diff --git a/ldpd/interface.c b/ldpd/interface.c
index f0e70cbacce1..7208548e290a 100644
--- a/ldpd/interface.c
+++ b/ldpd/interface.c
@@ -8,6 +8,7 @@
  */
 
 #include <zebra.h>
+#include "privs.h"
 
 #include "ldpd.h"
 #include "ldpe.h"
@@ -16,6 +17,8 @@
 
 #include "sockopt.h"
 
+extern struct zebra_privs_t ldpe_privs;
+
 static __inline int	 iface_compare(const struct iface *, const struct iface *);
 static struct if_addr	*if_addr_new(struct kaddr *);
 static struct if_addr	*if_addr_lookup(struct if_addr_head *, struct kaddr *);
@@ -93,6 +96,20 @@ ldpe_if_init(struct iface *iface)
 	ldp_sync_fsm_init(iface, LDP_SYNC_STA_NOT_ACH);
 }
 
+/* proc sys net mpls conf <name> input set to 1 or 0
+ * should be used from ldpe only
+ */
+void ldpe_interface_set_mpls(struct iface *iface, bool val)
+{
+	struct ldp_igp_configure_if_mpls config;
+
+	config.ifindex = iface->ifindex;
+	config.status = val;
+
+	ldpe_imsg_compose_parent(IMSG_LDP_CONFIGURE_IF_MPLS, getpid(), &config,
+				 sizeof(config));
+}
+
 void
 ldpe_if_exit(struct iface *iface)
 {
@@ -277,6 +294,7 @@ if_start(struct iface *iface, int af)
 
 	log_debug("%s: %s address-family %s", __func__, iface->name, af_name(af));
 
+	ldpe_interface_set_mpls(iface, true);
 	ia = iface_af_get(iface, af);
 
 	gettimeofday(&now, NULL);
diff --git a/ldpd/ldp_zebra.c b/ldpd/ldp_zebra.c
index df682a1347be..8d2ca9f38546 100644
--- a/ldpd/ldp_zebra.c
+++ b/ldpd/ldp_zebra.c
@@ -124,6 +124,15 @@ ldp_sync_zebra_send_state_update(struct ldp_igp_sync_if_state *state)
 		return 0;
 }
 
+int ldp_sync_zebra_send_configure_if_mpls(struct ldp_igp_configure_if_mpls *config)
+{
+	if (zebra_send_interface_mpls_set(zclient, VRF_DEFAULT, config->ifindex,
+					  config->status) <= 0)
+		return -1;
+
+	return zclient_send_message(zclient);
+}
+
 static int
 ldp_sync_zebra_send_announce(void)
 {
diff --git a/ldpd/ldpd.c b/ldpd/ldpd.c
index 3c616d4a8c8b..6e37bfe34157 100644
--- a/ldpd/ldpd.c
+++ b/ldpd/ldpd.c
@@ -602,6 +602,15 @@ static void main_dispatch_ldpe(struct event *thread)
 
 			ldp_sync_zebra_send_state_update((struct ldp_igp_sync_if_state *)imsg.data);
 			break;
+		case IMSG_LDP_CONFIGURE_IF_MPLS:
+			if (imsg.hdr.len !=
+			    IMSG_HEADER_SIZE +
+				    sizeof(struct ldp_igp_configure_if_mpls))
+				fatalx("IMSG_LDP_CONFIGURE_IF_MPLS imsg with wrong len");
+
+			ldp_sync_zebra_send_configure_if_mpls(
+				(struct ldp_igp_configure_if_mpls *)imsg.data);
+			break;
 		default:
 			log_debug("%s: error handling imsg %d", __func__,
 			    imsg.hdr.type);
@@ -1519,6 +1528,7 @@ merge_ifaces(struct ldpd_conf *conf, struct ldpd_conf *xconf)
 		if (if_lookup_name(xconf, iface->name) == NULL) {
 			switch (ldpd_process) {
 			case PROC_LDP_ENGINE:
+				ldpe_interface_set_mpls(iface, false);
 				ldpe_if_exit(iface);
 				break;
 			case PROC_LDE_ENGINE:
diff --git a/ldpd/ldpd.h b/ldpd/ldpd.h
index 81c6ba3ccd57..33466293bdfb 100644
--- a/ldpd/ldpd.h
+++ b/ldpd/ldpd.h
@@ -151,6 +151,7 @@ enum imsg_type {
 	IMSG_RLFA_UNREG_ALL,
 	IMSG_RLFA_LABELS,
 	IMSG_AGENTX_ENABLED,
+	IMSG_LDP_CONFIGURE_IF_MPLS,
 };
 
