4 files changed, 13 insertions, 6 deletions
diff --git a/i3status.c b/i3status.c
index 6ada1d4..0e35eab 100644
--- a/i3status.c
+++ b/i3status.c
@@ -59,7 +59,8 @@ int main(int argc, char *argv[]) {
         };
 
         cfg_opt_t ethernet_opts[] = {
-                CFG_STR("format", "E: %ip (%speed)", CFGF_NONE),
+                CFG_STR("format_up", "E: %ip (%speed)", CFGF_NONE),
+                CFG_STR("format_down", "E: down", CFGF_NONE),
                 CFG_END()
         };
 
@@ -153,7 +154,7 @@ int main(int argc, char *argv[]) {
                                 print_wireless_info(title, cfg_getstr(sec, "format_up"), cfg_getstr(sec, "format_down"));
 
                         CASE_SEC_TITLE("ethernet")
-                                print_eth_info(title, cfg_getstr(sec, "format"));
+                                print_eth_info(title, cfg_getstr(sec, "format_up"), cfg_getstr(sec, "format_down"));
 
                         CASE_SEC_TITLE("battery")
                                 print_battery_info(atoi(title), cfg_getstr(sec, "format"));
diff --git a/i3status.conf b/i3status.conf
index 6140f06..2c5f276 100644
--- a/i3status.conf
+++ b/i3status.conf
@@ -21,7 +21,8 @@ wireless wlan0 {
 
 ethernet eth0 {
         # if you use %speed, i3status requires root privileges
-        format = "E: %ip (%speed)"
+        format_up = "E: %ip (%speed)"
+	format_down = "E: down"
 }
 
 battery 0 {
diff --git a/i3status.h b/i3status.h
index b6fdd86..3fa9644 100644
--- a/i3status.h
+++ b/i3status.h
@@ -69,7 +69,7 @@ const char *get_ip_addr();
 void print_wireless_info(const char *interface, const char *format_up, const char *format_down);
 void print_run_watch(const char *title, const char *pidfile, const char *format);
 void print_cpu_temperature_info(int zone, const char *format);
-void print_eth_info(const char *interface, const char *format);
+void print_eth_info(const char *interface, const char *format_up, const char *format_down);
 void print_load();
 bool process_runs(const char *path);
 
diff --git a/src/print_eth_info.c b/src/print_eth_info.c
index 7624383..1da0502 100644
--- a/src/print_eth_info.c
+++ b/src/print_eth_info.c
@@ -74,11 +74,16 @@ static void print_eth_speed(const char *interface) {
  * Combines ethernet IP addresses and speed (if requested) for displaying
  *
  */
-void print_eth_info(const char *interface, const char *format) {
+void print_eth_info(const char *interface, const char *format_up, const char *format_down) {
         const char *walk;
         const char *ip_address = get_ip_addr(interface);
 
-        for (walk = format; *walk != '\0'; walk++) {
+        if (ip_address == NULL) {
+                printf("%s", format_down);
+                return;
+        }
+
+        for (walk = format_up; *walk != '\0'; walk++) {
                 if (*walk != '%') {
                         putchar(*walk);
                         continue;