diff --git a/ChangeLog b/ChangeLog
index 5f7accac925..14304459857 100644
--- a/ChangeLog
+++ b/ChangeLog
@@ -7018,4 +7018,7 @@
 	  drivers/usbdev/usbmsc_scsi.c:  If DCD can support queuing of stall
 	  requests, then the USB MSC stall work around delays are not necessary
 	  (2014-3-20).
+	* net/netdev_findbyaddr.c:  Skip network devices that are in the
+	  "down" state.  It does not make sense to consider an address match
+	  with a "down" device.  From Brennan Ashton (2014-3-20).
 
diff --git a/drivers/usbdev/usbmsc.c b/drivers/usbdev/usbmsc.c
index 5881419aadd..1a25293692d 100644
--- a/drivers/usbdev/usbmsc.c
+++ b/drivers/usbdev/usbmsc.c
@@ -264,7 +264,7 @@ static int usbmsc_bind(FAR struct usbdevclass_driver_s *driver,
   priv->usbdev   = dev;
 
   /* Save the reference to our private data structure in EP0 so that it
-   * can be recovered in ep0 completion events (Unless we are part of 
+   * can be recovered in ep0 completion events (Unless we are part of
    * a composite device and, in that case, the composite device owns
    * EP0).
    */
diff --git a/net/netdev_findbyaddr.c b/net/netdev_findbyaddr.c
index 8ca1ae3b280..dbfea28ccba 100644
--- a/net/netdev_findbyaddr.c
+++ b/net/netdev_findbyaddr.c
@@ -1,7 +1,7 @@
 /****************************************************************************
  * net/netdev_findbyaddr.c
  *
- *   Copyright (C) 2007-2009 Gregory Nutt. All rights reserved.
+ *   Copyright (C) 2007-2009, 2014 Gregory Nutt. All rights reserved.
  *   Author: Gregory Nutt <gnutt@nuttx.org>
  *
  * Redistribution and use in source and binary forms, with or without
@@ -55,7 +55,7 @@
  ****************************************************************************/
 
 /****************************************************************************
- * Priviate Types
+ * Private Types
  ****************************************************************************/
 
 /****************************************************************************
@@ -79,7 +79,8 @@
  *
  * Description:
  *   Find a previously registered network device by matching a local address
- *   with the subnet served by the device
+ *   with the subnet served by the device.  Only "up" devices are considered
+ *   (since a "down" device has no meaningful address).
  *
  * Parameters:
  *   addr - Pointer to the remote address of a connection
@@ -95,17 +96,36 @@
 static FAR struct uip_driver_s *netdev_finddevice(const uip_ipaddr_t addr)
 {
   struct uip_driver_s *dev;
+  uint8_t iff;
+
+  /* Examine each registered network device */
 
   netdev_semtake();
   for (dev = g_netdevices; dev; dev = dev->flink)
     {
-      if (uip_ipaddr_maskcmp(dev->d_ipaddr, addr, dev->d_netmask))
+      /* Get the interface flags */
+
+      if (uip_getifstatus(dev->d_ifname, &iff) == OK)
         {
-          netdev_semgive();
-          return dev;
+          /* Is the interface in the "up" state? */
+
+          if ((iff & IFF_UP) != 0)
+            {
+              /* Yes.. check for an address match (under the netmask) */
+
+              if (uip_ipaddr_maskcmp(dev->d_ipaddr, addr, dev->d_netmask))
+                {
+                  /* Its a match */
+
+                  netdev_semgive();
+                  return dev;
+                }
+            }
         }
     }
 
+  /* No device with the matching address found */
+
   netdev_semgive();
   return NULL;
 }