 struct ldpd_init {
@@ -890,6 +891,7 @@ extern char			 ctl_sock_path[MAXPATHLEN];
 void ldp_zebra_init(struct event_loop *m);
 void		 ldp_zebra_destroy(void);
 int		 ldp_sync_zebra_send_state_update(struct ldp_igp_sync_if_state *);
+int ldp_sync_zebra_send_configure_if_mpls(struct ldp_igp_configure_if_mpls *);
 int		 ldp_zebra_send_rlfa_labels(struct zapi_rlfa_response *
 		    rlfa_labels);
 
diff --git a/ldpd/ldpe.h b/ldpd/ldpe.h
index f310ba5dd209..7ba26de193db 100644
--- a/ldpd/ldpe.h
+++ b/ldpd/ldpe.h
@@ -306,6 +306,7 @@ void	ldpe_l2vpn_init(struct l2vpn *);
 void	ldpe_l2vpn_exit(struct l2vpn *);
 void	ldpe_l2vpn_pw_init(struct l2vpn_pw *);
 void	ldpe_l2vpn_pw_exit(struct l2vpn_pw *);
+extern void ldpe_interface_set_mpls(struct iface *iface, bool val);
 
 DECLARE_HOOK(ldp_nbr_state_change, (struct nbr * nbr, int old_state),
 	     (nbr, old_state));
diff --git a/lib/ldp_sync.h b/lib/ldp_sync.h
index 3a6ae5b3575a..85adb0870d32 100644
--- a/lib/ldp_sync.h
+++ b/lib/ldp_sync.h
@@ -56,6 +56,11 @@ struct ldp_igp_sync_if_state {
 	bool sync_start;
 };
 
+struct ldp_igp_configure_if_mpls {
+	ifindex_t ifindex;
+	bool status;
+};
+
 struct ldp_igp_sync_if_state_req {
 	int proto;
 	ifindex_t ifindex;
diff --git a/lib/zclient.c b/lib/zclient.c
index 1b2ff02f6137..4e582c773d22 100644
--- a/lib/zclient.c
+++ b/lib/zclient.c
@@ -2864,6 +2864,52 @@ size_t zebra_interface_link_params_write(struct stream *s,
 	return w;
 }
 
