diff --git a/core/api/src/main/java/org/onlab/onos/net/DefaultEdgeLink.java b/core/api/src/main/java/org/onlab/onos/net/DefaultEdgeLink.java
index 74991c8..46a582a 100644
--- a/core/api/src/main/java/org/onlab/onos/net/DefaultEdgeLink.java
+++ b/core/api/src/main/java/org/onlab/onos/net/DefaultEdgeLink.java
@@ -3,6 +3,7 @@
 import org.onlab.onos.net.provider.ProviderId;
 
 import static com.google.common.base.Preconditions.checkArgument;
+import static com.google.common.base.Preconditions.checkNotNull;
 
 /**
  * Default edge link model implementation.
@@ -52,10 +53,14 @@
      *                  for network-to-host direction
      * @return new phantom edge link
      */
-    public static DefaultEdgeLink createEdgeLink(HostLocation edgePort,
+    public static DefaultEdgeLink createEdgeLink(ConnectPoint edgePort,
                                                  boolean isIngress) {
+        checkNotNull(edgePort, "Edge port cannot be null");
+        HostLocation location = (edgePort instanceof HostLocation) ?
+                (HostLocation) edgePort : new HostLocation(edgePort, 0);
         return new DefaultEdgeLink(ProviderId.NONE,
                                    new ConnectPoint(HostId.NONE, PortNumber.P0),
-                                   edgePort, isIngress);
+                                   location, isIngress);
     }
+
 }
diff --git a/core/api/src/main/java/org/onlab/onos/net/HostLocation.java b/core/api/src/main/java/org/onlab/onos/net/HostLocation.java
index 76e2312..60c5945 100644
--- a/core/api/src/main/java/org/onlab/onos/net/HostLocation.java
+++ b/core/api/src/main/java/org/onlab/onos/net/HostLocation.java
@@ -22,6 +22,17 @@
     }
 
     /**
+     * Creates a new host location derived from the supplied connection point.
+     *
+     * @param connectPoint connection point
+     * @param time         time when detected, in millis since start of epoch
+     */
+    public HostLocation(ConnectPoint connectPoint, long time) {
+        super(connectPoint.deviceId(), connectPoint.port());
+        this.time = time;
+    }
+
+    /**
      * Returns the time when the location was established, given in
      * milliseconds since start of epoch.
      *
diff --git a/core/api/src/test/java/org/onlab/onos/net/DefaultEdgeLinkTest.java b/core/api/src/test/java/org/onlab/onos/net/DefaultEdgeLinkTest.java
index b3891f1..fd63797 100644
--- a/core/api/src/test/java/org/onlab/onos/net/DefaultEdgeLinkTest.java
+++ b/core/api/src/test/java/org/onlab/onos/net/DefaultEdgeLinkTest.java
@@ -5,6 +5,7 @@
 import org.onlab.onos.net.provider.ProviderId;
 
 import static org.junit.Assert.assertEquals;
+import static org.onlab.onos.net.DefaultEdgeLink.createEdgeLink;
 import static org.onlab.onos.net.DefaultLinkTest.cp;
 import static org.onlab.onos.net.DeviceId.deviceId;
 import static org.onlab.onos.net.HostId.hostId;
@@ -55,4 +56,24 @@
         assertEquals("incorrect time", 123L, link.hostLocation().time());
     }
 
+    @Test
+    public void phantomIngress() {
+        HostLocation hostLocation = new HostLocation(DID1, P1, 123L);
+        EdgeLink link = createEdgeLink(hostLocation, true);
+        assertEquals("incorrect dst", hostLocation, link.dst());
+        assertEquals("incorrect type", Link.Type.EDGE, link.type());
+        assertEquals("incorrect connect point", hostLocation, link.hostLocation());
+        assertEquals("incorrect time", 123L, link.hostLocation().time());
+    }
+
+    @Test
+    public void phantomEgress() {
+        ConnectPoint hostLocation = new ConnectPoint(DID1, P1);
+        EdgeLink link = createEdgeLink(hostLocation, false);
+        assertEquals("incorrect src", hostLocation, link.src());
+        assertEquals("incorrect type", Link.Type.EDGE, link.type());
+        assertEquals("incorrect connect point", hostLocation, link.hostLocation());
+        assertEquals("incorrect time", 0L, link.hostLocation().time());
+    }
+
 }