diff --git a/include/netlink/cache.h b/include/netlink/cache.h
index abeeccbd..faa61a78 100644
--- a/include/netlink/cache.h
+++ b/include/netlink/cache.h
@@ -140,12 +140,17 @@ extern struct nl_cache *	__nl_cache_mngt_require(const char *);
 
 struct nl_cache_mngr;
 
-#define NL_AUTO_PROVIDE		1
-#define NL_ALLOCATED_SOCK	2  /* For internal use only, do not use */
+#define NL_AUTO_PROVIDE		    1
+#define NL_ALLOCATED_SOCK	    2  /* For internal use only, do not use */
+#define NL_ALLOCATED_SYNC_SOCK	4  /* For internal use only, do not use */
 
 extern int			nl_cache_mngr_alloc(struct nl_sock *,
 						    int, int,
 						    struct nl_cache_mngr **);
+extern int			nl_cache_mngr_alloc_ex(struct nl_sock *,
+							struct nl_sock *,
+						    int, int,
+						    struct nl_cache_mngr **);
 extern int			nl_cache_mngr_add(struct nl_cache_mngr *,
 						  const char *,
 						  change_func_t,
diff --git a/lib/cache_mngr.c b/lib/cache_mngr.c
index 7b2a9bd3..22696d5b 100644
--- a/lib/cache_mngr.c
+++ b/lib/cache_mngr.c
@@ -148,17 +148,46 @@ static int event_input(struct nl_msg *msg, void *arg)
  */
 int nl_cache_mngr_alloc(struct nl_sock *sk, int protocol, int flags,
 			struct nl_cache_mngr **result)
+{
+	return nl_cache_mngr_alloc_ex(sk, NULL, protocol, flags, result);
+}
+
+/**
+ * Allocate new cache manager, with custom callback on refill socket
+ * @arg sk		Netlink socket or NULL to auto allocate
+ * @arg sync_sk		Blocking Netlink socket for cache refills
+ * @arg protocol	Netlink protocol this manager is used for
+ * @arg flags		Flags (\c NL_AUTO_PROVIDE)
+ * @arg result		Result pointer
+ *
+ * Same as \f nl_cache_mngr_alloc, but sets custom refill socket
+ * Note: ownership of the sync_sk passes to the cache manager
+ */
+int nl_cache_mngr_alloc_ex(struct nl_sock *sk, struct nl_sock *sync_sk, int protocol, int flags,
+			struct nl_cache_mngr **result)
 {
 	struct nl_cache_mngr *mngr;
 	int err = -NLE_NOMEM;
 
 	/* Catch abuse of flags */
-	if (flags & NL_ALLOCATED_SOCK)
+	if (flags & (NL_ALLOCATED_SOCK|NL_ALLOCATED_SYNC_SOCK))
 		BUG();
 
 	mngr = calloc(1, sizeof(*mngr));
-	if (!mngr)
+	if (!mngr) {
 		return -NLE_NOMEM;
+	}
+
+	if(!sync_sk) {
+		if (!(sync_sk = nl_socket_alloc()))
+			goto errout;
+
+		flags |= NL_ALLOCATED_SOCK;
+	}
+	/* have to assign before calling nl_connect, so that it gets freed in case
+	 * of an nl_socket_allock error for sk
+	 */
+	mngr->cm_sync_sock = sync_sk;
 
 	if (!sk) {
 		if (!(sk = nl_socket_alloc()))
@@ -176,6 +205,10 @@ int nl_cache_mngr_alloc(struct nl_sock *sk, int protocol, int flags,
 	if (!mngr->cm_assocs)
 		goto errout;
 
+	if ((err = nl_connect(sync_sk, protocol)) < 0) {
+		goto errout;
+	}
+
 	/* Required to receive async event notifications */
 	nl_socket_disable_seq_check(mngr->cm_sock);
 
@@ -185,14 +218,6 @@ int nl_cache_mngr_alloc(struct nl_sock *sk, int protocol, int flags,
 	if ((err = nl_socket_set_nonblocking(mngr->cm_sock)) < 0)
 		goto errout;
 
-	/* Create and allocate socket for sync cache fills */
-	mngr->cm_sync_sock = nl_socket_alloc();
-	if (!mngr->cm_sync_sock) {
-		err = -NLE_NOMEM;
-		goto errout;
-	}
-	if ((err = nl_connect(mngr->cm_sync_sock, protocol)) < 0)
-		goto errout_free_sync_sock;
 
 	NL_DBG(1, "Allocated cache manager %p, protocol %d, %d caches\n",
 	       mngr, protocol, mngr->cm_nassocs);
@@ -200,8 +225,6 @@ int nl_cache_mngr_alloc(struct nl_sock *sk, int protocol, int flags,
 	*result = mngr;
 	return 0;
 
-errout_free_sync_sock:
-	nl_socket_free(mngr->cm_sync_sock);
 errout:
 	nl_cache_mngr_free(mngr);
 	return err;
@@ -624,9 +647,11 @@ void nl_cache_mngr_free(struct nl_cache_mngr *mngr)
 
 	if (mngr->cm_sync_sock) {
 		nl_close(mngr->cm_sync_sock);
-		nl_socket_free(mngr->cm_sync_sock);
 	}
 
+	if (mngr->cm_flags & NL_ALLOCATED_SYNC_SOCK)
+		nl_socket_free(mngr->cm_sync_sock);
+
 	if (mngr->cm_flags & NL_ALLOCATED_SOCK)
 		nl_socket_free(mngr->cm_sock);
 
diff --git a/libnl-3.sym b/libnl-3.sym
index bac4fcda..613529c2 100644
--- a/libnl-3.sym
+++ b/libnl-3.sym
@@ -372,3 +372,8 @@ global:
 
 libnl_3_6 {
 } libnl_3_5;
+
+libnl_3_10 {
+global:
+	nl_cache_mngr_alloc_ex;
+} libnl_3_6;