.h>
 
 #include "linux/nl80211.h"
@@ -160,6 +163,17 @@ static bool ap_sta_match_addr(const void *a, const void *b)
 	return !memcmp(sta->addr, b, 6);
 }
 
+static void adhoc_operstate_cb(int error, uint16_t type,
+					const void *data,
+					uint32_t len, void *user_data)
+{
+	if (!error)
+		return;
+
+	l_debug("netdev: %u, error: %s", L_PTR_TO_UINT(user_data),
+							strerror(-error));
+}
+
 static void adhoc_handshake_event(struct handshake_state *hs,
 		enum handshake_event event, void *user_data, ...)
 {
@@ -397,7 +411,15 @@ static void adhoc_new_station(struct adhoc_state *adhoc, const uint8_t *mac)
 
 	/* with open networks nothing else is required */
 	if (sta->adhoc->open) {
+		int ifindex = netdev_get_ifindex(adhoc->netdev);
+
 		sta->authenticated = true;
+
+		l_rtnl_set_linkmode_and_operstate(iwd_get_rtnl(), ifindex,
+					IF_LINK_MODE_DORMANT, IF_OPER_UP,
+					adhoc_operstate_cb,
+					L_UINT_TO_PTR(ifindex), NULL);
+
 		l_dbus_property_changed(dbus_get_bus(),
 					netdev_get_path(adhoc->netdev),
 					IWD_ADHOC_INTERFACE, "ConnectedPeers");