diff --git a/core/net/rpl/rpl-conf.h b/core/net/rpl/rpl-conf.h
index 95a05a499..d3749e033 100644
--- a/core/net/rpl/rpl-conf.h
+++ b/core/net/rpl/rpl-conf.h
@@ -207,4 +207,46 @@
 #define RPL_INSERT_HBH_OPTION       1
 #endif
 
+/*
+ * RPL probing. When enabled, probes will be sent periodically to keep
+ * parent link estimates up to date.
+ * */
+#ifdef RPL_CONF_WITH_PROBING
+#define RPL_WITH_PROBING RPL_CONF_WITH_PROBING
+#else
+#define RPL_WITH_PROBING 1
+#endif
+
+/*
+ * RPL probing interval.
+ * */
+#ifdef RPL_CONF_PROBING_INTERVAL
+#define RPL_PROBING_INTERVAL RPL_CONF_PROBING_INTERVAL
+#else
+#define RPL_PROBING_INTERVAL (120 * CLOCK_SECOND)
+#endif
+
+/*
+ * Function used to select the next parent to be probed.
+ * */
+#ifdef RPL_CONF_PROBING_SELECT_FUNC
+#define RPL_PROBING_SELECT_FUNC RPL_CONF_PROBING_SELECT_FUNC
+#else
+#define RPL_PROBING_SELECT_FUNC(dag) get_probing_target((dag))
+#endif
+
+/*
+ * Function used to send RPL probes.
+ * To probe with DIO, use:
+ * #define RPL_CONF_PROBING_SEND_FUNC(instance, addr) dio_output((instance), (addr))
+ * To probe with DIS, use:
+ * #define RPL_CONF_PROBING_SEND_FUNC(instance, addr) dis_output((addr))
+ * Any other custom probing function is also acceptable.
+ * */
+#ifdef RPL_CONF_PROBING_SEND_FUNC
+#define RPL_PROBING_SEND_FUNC RPL_CONF_PROBING_SEND_FUNC
+#else
+#define RPL_PROBING_SEND_FUNC(instance, addr) dio_output((instance), (addr))
+#endif
+
 #endif /* RPL_CONF_H */
diff --git a/core/net/rpl/rpl-dag.c b/core/net/rpl/rpl-dag.c
index e0ca1b11b..0bae981b3 100644
--- a/core/net/rpl/rpl-dag.c
+++ b/core/net/rpl/rpl-dag.c
@@ -75,7 +75,7 @@ static rpl_of_t * const objective_functions[] = {&RPL_OF};
 
 /*---------------------------------------------------------------------------*/
 /* Per-parent RPL information */
-NBR_TABLE(rpl_parent_t, rpl_parents);
+NBR_TABLE_GLOBAL(rpl_parent_t, rpl_parents);
 /*---------------------------------------------------------------------------*/
 /* Allocate instance table. */
 rpl_instance_t instance_table[RPL_MAX_INSTANCES];
@@ -90,14 +90,17 @@ rpl_print_neighbor_list()
     int curr_dio_interval = default_instance->dio_intcurrent;
     int curr_rank = default_instance->current_dag->rank;
     rpl_parent_t *p = nbr_table_head(rpl_parents);
+    clock_time_t now = clock_time();
 
     printf("RPL: rank %u dioint %u, %u nbr(s)\n", curr_rank, curr_dio_interval, uip_ds6_nbr_num());
     while(p != NULL) {
       uip_ds6_nbr_t *nbr = rpl_get_nbr(p);
-      printf("RPL: nbr %3u %5u, %5u => %5u %c\n",
+      printf("RPL: nbr %3u %5u, %5u => %5u %c (last tx %u min ago)\n",
           nbr_table_get_lladdr(rpl_parents, p)->u8[7],
-          p->rank, nbr ? nbr->link_metric : 0, default_instance->of->calculate_rank(p, 0),
-          p == default_instance->current_dag->preferred_parent ? '*' : ' ');
+          p->rank, nbr ? nbr->link_metric : 0,
+          default_instance->of->calculate_rank(p, 0),
+          p == default_instance->current_dag->preferred_parent ? '*' : ' ',
+          (now - p->last_tx_time) / (60 * CLOCK_SECOND));
       p = nbr_table_next(rpl_parents, p);
     }
     printf("RPL: end of list\n");
@@ -496,6 +499,9 @@ rpl_alloc_instance(uint8_t instance_id)
       instance->instance_id = instance_id;
       instance->def_route = NULL;
       instance->used = 1;
+#if RPL_WITH_PROBING
+      rpl_schedule_probing(instance);
+#endif /* RPL_WITH_PROBING */
       return instance;
     }
   }
@@ -556,6 +562,9 @@ rpl_free_instance(rpl_instance_t *instance)
 
   rpl_set_default_route(instance, NULL);
 
