diff --git a/defaults/main.yml b/defaults/main.yml
index 1904f62..6c809cf 100644
--- a/defaults/main.yml
+++ b/defaults/main.yml
@@ -74,6 +74,14 @@ lxc_container_fs_type: ext4
 # using the directory backing.
 lxc_container_vg_name: lxc
 
+# Scripts allowing the configuration of pre/post-up/down scripts in Ubuntu
+# interface files. These are merged with per-interface scripts defined in the
+# container_networks dict
+lxc_container_default_preup: []
+lxc_container_default_postup: []
+lxc_container_default_predown: []
+lxc_container_default_postdown: []
+
 lxc_container_default_mtu: "1500"
 
 lxc_container_domain: "openstack.local"
@@ -110,4 +118,3 @@ lxc_container_network_veth_pair: "{{ inventory_hostname[-8:].replace('-', '').re
 
 # Enable fixed mac address generation for an lxc container
 lxc_container_fixed_mac: false
-
diff --git a/releasenotes/notes/lxc-interface-scripts-78e9021cf2ed0c97.yaml b/releasenotes/notes/lxc-interface-scripts-78e9021cf2ed0c97.yaml
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..5ad710e
--- /dev/null
+++ b/releasenotes/notes/lxc-interface-scripts-78e9021cf2ed0c97.yaml
@@ -0,0 +1,7 @@
+---
+features:
+  - In the lxc_container_create role, the keys ``preup``, ``postup``,
+    ``predown``, and ``postdown`` are now supported in the
+    ``container_networks`` dict for Ubuntu systems. This allows operators to
+    configure custom scripts to be run by Ubuntu's ifupdown system when network
+    interface states are changed.
diff --git a/templates/debian-interface.cfg.j2 b/templates/debian-interface.cfg.j2
index f958c8b..d650bb5 100644
--- a/templates/debian-interface.cfg.j2
+++ b/templates/debian-interface.cfg.j2
@@ -10,10 +10,6 @@ iface {{ item.value.interface }} inet static
     gateway {{ item.value.gateway }}
 {% endif %}
     mtu {{ item.value.mtu|default(lxc_container_default_mtu) }}
-    # needed to enable gratuitous arps on interface events
-    post-up sysctl -w net.ipv4.conf.$IFACE.arp_notify=1
-    # needed to force an interface event (setting mac to what it already is)
-    post-up ip link set $IFACE address $(cat /sys/class/net/$IFACE/address)
 {% if item.value.static_routes is defined %}
 {% for route in item.value.static_routes %}
     post-up ip route add {{ route['cidr'] }} via {{ route['gateway'] }} || true
@@ -22,4 +18,16 @@ iface {{ item.value.interface }} inet static
 {% else %}
 iface {{ item.value.interface }} inet manual
 {% endif %}
-### end generated network for [ {{ item.value.interface }} ] ###
\ No newline at end of file
+{% for item in item.value.preup | default([]) | union(lxc_container_default_preup) %}
+    pre-up {{ item }}
+{% endfor %}
+{% for item in item.value.postup | default([]) | union(lxc_container_default_postup) %}
+    post-up {{ item }}
+{% endfor %}
+{% for item in item.value.predown | default([]) | union(lxc_container_default_predown) %}
+    pre-down {{ item }}
+{% endfor %}
+{% for item in item.value.postdown | default([]) | union(lxc_container_default_postdown) %}
+    post-down {{ item }}
+{% endfor %}
+### end generated network for [ {{ item.value.interface }} ] ###
diff --git a/vars/ubuntu-16.04.yml b/vars/ubuntu-16.04.yml
index 15ee41c..5251eee 100644
--- a/vars/ubuntu-16.04.yml
+++ b/vars/ubuntu-16.04.yml
@@ -29,3 +29,9 @@ lxc_container_map:
   distro: ubuntu
   arch: "{{ lxc_architecture_mapping.get( hostvars[physical_host]['ansible_architecture'] | lower ) }}"
   release: xenial
+
+lxc_container_default_postup:
+  # needed to enable gratuitous arps on interface events
+  - "sysctl -w net.ipv4.conf.$IFACE.arp_notify=1"
+  # needed to force an interface event (setting mac to what it already is)
+  - "ip link set $IFACE address $(cat /sys/class/net/$IFACE/address)"