diff --git a/debian/qubes-core-agent.install b/debian/qubes-core-agent.install
index 32ba1881d..fa3aa41d7 100644
--- a/debian/qubes-core-agent.install
+++ b/debian/qubes-core-agent.install
@@ -39,6 +39,7 @@ etc/qubes-rpc/qubes.VMExecGUI
 etc/qubes-rpc/qubes.VMRootExec
 etc/qubes-rpc/qubes.WaitForSession
 etc/qubes-rpc/qubes.WaitForRunningSystem
+etc/qubes-rpc/qubes.WaitForNetworkUplink
 etc/qubes-rpc/qubes.GetDate
 etc/qubes-suspend-module-blacklist
 etc/qubes/autostart/*
diff --git a/qubes-rpc/Makefile b/qubes-rpc/Makefile
index ca80d3514..d5a9755ec 100644
--- a/qubes-rpc/Makefile
+++ b/qubes-rpc/Makefile
@@ -79,6 +79,7 @@ install:
 		qubes.SuspendPostAll \
 		qubes.WaitForSession \
 		qubes.WaitForRunningSystem \
+		qubes.WaitForNetworkUplink \
 		qubes.DetachPciDevice \
 		qubes.Backup qubes.Restore \
 		qubes.RegisterBackupLocation \
diff --git a/qubes-rpc/qubes.WaitForNetworkUplink b/qubes-rpc/qubes.WaitForNetworkUplink
new file mode 100755
index 000000000..359ee3240
--- /dev/null
+++ b/qubes-rpc/qubes.WaitForNetworkUplink
@@ -0,0 +1,21 @@
+#!/bin/bash
+# Wait with a timeout for the uplink service to be started. Used on deferred netvm.
+set -eu
+
+# shellcheck disable=SC1091
+. /usr/lib/qubes/init/functions
+iface="$(get_qubes_managed_iface)"
+if test -z "$iface"; then
+  exit
+fi
+
+i=0
+while test $i -le 10; do
+  if systemctl is-active --quiet "qubes-network-uplink@$iface.service"; then
+    ip link show "$iface" | grep "state UP" || exit 4
+    exit 0
+  fi
+  sleep 0.3
+  i=$((i+1))
+done
+exit 3
diff --git a/rpm_spec/core-agent.spec.in b/rpm_spec/core-agent.spec.in
index db92b350c..d30aa185b 100644
--- a/rpm_spec/core-agent.spec.in
+++ b/rpm_spec/core-agent.spec.in
@@ -903,6 +903,7 @@ rm -f %{name}-%{version}
 %config(noreplace) /etc/qubes-rpc/qubes.SuspendPostAll
 %config(noreplace) /etc/qubes-rpc/qubes.WaitForSession
 %config(noreplace) /etc/qubes-rpc/qubes.WaitForRunningSystem
+%config(noreplace) /etc/qubes-rpc/qubes.WaitForNetworkUplink
 %config(noreplace) /etc/qubes-rpc/qubes.DetachPciDevice
 %config(noreplace) /etc/qubes-rpc/qubes.Backup
 %config(noreplace) /etc/qubes-rpc/qubes.Restore