diff --git a/src/drivers/driver.h b/src/drivers/driver.h
index 1dd358ad5..5fb936ae6 100644
--- a/src/drivers/driver.h
+++ b/src/drivers/driver.h
@@ -1519,6 +1519,36 @@ struct wpa_driver_ops {
 	 */
 	int (*set_wds_sta)(void *priv, const u8 *addr, int aid, int val);
 
+	/**
+	 * alloc_interface_addr - Allocate a virtual interface address
+	 * @priv: Private driver interface data
+	 * @addr: Buffer for returning the address
+	 * Returns: 0 on success, -1 on failure
+	 *
+	 * This command pre-allocates an interface address for a new virtual
+	 * interface. This can be used before creating a virtual interface if
+	 * the interface mode (e.g., AP vs. station) is not yet known, but the
+	 * address of the virtual interface is already needed. This helps with
+	 * drivers that cannot change interface mode without destroying and
+	 * re-creating the interface.
+	 *
+	 * The allocated address can be used in a bss_add() call to request a
+	 * specific bssid.
+	 */
+	int (*alloc_interface_addr)(void *priv, u8 *addr);
+
+	/**
+	 * release_interface_addr - Release a virtual interface address
+	 * @priv: Private driver interface data
+	 * @addr: Address to be freed from alloc_interface_addr()
+	 *
+	 * This command is used to release a virtual interface address that was
+	 * allocated with alloc_interface_addr(), but has not yet been used
+	 * with bss_add() to actually create the interface. This allows the
+	 * driver to release the pending allocation for a new interface.
+	 */
+	void (*release_interface_addr)(void *priv, const u8 *addr);
+
 	/**
 	 * probe_req_report - Request Probe Request frames to be indicated
 	 * @priv: Private driver interface data
diff --git a/src/drivers/driver_ndis.c b/src/drivers/driver_ndis.c
index d3e56cf7c..0789e082a 100644
--- a/src/drivers/driver_ndis.c
+++ b/src/drivers/driver_ndis.c
@@ -3246,5 +3246,7 @@ const struct wpa_driver_ops wpa_driver_ndis_ops = {
 	NULL /* set_ap_wps_ie */,
 	NULL /* set_supp_port */,
 	NULL /* set_wds_sta */,
+	NULL /* alloc_interface_addr */,
+	NULL /* release_interface_addr */,
 	NULL /* probe_req_report */
 };
diff --git a/src/drivers/driver_nl80211.c b/src/drivers/driver_nl80211.c
index b669c87d5..fc3e9743c 100644
--- a/src/drivers/driver_nl80211.c
+++ b/src/drivers/driver_nl80211.c
@@ -266,7 +266,6 @@ nla_put_failure:
 }
 
 
-#ifdef HOSTAPD
 static int get_ifhwaddr(struct wpa_driver_nl80211_data *drv,
 			const char *ifname, u8 *addr)
 {
@@ -309,7 +308,6 @@ static int set_ifhwaddr(struct wpa_driver_nl80211_data *drv,
 
 	return 0;
 }
-#endif /* HOSTAPD */
 
 
 static int wpa_driver_nl80211_get_bssid(void *priv, u8 *bssid)
@@ -2661,13 +2659,13 @@ static int nl80211_create_iface_once(struct wpa_driver_nl80211_data *drv,
 #ifdef HOSTAPD
 	/* start listening for EAPOL on this interface */
 	add_ifidx(drv, ifidx);
+#endif /* HOSTAPD */
 
-	if (addr && iftype == NL80211_IFTYPE_AP &&
+	if (addr && iftype != NL80211_IFTYPE_MONITOR &&
 	    set_ifhwaddr(drv, ifname, addr)) {
 		nl80211_remove_iface(drv, ifidx);
 		return -1;
 	}
-#endif /* HOSTAPD */
 
 	return ifidx;
 }
@@ -4473,6 +4471,30 @@ static int wpa_driver_nl80211_probe_req_report(void *priv, int report)
 }
 
