diff --git a/include/target.mk b/include/target.mk
index e5166fb784..61ae108d54 100644
--- a/include/target.mk
+++ b/include/target.mk
@@ -12,7 +12,7 @@ __target_inc=1
 DEVICE_TYPE?=router
 
 # Default packages - the really basic set
-DEFAULT_PACKAGES:=base-files libc libgcc busybox dropbear mtd uci opkg hotplug2
+DEFAULT_PACKAGES:=base-files libc libgcc busybox dropbear mtd uci opkg hotplug2 netifd
 # For router targets
 DEFAULT_PACKAGES.router:=dnsmasq iptables ppp ppp-mod-pppoe kmod-ipt-nathelper firewall
 DEFAULT_PACKAGES.bootloader:=
diff --git a/package/6in4/Makefile b/package/6in4/Makefile
index ee53f5e3ca..c2fcc3ba1c 100644
--- a/package/6in4/Makefile
+++ b/package/6in4/Makefile
@@ -11,6 +11,8 @@ PKG_NAME:=6in4
 PKG_VERSION:=10
 PKG_RELEASE:=1
 
+PKG_CONFIG_DEPENDS:=CONFIG_PACKAGE_netifd
+
 include $(INCLUDE_DIR)/package.mk
 
 define Package/6in4
diff --git a/package/6to4/Makefile b/package/6to4/Makefile
index fc36d0f152..95575cf6d0 100644
--- a/package/6to4/Makefile
+++ b/package/6to4/Makefile
@@ -11,6 +11,8 @@ PKG_NAME:=6to4
 PKG_VERSION:=8
 PKG_RELEASE:=1
 
+PKG_CONFIG_DEPENDS:=CONFIG_PACKAGE_netifd
+
 include $(INCLUDE_DIR)/package.mk
 
 define Package/6to4
diff --git a/package/base-files-network/Makefile b/package/base-files-network/Makefile
index 80e78154f5..338da396df 100644
--- a/package/base-files-network/Makefile
+++ b/package/base-files-network/Makefile
@@ -18,7 +18,7 @@ include $(INCLUDE_DIR)/package.mk
 define Package/base-files-network
   SECTION:=base
   CATEGORY:=Base system
-  DEPENDS:=@!USE_NETIFD
+  DEPENDS:=@DISABLE_NETIFD
   TITLE:=Network scripts for the OpenWrt base system
   URL:=http://openwrt.org/
   VERSION:=$(PKG_RELEASE)
diff --git a/package/base-files/Makefile b/package/base-files/Makefile
index 78ece51d21..ae96ab54b8 100644
--- a/package/base-files/Makefile
+++ b/package/base-files/Makefile
@@ -35,7 +35,7 @@ endif
 define Package/base-files
   SECTION:=base
   CATEGORY:=Base system
-  DEPENDS:=+!USE_NETIFD:base-files-network +USE_NETIFD:netifd
+  DEPENDS:=+DISABLE_NETIFD:base-files-network +!DISABLE_NETIFD:netifd
   TITLE:=Base filesystem for OpenWrt
   URL:=http://openwrt.org/
   VERSION:=$(PKG_RELEASE)-$(REVISION)
@@ -63,8 +63,8 @@ define Package/base-files/description
 endef
 
 define Package/base-files/config
-  config USE_NETIFD
-    bool "Use netifd instead of the old network init scripts (experimental!)"
+  config DISABLE_NETIFD
+    bool "Use the old (deprecated) network init scripts instead of netifd"
 	default n
 endef
 
diff --git a/package/comgt/Makefile b/package/comgt/Makefile
index f2a6966e9b..2839d2032e 100644
--- a/package/comgt/Makefile
+++ b/package/comgt/Makefile
@@ -17,8 +17,8 @@ PKG_MD5SUM:=db2452680c3d953631299e331daf49ef
 
 PKG_BUILD_DIR:=$(BUILD_DIR)/$(PKG_NAME).$(PKG_VERSION)
 
-PKG_CONFIG_DEPENDS:=CONFIG_USE_NETIFD
-COMGT_VARIANT:=$(if $(CONFIG_USE_NETIFD),netifd,old)
+PKG_CONFIG_DEPENDS:=CONFIG_PACKAGE_netifd
+COMGT_VARIANT:=$(if $(CONFIG_PACKAGE_netifd),netifd,old)
 FILES_DIR:=./files-$(COMGT_VARIANT)
 
 include $(INCLUDE_DIR)/package.mk
diff --git a/package/netifd/Makefile b/package/netifd/Makefile
index 4964d69524..a5426b69ea 100644
--- a/package/netifd/Makefile
+++ b/package/netifd/Makefile
@@ -18,7 +18,7 @@ include $(INCLUDE_DIR)/cmake.mk
 define Package/netifd
   SECTION:=base
   CATEGORY:=Base system
-  DEPENDS:=+libuci +libnl-tiny +libubus +ubus +ubusd +jshn @USE_NETIFD
+  DEPENDS:=+libuci +libnl-tiny +libubus +ubus +ubusd +jshn @!DISABLE_NETIFD
   TITLE:=OpenWrt Network Interface Configuration Daemon
 endef
 
diff --git a/package/ppp/Makefile b/package/ppp/Makefile
index b60ae7cb68..b2be2d89ca 100644
--- a/package/ppp/Makefile
+++ b/package/ppp/Makefile
@@ -19,6 +19,7 @@ PKG_MD5SUM:=4621bc56167b6953ec4071043fe0ec57
 PKG_BUILD_DIR:=$(BUILD_DIR)/$(PKG_NAME)-$(BUILD_VARIANT)/$(PKG_NAME)-$(PKG_VERSION)
 
 PKG_BUILD_DEPENDS:=libpcap
+PKG_CONFIG_DEPENDS:=CONFIG_PACKAGE_netifd
 
 PKG_INSTALL:=1
 
diff --git a/package/pptp/Makefile b/package/pptp/Makefile
index 47ed07fa5c..c39ccb3c80 100644
--- a/package/pptp/Makefile
+++ b/package/pptp/Makefile
@@ -15,6 +15,8 @@ PKG_SOURCE:=$(PKG_NAME)-$(PKG_VERSION).tar.gz
 PKG_SOURCE_URL:=@SF/pptpclient
 PKG_MD5SUM:=b47735ba5d6d37dfdbccb85afc044ede
 
+PKG_CONFIG_DEPENDS:=CONFIG_PACKAGE_netifd
+
 include $(INCLUDE_DIR)/package.mk
 
 define Package/pptp