diff --git a/debian/changelog b/debian/changelog
index 1ec68e1d..8910e0c5 100644
--- a/debian/changelog
+++ b/debian/changelog
@@ -11,9 +11,12 @@ byobu (4.23) unreleased; urgency=low
   * usr/lib/byobu/logo:
     - revert whitespace required by statusd
   * usr/lib/byobu/ip_address, usr/lib/byobu/.shutil:
-    - add a get_default_interface function
+    - add a get_network_interface function
     - something seems to have changed around the linux 3.0 kernel,
       in the order of /proc/net/dev; now test for 0.0.0.0 mask
+  * usr/lib/byobu/ip_address, usr/lib/byobu/network,
+    usr/lib/byobu/.shutil:
+    - reuse the get_network_interface function across network operations
 
  -- Dustin Kirkland <kirkland@ubuntu.com>  Sun, 24 Jul 2011 14:23:38 -0500
 
diff --git a/usr/lib/byobu/.shutil b/usr/lib/byobu/.shutil
index 124d682a..d37be6a0 100755
--- a/usr/lib/byobu/.shutil
+++ b/usr/lib/byobu/.shutil
@@ -270,12 +270,16 @@ get_now() {
 	fi
 }
 
-get_default_interface() {
-	local Iface Destination Gateway Flags RefCnt Use Metric Mask MTU Window IRTT
-	while read Iface Destination Gateway Flags RefCnt Use Metric Mask MTU Window IRTT; do
-		[ "$Mask" = "00000000" ] && break
-	done < /proc/net/route
-	_RET="$Iface"
+get_network_interface() {
+        if [ -n "$MONITORED_NETWORK" ]; then
+                _RET="$MONITORED_NETWORK"
+        else
+		local Iface Destination Gateway Flags RefCnt Use Metric Mask MTU Window IRTT
+		while read Iface Destination Gateway Flags RefCnt Use Metric Mask MTU Window IRTT; do
+			[ "$Mask" = "00000000" ] && break
+		done < /proc/net/route
+		_RET="$Iface"
+	fi
 }
 
 # vi: syntax=sh ts=4 noexpandtab
diff --git a/usr/lib/byobu/ip_address b/usr/lib/byobu/ip_address
index beeda627..64308cb7 100755
--- a/usr/lib/byobu/ip_address
+++ b/usr/lib/byobu/ip_address
@@ -33,7 +33,7 @@ __ip_address() {
 	else
 		case "$IPV6" in
 			1|true|yes) interface=$(awk '$10 != "lo" { iface=$10 ; }; END { print iface; }' /proc/net/ipv6_route);;
-			*) get_default_interface; interface="$_RET";;
+			*) get_network_interface; interface="$_RET";;
 		esac
 	fi
 	case "$IPV6" in
diff --git a/usr/lib/byobu/network b/usr/lib/byobu/network
index 2cd4f349..6caba275 100755
--- a/usr/lib/byobu/network
+++ b/usr/lib/byobu/network
@@ -19,24 +19,13 @@
 #    You should have received a copy of the GNU General Public License
 #    along with this program.  If not, see <http://www.gnu.org/licenses/>.
 
-get_interface() {
-	_RET=
-	# Allow interface overrides in $BYOBU_CONFIG_DIR/status
-	if [ -n "$MONITORED_NETWORK" ]; then
-		_RET="$MONITORED_NETWORK"
-	else
-		# get the last interface listed in /proc/net/route
-		while read cn other; do _RET=$cn; done < /proc/net/route
-	fi
-}
-
 __network_detail() {
-	get_interface; local interface="$_RET"
+	get_network_interface; local interface="$_RET"
 	LC_ALL=C /sbin/ifconfig "$interface" | $SED 's/\s*$//'
 }
 
 __network() {
-	get_interface; local interface="$_RET"
+	get_network_interface; local interface="$_RET"
 	local t1=0 t2=0 x1=0 x2=0
 	# By default, we won't bug the user with the display of network traffic
 	# below NETWORK_THRESHOLD in kbps; override in $BYOBU_CONFIG_DIR/status