+#if RPL_WITH_PROBING
+  ctimer_stop(&instance->probing_timer);
+#endif /* RPL_WITH_PROBING */
   ctimer_stop(&instance->dio_timer);
   ctimer_stop(&instance->dao_timer);
   ctimer_stop(&instance->dao_lifetime_timer);
diff --git a/core/net/rpl/rpl-icmp6.c b/core/net/rpl/rpl-icmp6.c
index c9890b706..66e311d51 100644
--- a/core/net/rpl/rpl-icmp6.c
+++ b/core/net/rpl/rpl-icmp6.c
@@ -466,8 +466,12 @@ dio_output(rpl_instance_t *instance, uip_ipaddr_t *uc_addr)
 
   buffer[pos++] = instance->dtsn_out;
 
-  /* always request new DAO to refresh route */
-  RPL_LOLLIPOP_INCREMENT(instance->dtsn_out);
+  if(uc_addr == NULL) {
+    /* Request new DAO to refresh route. We do not do this for unicast DIO
+     * in order to avoid DAO messages after a DIS-DIO update,
+     * or upon unicast DIO probing. */
+    RPL_LOLLIPOP_INCREMENT(instance->dtsn_out);
+  }
 
   /* reserved 2 bytes */
   buffer[pos++] = 0; /* flags */
diff --git a/core/net/rpl/rpl-private.h b/core/net/rpl/rpl-private.h
index a9ca3f375..ea4e34f90 100644
--- a/core/net/rpl/rpl-private.h
+++ b/core/net/rpl/rpl-private.h
@@ -313,6 +313,7 @@ rpl_of_t *rpl_find_of(rpl_ocp_t);
 void rpl_schedule_dao(rpl_instance_t *);
 void rpl_schedule_dao_immediately(rpl_instance_t *);
 void rpl_cancel_dao(rpl_instance_t *instance);
+void rpl_schedule_probing(rpl_instance_t *instance);
 
 void rpl_reset_dio_timer(rpl_instance_t *);
 void rpl_reset_periodic_timer(void);
diff --git a/core/net/rpl/rpl-timers.c b/core/net/rpl/rpl-timers.c
index a849144cf..a5b0e0fc1 100644
--- a/core/net/rpl/rpl-timers.c
+++ b/core/net/rpl/rpl-timers.c
@@ -327,5 +327,90 @@ rpl_cancel_dao(rpl_instance_t *instance)
   ctimer_stop(&instance->dao_lifetime_timer);
 }
 /*---------------------------------------------------------------------------*/
+#if RPL_WITH_PROBING
+static rpl_parent_t *
+get_probing_target(rpl_dag_t *dag)
+{
+  /* Returns the next probing target. The current implementation looks for the
+   * best parent to which we have not transmitted since 2 * RPL_PROBING_INTERVAL.
+   * This will mostly select the preferred and second best parents. Probing the
+   * second best parent is important: if the link is good, RPL might choose to
+   * switch to it. If the link is bad, the second best parent will decrease in
+   * ranking, and another parent will be probed next time. */
 