+int zebra_send_interface_mpls_set(struct zclient *zclient, vrf_id_t vrf_id,
+				  ifindex_t ifindex, bool set)
+{
+	struct stream *s;
+	int w;
+
+	if (!zclient->obuf)
+		return 0;
+
+	s = zclient->obuf;
+	stream_reset(s);
+
+	zclient_create_header(s, ZEBRA_INTERFACE_MPLS_SET, VRF_DEFAULT);
+
+	w = stream_putl(s, ifindex);
+	w += stream_putc(s, set);
+
+	stream_putw_at(s, 0, stream_get_endp(s));
+
+	return zclient_send_message(zclient);
+}
+
+struct interface *zebra_interface_mpls_set_read(struct stream *s,
+						vrf_id_t vrf_id,
+						bool *value_to_set)
+{
+	ifindex_t ifindex;
+	struct interface *ifp = NULL;
+
+	STREAM_GETL(s, ifindex);
+
+	ifp = if_lookup_by_index(ifindex, vrf_id);
+
+	if (ifp == NULL) {
+		flog_err(EC_LIB_ZAPI_ENCODE,
+			 "%s: unknown ifindex %u, shouldn't happen", __func__,
+			 ifindex);
+		return NULL;
+	}
+	if (value_to_set)
+		STREAM_GETC(s, *value_to_set);
+
+stream_failure:
+	return ifp;
+}
+
 /*
  * format of message for address addition is:
  *    0
diff --git a/lib/zclient.h b/lib/zclient.h
index 8b6aebc2fda8..43fa1a893376 100644
--- a/lib/zclient.h
+++ b/lib/zclient.h
@@ -133,6 +133,7 @@ typedef enum {
 	ZEBRA_INTERFACE_DISABLE_RADV,
 	ZEBRA_NEXTHOP_LOOKUP_MRIB,
 	ZEBRA_INTERFACE_LINK_PARAMS,
+	ZEBRA_INTERFACE_MPLS_SET,
 	ZEBRA_MPLS_LABELS_ADD,
 	ZEBRA_MPLS_LABELS_DELETE,
 	ZEBRA_MPLS_LABELS_REPLACE,
@@ -1053,6 +1054,12 @@ extern struct interface *zebra_interface_link_params_read(struct stream *s,
 							  bool *changed);
 extern size_t zebra_interface_link_params_write(struct stream *,
 						struct interface *);
+extern int zebra_send_interface_mpls_set(struct zclient *zclient,
+					 vrf_id_t vrf_id, ifindex_t ifindex,
+					 bool set);
+extern struct interface *zebra_interface_mpls_set_read(struct stream *s,
+						       vrf_id_t vrf_id,
+						       bool *value_to_set);
 extern enum zclient_send_status
 zclient_send_get_label_chunk(struct zclient *zclient, uint8_t keep,
 			     uint32_t chunk_size, uint32_t base);
diff --git a/tests/topotests/ldp_topo1/r1/zebra.conf b/tests/topotests/ldp_topo1/r1/zebra.conf
index 55b4b0e9c656..877b93810347 100644
--- a/tests/topotests/ldp_topo1/r1/zebra.conf
+++ b/tests/topotests/ldp_topo1/r1/zebra.conf
@@ -9,6 +9,7 @@ interface r1-eth0
  description to sw0
  ip address 10.0.1.1/24
  no link-detect
+ mpls auto
 !
 ip forwarding
 !
diff --git a/tests/topotests/ldp_topo1/r2/zebra.conf b/tests/topotests/ldp_topo1/r2/zebra.conf
index dd1dbac32b8a..688aece30e03 100644
--- a/tests/topotests/ldp_topo1/r2/zebra.conf
+++ b/tests/topotests/ldp_topo1/r2/zebra.conf
@@ -9,16 +9,19 @@ interface r2-eth0
  description to sw0
  ip address 10.0.1.2/24
  no link-detect
+ mpls auto
 !
 interface r2-eth1
  description to sw1
  ip address 10.0.2.2/24
  no link-detect
+ mpls auto
 !
 interface r2-eth2
  description to sw2
  ip address 10.0.3.2/24
  no link-detect
+ mpls auto
 !
 ip forwarding
 !
diff --git a/tests/topotests/ldp_topo1/r3/zebra.conf b/tests/topotests/ldp_topo1/r3/zebra.conf
index 456820fdb48a..dd76f9ea1468 100644
--- a/tests/topotests/ldp_topo1/r3/zebra.conf
+++ b/tests/topotests/ldp_topo1/r3/zebra.conf
@@ -9,11 +9,13 @@ interface r3-eth0
  description to sw1
  ip address 10.0.2.3/24
  no link-detect
+ mpls auto
 !
 interface r3-eth1
  description to sw2
  ip address 10.0.3.3/24
  no link-detect
+ mpls auto
 !
 ip forwarding
 !
diff --git a/tests/topotests/ldp_topo1/r4/zebra.conf b/tests/topotests/ldp_topo1/r4/zebra.conf
index 4a270af578f6..149dc19b52b3 100644
--- a/tests/topotests/ldp_topo1/r4/zebra.conf
+++ b/tests/topotests/ldp_topo1/r4/zebra.conf
@@ -9,6 +9,7 @@ interface r4-eth0
  description to sw1
  ip address 10.0.2.4/24
  no link-detect
+ mpls auto
 !
 ip forwarding
 !
diff --git a/tests/topotests/ldp_topo1/test_ldp_topo1.py b/tests/topotests/ldp_topo1/test_ldp_topo1.py
index fdd75581a3ec..eba2be424054 100644
--- a/tests/topotests/ldp_topo1/test_ldp_topo1.py
+++ b/tests/topotests/ldp_topo1/test_ldp_topo1.py
@@ -134,6 +134,7 @@ def setup_module(module):
     tgen.start_topology()
 
     net = tgen.net
+    os.environ["TOPOTESTS_MPLS_AUTO"] = "1"
 
     # Starting Routers
     for i in range(1, 5):
@@ -781,6 +782,37 @@ def test_linux_mpls_routes():
         assert fatal_error == "", fatal_error
 
 
+def _check_mpls_interface_set(rname, ifname, value):
+    tgen = get_topogen()
+    val = (
+        tgen.net[rname]
+        .cmd_raises("sysctl -n " + "net.mpls.conf." + ifname + ".input")
+        .strip()
+    )
+    assert (
+        val == value
+    ), f"{rname}, interface {ifname} has MPLS flag set to {val}, unexpected"
+
+
+def test_linux_mpls_interface_settings():
+    global fatal_error
+
+    # Skip if previous fatal error condition is raised
+    if fatal_error != "":
+        pytest.skip(fatal_error)
+
+    # Verify Linux Kernel MPLS settings
+    print("\n\n** Verifying Linux MPLS interface settings")
+    print("******************************************\n")
+    _check_mpls_interface_set("r1", "r1-eth0", "1")
+    _check_mpls_interface_set("r2", "r2-eth0", "1")
+    _check_mpls_interface_set("r2", "r2-eth1", "1")
+    _check_mpls_interface_set("r2", "r2-eth2", "1")
+    _check_mpls_interface_set("r3", "r3-eth0", "1")
+    _check_mpls_interface_set("r3", "r3-eth1", "1")
+    _check_mpls_interface_set("r4", "r4-eth0", "1")
+
+
 def test_shutdown_check_stderr():
     global fatal_error
     net = get_topogen().net
diff --git a/tests/topotests/lib/topogen.py b/tests/topotests/lib/topogen.py
index 7b06f3d127ed..ba5b4cccbd44 100644
--- a/tests/topotests/lib/topogen.py
+++ b/tests/topotests/lib/topogen.py
@@ -896,9 +896,13 @@ def start(self):
                     daemon=daemon,
                 )
 