 
+static int wpa_driver_nl80211_alloc_interface_addr(void *priv, u8 *addr)
+{
+	struct wpa_driver_nl80211_data *drv = priv;
+
+	if (get_ifhwaddr(drv, drv->ifname, addr) < 0)
+		return -1;
+
+	if (addr[0] & 0x02) {
+		/* TODO: add support for generating multiple addresses */
+		addr[0] ^= 0x80;
+	} else
+		addr[0] = 0x02; /* locally administered */
+
+	return 0;
+}
+
+
+static void wpa_driver_nl80211_release_interface_addr(void *priv,
+						      const u8 *addr)
+{
+	/* TODO: keep list of allocated address and release them here */
+}
+
+
 const struct wpa_driver_ops wpa_driver_nl80211_ops = {
 	.name = "nl80211",
 	.desc = "Linux nl80211/cfg80211",
@@ -4522,4 +4544,6 @@ const struct wpa_driver_ops wpa_driver_nl80211_ops = {
 	.set_wds_sta = i802_set_wds_sta,
 #endif /* HOSTAPD */
 	.probe_req_report = wpa_driver_nl80211_probe_req_report,
+	.alloc_interface_addr = wpa_driver_nl80211_alloc_interface_addr,
+	.release_interface_addr = wpa_driver_nl80211_release_interface_addr,
 };
diff --git a/src/drivers/driver_test.c b/src/drivers/driver_test.c
index 9cdeac158..5596f2060 100644
--- a/src/drivers/driver_test.c
+++ b/src/drivers/driver_test.c
@@ -101,6 +101,8 @@ struct wpa_driver_test_data {
 	struct test_driver_bss *bss;
 	int udp_port;
 
+	int alloc_iface_idx;
+
 	int probe_req_report;
 };
 
@@ -2462,6 +2464,24 @@ fail:
 }
 
 
+static int wpa_driver_test_alloc_interface_addr(void *priv, u8 *addr)
+{
+	struct wpa_driver_test_data *drv = priv;
+	drv->alloc_iface_idx++;
+	addr[0] = 0x02; /* locally administered */
+	sha1_prf(drv->own_addr, ETH_ALEN, "hostapd test addr generation",
+		 (const u8 *) &drv->alloc_iface_idx,
+		 sizeof(drv->alloc_iface_idx),
+		 addr + 1, ETH_ALEN - 1);
+	return 0;
+}
+
+
+static void wpa_driver_test_release_interface_addr(void *priv, const u8 *addr)
+{
+}
+
+
 static int wpa_driver_test_probe_req_report(void *priv, int report)
 {
 	struct wpa_driver_test_data *drv = priv;
@@ -2514,5 +2534,7 @@ const struct wpa_driver_ops wpa_driver_test_ops = {
 	.init2 = wpa_driver_test_init2,
 	.get_interfaces = wpa_driver_test_get_interfaces,
 	.scan2 = wpa_driver_test_scan,
+	.alloc_interface_addr = wpa_driver_test_alloc_interface_addr,
+	.release_interface_addr = wpa_driver_test_release_interface_addr,
 	.probe_req_report = wpa_driver_test_probe_req_report,
 };
diff --git a/wpa_supplicant/driver_i.h b/wpa_supplicant/driver_i.h
index 9dbbc8534..4a701f179 100644
--- a/wpa_supplicant/driver_i.h
+++ b/wpa_supplicant/driver_i.h
@@ -383,6 +383,22 @@ static inline int wpa_drv_set_supp_port(struct wpa_supplicant *wpa_s,
 	return 0;
 }
 
+static inline int wpa_drv_alloc_interface_addr(struct wpa_supplicant *wpa_s,
+					       u8 *addr)
+{
+	if (wpa_s->driver->alloc_interface_addr)
+		return wpa_s->driver->alloc_interface_addr(wpa_s->drv_priv,
+							   addr);
+	return -1;
+}
+
+static inline void wpa_drv_release_interface_addr(struct wpa_supplicant *wpa_s,
+						  const u8 *addr)
+{
+	if (wpa_s->driver->release_interface_addr)
+		wpa_s->driver->release_interface_addr(wpa_s->drv_priv, addr);
+}
+
 static inline int wpa_drv_probe_req_report(struct wpa_supplicant *wpa_s,
 					   int report)
 {