diff --git a/package/base-files/files/bin/config_generate b/package/base-files/files/bin/config_generate
index ee3958e733..56f6c4423b 100755
--- a/package/base-files/files/bin/config_generate
+++ b/package/base-files/files/bin/config_generate
@@ -91,21 +91,28 @@ generate_static_network() {
 
 addr_offset=2
 generate_network() {
-	local ifname macaddr protocol type ipaddr netmask vlan
+	local ports ifname macaddr protocol type ipaddr netmask vlan
 	local bridge=$2
 
 	json_select network
 		json_select "$1"
+			json_get_values ports ports
 			json_get_vars ifname macaddr protocol ipaddr netmask vlan
 		json_select ..
 	json_select ..
 
-	[ -n "$ifname" ] || return
+	[ -n "$ifname" -o -n "$ports" ] || return
 
-	# force bridge for multi-interface devices (and lan)
-	case "$1:$ifname" in
-		*\ * | lan:*) type="bridge" ;;
-	esac
+	# Force bridge for "lan" as it may have other devices (e.g. wireless)
+	# bridged
+	[ "$1" = "lan" -a -z "$ports" ] && {
+		ports="$ifname"
+	}
+
+	[ -n "$ports" ] && {
+		type="bridge"
+		ifname="$ports"
+	}
 
 	[ -n "$bridge" ] && {
 		if [ -z "$vlan" ]; then
diff --git a/package/base-files/files/lib/functions/uci-defaults.sh b/package/base-files/files/lib/functions/uci-defaults.sh
index 134c527d8d..407a9c710f 100644
--- a/package/base-files/files/lib/functions/uci-defaults.sh
+++ b/package/base-files/files/lib/functions/uci-defaults.sh
@@ -39,7 +39,13 @@ ucidef_set_interface() {
 
 		[ -n "$opt" -a -n "$val" ] || break
 
-		json_add_string "$opt" "$val"
+		[ "$opt" = "ifname" -a "$val" != "${val/ //}" ] && {
+			json_select_array "ports"
+			for e in $val; do json_add_string "" "$e"; done
+			json_close_array
+		} || {
+			json_add_string "$opt" "$val"
+		}
 	done
 
 	if ! json_is_a protocol string; then