+  rpl_parent_t *p;
+  rpl_parent_t *probing_target;
+  rpl_rank_t probing_target_rank;
+  /* Look for a parent we have not sent to since 2 * RPL_PROBING_INTERVAL,
+   * e.g. with last_tx_time earlier than min_last_tx */
+  clock_time_t min_last_tx = clock_time();
+  min_last_tx = min_last_tx > 2 * RPL_PROBING_INTERVAL ? min_last_tx - 2 * RPL_PROBING_INTERVAL : 1;
+
+  if(dag == NULL ||
+      dag->instance == NULL ||
+      dag->preferred_parent == NULL) {
+    return NULL;
+  }
+
+  /* Our preferred parent needs probing */
+  if(dag->preferred_parent->last_tx_time < min_last_tx) {
+    return dag->preferred_parent;
+  }
+
+  /* Look for the best parent that needs probing. */
+  probing_target = NULL;
+  probing_target_rank = INFINITE_RANK;
+  p = nbr_table_head(rpl_parents);
+  while(p != NULL) {
+    if(p->dag == dag && p->last_tx_time < min_last_tx) {
+      rpl_rank_t p_rank = dag->instance->of->calculate_rank(p, 0);
+      /* p is in our dag and needs probing */
+      if(probing_target == NULL) {
+        probing_target = p;
+        probing_target_rank = p_rank;
+      } else {
+        if(p_rank < probing_target_rank) {
+          /* Found better candidate */
+          probing_target = p;
+          probing_target_rank = p_rank;
+        }
+      }
+    }
+    p = nbr_table_next(rpl_parents, p);
+  }
+
+  return probing_target;
+}
+/*---------------------------------------------------------------------------*/
+static void
+handle_probing_timer(void *ptr)
+{
+  rpl_instance_t *instance = (rpl_instance_t *)ptr;
+  rpl_parent_t *probing_target = RPL_PROBING_SELECT_FUNC(instance->current_dag);
+
+  /* Perform probing */
+  if(probing_target != NULL && rpl_get_parent_ipaddr(probing_target) != NULL) {
+    PRINTF("RPL: probing %3u\n",
+        nbr_table_get_lladdr(rpl_parents, probing_target)->u8[7]);
+    /* Send probe, e.g. unicast DIO or DIS */
+    RPL_PROBING_SEND_FUNC(instance, rpl_get_parent_ipaddr(probing_target));
+  }
+
+  /* Schedule next probing */
+  rpl_schedule_probing(instance);
+
+#if DEBUG
+  rpl_print_neighbor_list();
+#endif
+}
+/*---------------------------------------------------------------------------*/
+void
+rpl_schedule_probing(rpl_instance_t *instance)
+{
+  clock_time_t delay = (RPL_PROBING_INTERVAL / 2) +
+      random_rand() % (RPL_PROBING_INTERVAL / 2);
+  ctimer_set(&instance->probing_timer, delay,
+                  handle_probing_timer, instance);
+}
+#endif /* RPL_WITH_PROBING */
 /** @}*/
diff --git a/core/net/rpl/rpl.c b/core/net/rpl/rpl.c
index f92d5f5f8..db5230611 100644
--- a/core/net/rpl/rpl.c
+++ b/core/net/rpl/rpl.c
@@ -263,6 +263,7 @@ rpl_link_neighbor_callback(const linkaddr_t *addr, int status, int numtx)
         parent->flags |= RPL_PARENT_FLAG_UPDATED;
         if(instance->of->neighbor_link_callback != NULL) {
           instance->of->neighbor_link_callback(parent, status, numtx);
+          parent->last_tx_time = clock_time();
         }
       }
     }
diff --git a/core/net/rpl/rpl.h b/core/net/rpl/rpl.h
index e370d5d52..e6e385375 100644
--- a/core/net/rpl/rpl.h
+++ b/core/net/rpl/rpl.h
@@ -114,6 +114,7 @@ struct rpl_parent {
   rpl_metric_container_t mc;
 #endif /* RPL_DAG_MC != RPL_DAG_MC_NONE */
   rpl_rank_t rank;
+  clock_time_t last_tx_time;
   uint8_t dtsn;
   uint8_t flags;
 };
@@ -224,6 +225,9 @@ struct rpl_instance {
   uint16_t dio_totrecv;
 #endif /* RPL_CONF_STATS */
   clock_time_t dio_next_delay; /* delay for completion of dio interval */
+#if RPL_WITH_PROBING
+  struct ctimer probing_timer;
+#endif /* RPL_WITH_PROBING */
   struct ctimer dio_timer;
   struct ctimer dao_timer;
   struct ctimer dao_lifetime_timer;
@@ -253,6 +257,9 @@ void rpl_dag_init(void);
 uip_ds6_nbr_t *rpl_get_nbr(rpl_parent_t *parent);
 void rpl_print_neighbor_list();
 
+/* Per-parent RPL information */
+NBR_TABLE_DECLARE(rpl_parents);
+
 /**
  * RPL modes
  *