diff --git a/tests/topotests/ldp-vpls-topo1/r1/zebra.conf b/tests/topotests/ldp-vpls-topo1/r1/zebra.conf
index edfa1780a946..ea047355ad90 100644
--- a/tests/topotests/ldp-vpls-topo1/r1/zebra.conf
+++ b/tests/topotests/ldp-vpls-topo1/r1/zebra.conf
@@ -14,17 +14,14 @@ interface lo
 !
 interface r1-eth0
  description to s1
- no link-detect
 !
 interface r1-eth1
  description to s4
  ip address 10.0.1.1/24
- no link-detect
 !
 interface r1-eth2
  description to s5
  ip address 10.0.2.1/24
- no link-detect
 !
 ip forwarding
 !
diff --git a/tests/topotests/ldp-vpls-topo1/r2/zebra.conf b/tests/topotests/ldp-vpls-topo1/r2/zebra.conf
index 6b95efdce8c2..c24444287675 100644
--- a/tests/topotests/ldp-vpls-topo1/r2/zebra.conf
+++ b/tests/topotests/ldp-vpls-topo1/r2/zebra.conf
@@ -13,17 +13,14 @@ interface lo
 !
 interface r2-eth0
  description to s2
- no link-detect
 !
 interface r2-eth1
  description to s4
  ip address 10.0.1.2/24
- no link-detect
 !
 interface r2-eth2
  description to s6
  ip address 10.0.3.2/24
- no link-detect
 !
 ip forwarding
 !
diff --git a/tests/topotests/ldp-vpls-topo1/r3/zebra.conf b/tests/topotests/ldp-vpls-topo1/r3/zebra.conf
index 85ec68ff32bb..6b1eaa2ca0fd 100644
--- a/tests/topotests/ldp-vpls-topo1/r3/zebra.conf
+++ b/tests/topotests/ldp-vpls-topo1/r3/zebra.conf
@@ -13,17 +13,14 @@ interface lo
 !
 interface r3-eth0
  description to s3
- no link-detect
 !
 interface r3-eth1
  description to s5
  ip address 10.0.2.3/24
- no link-detect
 !
 interface r3-eth2
  description to s6
  ip address 10.0.3.3/24
- no link-detect
 !
 ip forwarding
 !
diff --git a/tests/topotests/ldp-vpls-topo1/test_ldp_vpls_topo1.py b/tests/topotests/ldp-vpls-topo1/test_ldp_vpls_topo1.py
index ce651c50cdd6..0fae64402afb 100755
--- a/tests/topotests/ldp-vpls-topo1/test_ldp_vpls_topo1.py
+++ b/tests/topotests/ldp-vpls-topo1/test_ldp_vpls_topo1.py
@@ -257,6 +257,7 @@ def test_ldp_pseudowires_after_link_down():
     # Shut down r1-r2 link */
     tgen = get_topogen()
     tgen.gears['r1'].peer_link_enable('r1-eth1', False)
+    topotest.sleep(5, "Waiting for the network to reconverge")
 
     # check if the pseudowire is still up (using an alternate path for nexthop resolution)
     for rname in ['r1', 'r2', 'r3']:
diff --git a/tests/topotests/lib/topogen.py b/tests/topotests/lib/topogen.py
index d7145c3be0ff..6859f5a07682 100644
--- a/tests/topotests/lib/topogen.py
+++ b/tests/topotests/lib/topogen.py
@@ -61,6 +61,7 @@
 
 from lib import topotest
 from lib.topolog import logger, logger_config
+from lib.topotest import set_sysctl
 
 CWD = os.path.dirname(os.path.realpath(__file__))
 
@@ -676,6 +677,10 @@ def start(self):
 
         if result != '':
             self.tgen.set_error(result)
+        else:
+            # Enable MPLS processing on all interfaces.
+            for interface in self.links.keys():
+                set_sysctl(nrouter, 'net.mpls.conf.{}.input'.format(interface), 1)
 
         return result