--- net.eth0.orig       2003-11-08 11:04:50.000000000 -0800
+++ net.eth0    2003-11-08 10:55:17.000000000 -0800
@@ -33,6 +33,7 @@
         inet6_IFACE="$(eval echo \$\{inet6_${iface}\})"
         alias_IFACE="$(eval echo \$\{alias_${iface}\})"
         status_IFACE="$(ifconfig | gawk -v IFACE="${iface}" '/Link/ { if ($1 == IFACE) print "up" }')"
+        carrier_IFACE="$(ifconfig | gawk -v IFACE="${iface}" '/RUNNING/ { if ($1 == IFACE) print "running" }')"
         vlans="$(eval echo \$\{iface_${IFACE}_vlans\})"
 }

@@ -63,11 +64,18 @@
                 # Check that eth0 was not brough up by the kernel ...
                 if [ "${status_IFACE}" != "up" ]
                 then
-                        /sbin/dhcpcd ${dhcpcd_IFACE} ${IFACE} >/dev/null || {
-                                retval=$?
-                                eend ${retval} "Failed to bring ${IFACE} up"
-                                return ${retval}
-                        }
+                        # Check that the interface has a carrier
+                        if [ "${carrier_IFACE}" == "running" ]
+                        then
+                                /sbin/dhcpcd ${dhcpcd_IFACE} ${IFACE} >/dev/null || {
+                                        retval=$?
+                                        eend ${retval} "Failed to bring ${IFACE} up"
+                                        return ${retval}
+                                }
+                        else
+                                eend 1 "${IFACE} is not plugged in or has no carrier signal"
+                                return 1
+                        fi
                 fi
         fi