diff --git a/src/config/network.rs b/src/config/network.rs
index 1b7d02cc..1b739a37 100644
--- a/src/config/network.rs
+++ b/src/config/network.rs
@@ -290,6 +290,20 @@ pub struct NetworkConfig {
     order: Vec<NetworkOrderEntry>,
 }
 
+use std::convert::TryFrom;
+
+impl TryFrom<NetworkConfig> for String  {
+
+    type Error = Error;
+
+    fn try_from(config: NetworkConfig) -> Result<Self, Self::Error> {
+        let mut output = Vec::new();
+        config.write_config(&mut output)?;
+        let res = String::from_utf8(output)?;
+        Ok(res)
+    }
+}
+
 impl NetworkConfig {
 
     pub fn new() -> Self {
@@ -381,8 +395,9 @@ pub fn config() -> Result<(NetworkConfig, [u8;32]), Error> {
 
     let digest = openssl::sha::sha256(&content);
 
+    let existing_interfaces = get_network_interfaces()?;
     let mut parser = NetworkParser::new(&content[..]);
-    let data = parser.parse_interfaces()?;
+    let data = parser.parse_interfaces(Some(&existing_interfaces))?;
 
     Ok((data, digest))
 }
@@ -421,3 +436,55 @@ pub fn complete_interface_name(_arg: &str, _param: &HashMap<String, String>) ->
         Err(_) => return vec![],
     }
 }
+
+#[cfg(test)]
+mod test {
+
+    use anyhow::{Error};
+
+    use super::*;
+
+    #[test]
+    fn test_network_config_create_lo_1() -> Result<(), Error> {
+
+        let input = "";
+
+        let mut parser = NetworkParser::new(&input.as_bytes()[..]);
+
+        let config = parser.parse_interfaces(None)?;
+
+        let output = String::try_from(config)?;
+
+        let expected = "auto lo\niface lo inet loopback\n\n";
+        assert_eq!(output, expected);
+
+        // run again using output as input
+        let mut parser = NetworkParser::new(&output.as_bytes()[..]);
+
+        let config = parser.parse_interfaces(None)?;
+
+        let output = String::try_from(config)?;
+
+        assert_eq!(output, expected);
+
+        Ok(())
+    }
+
+    #[test]
+    fn test_network_config_create_lo_2() -> Result<(), Error> {
+
+        let input = "#c1\n\n#c2\n\niface test inet manual\n";
+
+        let mut parser = NetworkParser::new(&input.as_bytes()[..]);
+
+        let config = parser.parse_interfaces(None)?;
+
+        let output = String::try_from(config)?;
+
+        // Note: loopback should be added in front of other interfaces
+        let expected = "#c1\n#c2\n\nauto lo\niface lo inet loopback\n\niface test inet manual\n\n";
+        assert_eq!(output, expected);
+
+        Ok(())
+    }
+}
diff --git a/src/config/network/parser.rs b/src/config/network/parser.rs
index c63c3477..c4ab538a 100644
--- a/src/config/network/parser.rs
+++ b/src/config/network/parser.rs
@@ -1,6 +1,6 @@
 use std::io::{BufRead};
 use std::iter::{Peekable, Iterator};
-use std::collections::HashSet;
+use std::collections::{HashMap, HashSet};
 
 use anyhow::{Error, bail, format_err};
 use lazy_static::lazy_static;
@@ -294,12 +294,12 @@ impl <R: BufRead> NetworkParser<R> {
         Ok(())
     }
 
-    pub fn parse_interfaces(&mut self) -> Result<NetworkConfig, Error> {
-        self._parse_interfaces()
+    pub fn parse_interfaces(&mut self, existing_interfaces: Option<&HashMap<String, bool>>) -> Result<NetworkConfig, Error> {
+        self._parse_interfaces(existing_interfaces)
             .map_err(|err| format_err!("line {}: {}", self.line_nr, err))
     }
 
-    pub fn _parse_interfaces(&mut self) -> Result<NetworkConfig, Error> {
+    pub fn _parse_interfaces(&mut self, existing_interfaces: Option<&HashMap<String, bool>>) -> Result<NetworkConfig, Error> {
         let mut config = NetworkConfig::new();
 
         let mut auto_flag: HashSet<String> = HashSet::new();
@@ -339,27 +339,27 @@ impl <R: BufRead> NetworkParser<R> {
             }
         }
 
-        let existing_interfaces = get_network_interfaces()?;
-
         lazy_static!{
             static ref PHYSICAL_NIC_REGEX: Regex = Regex::new(r"^(?:eth\d+|en[^:.]+|ib\d+)$").unwrap();
             static ref INTERFACE_ALIAS_REGEX: Regex = Regex::new(r"^\S+:\d+$").unwrap();
             static ref VLAN_INTERFACE_REGEX: Regex = Regex::new(r"^\S+\.\d+$").unwrap();
         }
 
-        for (iface, active) in existing_interfaces.iter()  {
-            if let Some(interface) = config.interfaces.get_mut(iface) {
-                interface.active = *active;
-                if interface.interface_type == NetworkInterfaceType::Unknown {
+        if let Some(existing_interfaces) = existing_interfaces {
+            for (iface, active) in existing_interfaces.iter()  {
+                if let Some(interface) = config.interfaces.get_mut(iface) {
+                    interface.active = *active;
+                    if interface.interface_type == NetworkInterfaceType::Unknown {
+                        interface.interface_type = NetworkInterfaceType::Ethernet;
+                    }
+                } else if PHYSICAL_NIC_REGEX.is_match(iface) { // also add all physical NICs
+                    let mut interface = Interface::new(iface.clone());
+                    interface.set_method_v4(NetworkConfigMethod::Manual)?;
                     interface.interface_type = NetworkInterfaceType::Ethernet;
+                    interface.active = *active;
+                    config.interfaces.insert(interface.name.clone(), interface);
+                    config.order.push(NetworkOrderEntry::Iface(iface.to_string()));
                 }
-           } else if PHYSICAL_NIC_REGEX.is_match(iface) { // also add all physical NICs
-                let mut interface = Interface::new(iface.clone());
-                interface.set_method_v4(NetworkConfigMethod::Manual)?;
-                interface.interface_type = NetworkInterfaceType::Ethernet;
-                interface.active = *active;
-                config.interfaces.insert(interface.name.clone(), interface);
-                config.order.push(NetworkOrderEntry::Iface(iface.to_string()));
             }
         }
 
@@ -383,6 +383,32 @@ impl <R: BufRead> NetworkParser<R> {
             }
         }
 
+        if config.interfaces.get("lo").is_none() {
+            let mut interface = Interface::new(String::from("lo"));
+            interface.set_method_v4(NetworkConfigMethod::Loopback)?;
+            interface.interface_type = NetworkInterfaceType::Loopback;
+            interface.auto = true;
+            config.interfaces.insert(interface.name.clone(), interface);
+
+            // Note: insert 'lo' as first interface after initial comments
+            let mut new_order = Vec::new();
+            let mut added_lo = false;
+            for entry in config.order {
+                if added_lo { new_order.push(entry); continue; } // copy the rest
+                match entry {
+                    NetworkOrderEntry::Comment(_) => {
+                        new_order.push(entry);
+                     }
+                    _ => {
+                        new_order.push(NetworkOrderEntry::Iface(String::from("lo")));
+                        added_lo = true;
+                        new_order.push(entry);
+                    }
+                }
+            }
+            config.order = new_order;
+        }
+
         Ok(config)
     }
 }