+        if nrouter.daemons["ldpd"] == 1 and not os.environ.get("TOPOTESTS_MPLS_AUTO"):
+            need_mpls_for_ldp = True
+        else:
+            need_mpls_for_ldp = False
         if result != "":
             self.tgen.set_error(result)
-        elif nrouter.daemons["ldpd"] == 1 or nrouter.daemons["pathd"] == 1:
+        elif need_mpls_for_ldp or nrouter.daemons["pathd"] == 1:
             # Enable MPLS processing on all interfaces.
             for interface in self.links:
                 topotest.sysctl_assure(
diff --git a/zebra/interface.c b/zebra/interface.c
index b9150fcf6c82..75b8c0f8bd91 100644
--- a/zebra/interface.c
+++ b/zebra/interface.c
@@ -5395,6 +5395,23 @@ void mpls_interface_update(struct interface *ifp, uint8_t mpls)
 	dplane_intf_mpls_modify_state(ifp, mpls);
 }
 
+void zebra_interface_mpls_set(ZAPI_HANDLER_ARGS)
+{
+	struct interface *ifp;
+	bool mpls = false;
+	struct stream *s;
+
+	s = msg;
+	ifp = zebra_interface_mpls_set_read(s, zvrf->vrf->vrf_id, &mpls);
+	if (!ifp)
+		return;
+
+	if (mpls)
+		mpls_interface_update(ifp, IF_ZEBRA_DATA_ON);
+	else
+		mpls_interface_update(ifp, IF_ZEBRA_DATA_OFF);
+}
+
 static int ipv6_address_uninstall(struct vty *vty, struct interface *ifp,
 				  const char *addr_str, const char *peer_str,
 				  const char *label)
diff --git a/zebra/interface.h b/zebra/interface.h
index 5bfd0814d72c..ae8101886c03 100644
--- a/zebra/interface.h
+++ b/zebra/interface.h
@@ -17,6 +17,7 @@
 #include "zebra/zebra_nhg_private.h"
 #include "zebra/zebra_router.h"
 #include "zebra/rtadv.h"
+#include "zebra/zserv.h"
 
 #ifdef __cplusplus
 extern "C" {
@@ -338,6 +339,7 @@ extern void zebra_l2_unmap_slave_from_bond(struct zebra_if *zif);
 extern const char *zebra_protodown_rc_str(uint32_t protodown_rc, char *pd_buf,
 					  uint32_t pd_buf_len);
 extern void mpls_interface_update(struct interface *ifp, uint8_t mpls);
+extern void zebra_interface_mpls_set(ZAPI_HANDLER_ARGS);
 void zebra_if_dplane_result(struct zebra_dplane_ctx *ctx);
 extern void if_mpls_set_default(struct zebra_if *zif);
 
diff --git a/zebra/zapi_msg.c b/zebra/zapi_msg.c
index 2383f6aa8cdf..0c2d42aec750 100644
--- a/zebra/zapi_msg.c
+++ b/zebra/zapi_msg.c
@@ -3887,6 +3887,7 @@ void (*const zserv_handlers[])(ZAPI_HANDLER_ARGS) = {
 	[ZEBRA_BFD_CLIENT_REGISTER] = zebra_ptm_bfd_client_register,
 	[ZEBRA_INTERFACE_ENABLE_RADV] = zebra_interface_radv_enable,
 	[ZEBRA_INTERFACE_DISABLE_RADV] = zebra_interface_radv_disable,
+	[ZEBRA_INTERFACE_MPLS_SET] = zebra_interface_mpls_set,
 	[ZEBRA_SR_POLICY_SET] = zread_sr_policy_set,
 	[ZEBRA_SR_POLICY_DELETE] = zread_sr_policy_delete,
 	[ZEBRA_MPLS_LABELS_ADD] = zread_mpls_labels_add,