diff --git a/core/api/src/main/java/org/onosproject/net/host/HostProviderService.java b/core/api/src/main/java/org/onosproject/net/host/HostProviderService.java
index f7b7c49..bae9382 100644
--- a/core/api/src/main/java/org/onosproject/net/host/HostProviderService.java
+++ b/core/api/src/main/java/org/onosproject/net/host/HostProviderService.java
@@ -15,6 +15,7 @@
  */
 package org.onosproject.net.host;
 
+import org.onlab.packet.IpAddress;
 import org.onosproject.net.HostId;
 import org.onosproject.net.provider.ProviderService;
 
@@ -52,4 +53,11 @@
      */
     void hostVanished(HostId hostId);
 
+    /**
+     * Notifies the core when a host is no longer detected on a network.
+     *
+     * @param hostId id of the host that vanished
+     */
+    void removeIpFromHost(HostId hostId, IpAddress ipAddress);
+
 }
diff --git a/core/api/src/main/java/org/onosproject/net/host/HostStore.java b/core/api/src/main/java/org/onosproject/net/host/HostStore.java
index 5894fe9..918ced4 100644
--- a/core/api/src/main/java/org/onosproject/net/host/HostStore.java
+++ b/core/api/src/main/java/org/onosproject/net/host/HostStore.java
@@ -55,6 +55,15 @@
     HostEvent removeHost(HostId hostId);
 
     /**
+     * Removes the specified ip from the host entry.
+     *
+     * @param hostId host identification
+     * @param ipAddress ipAddress to be removed
+     * @return remove event or null if host was not found
+     */
+    HostEvent removeIp(HostId hostId, IpAddress ipAddress);
+
+    /**
      * Returns the number of hosts in the store.
      *
      * @return host count