diff --git a/core/api/src/main/java/org/onosproject/net/device/DefaultPortDescription.java b/core/api/src/main/java/org/onosproject/net/device/DefaultPortDescription.java
index 89cc6e8..cc28227 100644
--- a/core/api/src/main/java/org/onosproject/net/device/DefaultPortDescription.java
+++ b/core/api/src/main/java/org/onosproject/net/device/DefaultPortDescription.java
@@ -34,6 +34,7 @@
 
     private final PortNumber number;
     private final boolean isEnabled;
+    private final boolean isRemoved;
     private final Type type;
     private final long portSpeed;
 
@@ -61,9 +62,26 @@
     public DefaultPortDescription(PortNumber number, boolean isEnabled,
                                   Type type, long portSpeed,
                                   SparseAnnotations...annotations) {
+        this(number, isEnabled, false, type, portSpeed, annotations);
+    }
+
+    /**
+     * Creates a port description using the supplied information.
+     *
+     * @param number      port number
+     * @param isEnabled   port enabled state
+     * @param isRemoved   port removed state
+     * @param type        port type
+     * @param portSpeed   port speed in Mbps
+     * @param annotations optional key/value annotations map
+     */
+    public DefaultPortDescription(PortNumber number, boolean isEnabled, boolean isRemoved,
+                                  Type type, long portSpeed,
+                                  SparseAnnotations...annotations) {
         super(annotations);
         this.number = checkNotNull(number);
         this.isEnabled = isEnabled;
+        this.isRemoved = isRemoved;
         this.type = type;
         this.portSpeed = portSpeed;
     }
@@ -72,6 +90,7 @@
     protected DefaultPortDescription() {
         this.number = null;
         this.isEnabled = false;
+        this.isRemoved = false;
         this.portSpeed = DEFAULT_SPEED;
         this.type = Type.COPPER;
     }
@@ -112,6 +131,11 @@
     }
 
     @Override
+    public boolean isRemoved() {
+        return isRemoved;
+    }
+
+    @Override
     public Type type() {
         return type;
     }
diff --git a/core/api/src/main/java/org/onosproject/net/device/DeviceProviderService.java b/core/api/src/main/java/org/onosproject/net/device/DeviceProviderService.java
index f8c9442..ff34bd2 100644
--- a/core/api/src/main/java/org/onosproject/net/device/DeviceProviderService.java
+++ b/core/api/src/main/java/org/onosproject/net/device/DeviceProviderService.java
@@ -55,6 +55,17 @@
     void updatePorts(DeviceId deviceId, List<PortDescription> portDescriptions);
 
     /**
+     * Delete information about a single port of a device.
+     * It is up to the core to determine what has changed.
+     *
+     * @param deviceId         identity of the device
+     * @param portDescription       device port description
+     */
+    default void deletePort(DeviceId deviceId, PortDescription portDescription) {
+
+    }
+
+    /**
      * Notifies the core about port status change of a single port.
      *
      * @param deviceId        identity of the device
diff --git a/core/api/src/main/java/org/onosproject/net/device/PortDescription.java b/core/api/src/main/java/org/onosproject/net/device/PortDescription.java
index 31680e5..020794b 100644
--- a/core/api/src/main/java/org/onosproject/net/device/PortDescription.java
+++ b/core/api/src/main/java/org/onosproject/net/device/PortDescription.java
@@ -40,6 +40,13 @@
     boolean isEnabled();
 
     /**
+     * Indicates whether or not the port was removed.
+     *
+     * @return true if the port is removed.
+     */
+    boolean isRemoved();
+
+    /**
      * Returns the port type.
      *
      * @return port type