diff --git a/src/network/networkd-fdb.c b/src/network/networkd-fdb.c
index 4ae511fc7a..4cacc44106 100644
--- a/src/network/networkd-fdb.c
+++ b/src/network/networkd-fdb.c
@@ -124,6 +124,11 @@ int fdb_entry_configure(Link *link, FdbEntry *fdb_entry) {
         assert(link->manager);
         assert(fdb_entry);
 
+        if (fdb_entry->family == AF_INET6 && manager_sysctl_ipv6_enabled(link->manager) == 0) {
+                log_link_warning(link, "An IPv6 fdb entry is requested, but IPv6 is disabled by sysctl, ignoring.");
+                return 0;
+        }
+
         /* create new RTM message */
         r = sd_rtnl_message_new_neigh(link->manager->rtnl, &req, RTM_NEWNEIGH, link->ifindex, PF_BRIDGE);
         if (r < 0)
@@ -169,7 +174,7 @@ int fdb_entry_configure(Link *link, FdbEntry *fdb_entry) {
 
         link_ref(link);
 
-        return 0;
+        return 1;
 }
 
 /* remove and FDB entry. */