diff --git a/client/tests/kvm/scripts/qemu-ifup b/client/tests/kvm/scripts/qemu-ifup
deleted file mode 100755
index c4debf5..0000000
--- a/client/tests/kvm/scripts/qemu-ifup
+++ /dev/null
@@ -1,11 +0,0 @@
-#!/bin/sh
-
-# The following expression selects the first bridge listed by 'brctl show'.
-# Modify it to suit your needs.
-switch=$(/usr/sbin/brctl show | awk 'NR==2 { print $1 }')
-
-/bin/echo 1 > /proc/sys/net/ipv6/conf/${switch}/disable_ipv6
-/sbin/ifconfig $1 0.0.0.0 up
-/usr/sbin/brctl addif ${switch} $1
-/usr/sbin/brctl setfd ${switch} 0
-/usr/sbin/brctl stp ${switch} off
diff --git a/client/virt/kvm_vm.py b/client/virt/kvm_vm.py
index 343488f..7cec1d0 100644
--- a/client/virt/kvm_vm.py
+++ b/client/virt/kvm_vm.py
@@ -7,7 +7,7 @@ Utility classes and functions to handle Virtual Machine creation using qemu.
 import time, os, logging, fcntl, re, commands, glob
 from autotest_lib.client.common_lib import error
 from autotest_lib.client.bin import utils
-import virt_utils, virt_vm, kvm_monitor, aexpect
+import virt_utils, virt_vm, virt_test_setup, kvm_monitor, aexpect
 
 
 class VM(virt_vm.BaseVM):
@@ -41,6 +41,7 @@ class VM(virt_vm.BaseVM):
             self.pci_assignable = None
             self.netdev_id = []
             self.device_id = []
+            self.tapfds = []
             self.uuid = None
 
 
@@ -240,19 +241,17 @@ class VM(virt_vm.BaseVM):
                 cmd += ",id='%s'" % device_id
             return cmd
 
-        def add_net(help, vlan, mode, ifname=None, script=None,
-                    downscript=None, tftp=None, bootfile=None, hostfwd=[],
-                    netdev_id=None, netdev_extra_params=None):
+        def add_net(help, vlan, mode, ifname=None, tftp=None, bootfile=None,
+                    hostfwd=[], netdev_id=None, netdev_extra_params=None,
+                    tapfd=None):
             if has_option(help, "netdev"):
                 cmd = " -netdev %s,id=%s" % (mode, netdev_id)
                 if netdev_extra_params:
                     cmd += ",%s" % netdev_extra_params
             else:
                 cmd = " -net %s,vlan=%d" % (mode, vlan)
-            if mode == "tap":
-                if ifname: cmd += ",ifname='%s'" % ifname
-                if script: cmd += ",script='%s'" % script
-                cmd += ",downscript='%s'" % (downscript or "no")
+            if mode == "tap" and tapfd:
+                cmd += ",fd=%d" % tapfd
             elif mode == "user":
                 if tftp and "[,tftp=" in help:
                     cmd += ",tftp='%s'" % tftp
@@ -422,20 +421,22 @@ class VM(virt_vm.BaseVM):
             qemu_cmd += add_nic(help, vlan, nic_params.get("nic_model"), mac,
                                 device_id, netdev_id, nic_params.get("nic_extra_params"))
             # Handle the '-net tap' or '-net user' or '-netdev' part
-            script = nic_params.get("nic_script")
-            downscript = nic_params.get("nic_downscript")
             tftp = nic_params.get("tftp")
-            if script:
-                script = virt_utils.get_path(root_dir, script)
-            if downscript:
-                downscript = virt_utils.get_path(root_dir, downscript)
             if tftp:
                 tftp = virt_utils.get_path(root_dir, tftp)
-            qemu_cmd += add_net(help, vlan, nic_params.get("nic_mode", "user"),
-                                vm.get_ifname(vlan),
-                                script, downscript, tftp,
+            if nic_params.get("nic_mode") == "tap":
+                try:
+                    tapfd = vm.tapfds[vlan]
+                except:
+                    tapfd = None
+            else:
+                tapfd = None
+            qemu_cmd += add_net(help, vlan,
+                                nic_params.get("nic_mode", "user"),
+                                vm.get_ifname(vlan), tftp,
                                 nic_params.get("bootp"), redirs, netdev_id,
-                                nic_params.get("netdev_extra_params"))
+                                nic_params.get("netdev_extra_params"),
+                                tapfd)
             # Proceed to next NIC
             vlan += 1
 
@@ -558,6 +559,10 @@ class VM(virt_vm.BaseVM):
         @raise VMBadPATypeError: If an unsupported PCI assignment type is
                 requested
         @raise VMPAError: If no PCI assignable devices could be assigned
+        @raise TAPCreationError: If fail to create tap fd
+        @raise BRAddIfError: If fail to add a tap to a bridge
+        @raise TAPBringUpError: If fail to bring up a tap
+        @raise PrivateBridgeError: If fail to bring the private bridge
         """
         error.context("creating '%s'" % self.name)
         self.destroy(free_mac_addresses=False)
@@ -621,12 +626,24 @@ class VM(virt_vm.BaseVM):
                 guest_port = int(redir_params.get("guest_port"))
                 self.redirs[guest_port] = host_ports[i]
 
-            # Generate netdev/device IDs for all NICs
+            # Generate netdev IDs for all NICs and create TAP fd
             self.netdev_id = []
-            self.device_id = []
+            self.tapfds = []
+            vlan = 0
             for nic in params.objects("nics"):
                 self.netdev_id.append(virt_utils.generate_random_id())
                 self.device_id.append(virt_utils.generate_random_id())
+                nic_params = params.object_params(nic)
+                if nic_params.get("nic_mode") == "tap":
+                    ifname = self.get_ifname(vlan)
+                    brname = nic_params.get("bridge")
+                    if brname == "private":
+                        brname = virt_test_setup.PrivateBridgeConfig().brname
+                    tapfd = virt_utils.open_tap("/dev/net/tun", ifname)
+                    virt_utils.add_to_bridge(ifname, brname)
+                    virt_utils.bring_up_ifname(ifname)
+                    self.tapfds.append(tapfd)
+                vlan += 1
 
             # Find available VNC port, if needed
             if params.get("display") == "vnc":
@@ -865,6 +882,12 @@ class VM(virt_vm.BaseVM):
                 num_nics = len(self.params.objects("nics"))
                 for vlan in range(num_nics):
                     self.free_mac_address(vlan)
+            for tapfd in self.tapfds:
+                try:
+                    os.close(tapfd)
+                # File descriptor is already closed
+                except OSError:
+                    pass
 
 
     @property
diff --git a/client/virt/virt_utils.py b/client/virt/virt_utils.py
index 0700509..b5b7c57 100644
--- a/client/virt/virt_utils.py
+++ b/client/virt/virt_utils.py
@@ -56,12 +56,16 @@ class NetError(Exception):
 
 
 class TAPModuleError(NetError):
-    def __init__(self, devname):
+    def __init__(self, devname, action="open", details=None):
         NetError.__init__(self, devname)
         self.devname = devname
 
     def __str__(self):
-        return "Can't open %s" % self.devname
+        e_msg = "Can't %s %s" % (self.action, self.devname)
+        if self.details is not None:
+            e_msg += " : %s" % details
+        return e_msg
+
 
 class TAPNotExistError(NetError):
     def __init__(self, ifname):
