diff --git a/include/netlink/object-api.h b/include/netlink/object-api.h
index cfd5699..ec2192b 100644
--- a/include/netlink/object-api.h
+++ b/include/netlink/object-api.h
@@ -336,6 +336,18 @@ struct nl_object_ops
 			    uint32_t, int);
 
 
+	/**
+	 * update function
+	 *
+	 * Will be called when the object given by first argument
+	 * needs to be updated with the contents of the second object
+	 *
+	 * The function must return 0 for success and error for failure
+	 * to update. In case of failure its assumed that the original
+	 * object is not touched
+	 */
+	int   (*oo_update)(struct nl_object *, struct nl_object *);
+
 	char *(*oo_attrs2str)(int, char *, size_t);
 
 	/**
diff --git a/include/netlink/object.h b/include/netlink/object.h
index bbda5f5..788ae48 100644
--- a/include/netlink/object.h
+++ b/include/netlink/object.h
@@ -31,6 +31,8 @@ extern int			nl_object_alloc_name(const char *,
 						     struct nl_object **);
 extern void			nl_object_free(struct nl_object *);
 extern struct nl_object *	nl_object_clone(struct nl_object *obj);
+extern int			nl_object_update(struct nl_object *dst,
+						 struct nl_object *src);
 extern void			nl_object_get(struct nl_object *);
 extern void			nl_object_put(struct nl_object *);
 extern int			nl_object_shared(struct nl_object *);
diff --git a/lib/cache.c b/lib/cache.c
index 45a1a27..f73fedf 100644
--- a/lib/cache.c
+++ b/lib/cache.c
@@ -642,6 +642,17 @@ static int cache_include(struct nl_cache *cache, struct nl_object *obj,
 	case NL_ACT_DEL:
 		old = nl_cache_search(cache, obj);
 		if (old) {
+			/*
+			 * Some objects types might support merging the new
+			 * object with the old existing cache object.
+			 * Handle them first.
+			 */
+			if (nl_object_update(old, obj) == 0) {
+				cb(cache, old, NL_ACT_CHANGE, data);
+				nl_object_put(obj);
+				return 0;
+			}
+
 			nl_cache_remove(old);
 			if (type->mt_act == NL_ACT_DEL) {
 				if (cb)
diff --git a/lib/object.c b/lib/object.c
index 585189e..d58f9a7 100644
--- a/lib/object.c
+++ b/lib/object.c
@@ -138,6 +138,23 @@ struct nl_object *nl_object_clone(struct nl_object *obj)
 	return new;
 }
 
+/**
+ * Merge a cacheable object
+ * @arg dst		object to be merged into
+ * @arg src		new object to be merged into dst
+ *
+ * @return 0 or a negative error code.
+ */
+int nl_object_update(struct nl_object *dst, struct nl_object *src)
+{
+	struct nl_object_ops *ops = obj_ops(dst);
+
+	if (ops->oo_update)
+		return ops->oo_update(dst, src);
+
+	return -NLE_OPNOTSUPP;
+}
+
 /**
  * Free a cacheable object
  * @arg obj		object to free