diff --git a/gns3server/modules/iou/__init__.py b/gns3server/modules/iou/__init__.py
index 4a3a295a..5ae65f98 100644
--- a/gns3server/modules/iou/__init__.py
+++ b/gns3server/modules/iou/__init__.py
@@ -479,7 +479,6 @@ class IOU(IModule):
             return
 
         try:
-            log.debug("starting IOU with command: {}".format(iou_instance.command()))
             iou_instance.iouyap = self._iouyap
             iou_instance.iourc = self._iourc
             iou_instance.start()
diff --git a/gns3server/modules/iou/iou_device.py b/gns3server/modules/iou/iou_device.py
index fc7ec837..90e00e1a 100644
--- a/gns3server/modules/iou/iou_device.py
+++ b/gns3server/modules/iou/iou_device.py
@@ -104,6 +104,7 @@ class IOUDevice(object):
         self._nvram = 128  # Kilobytes
         self._startup_config = ""
         self._ram = 256  # Megabytes
+        self._l1_keepalives = True
 
         # update the working directory
         self.working_dir = working_dir
@@ -136,7 +137,8 @@ class IOUDevice(object):
                         "nvram": self._nvram,
                         "ethernet_adapters": len(self._ethernet_adapters),
                         "serial_adapters": len(self._serial_adapters),
-                        "console": self._console}
+                        "console": self._console,
+                        "l1_keepalives": self._l1_keepalives}
 
         return iou_defaults
 
@@ -708,6 +710,26 @@ class IOUDevice(object):
 
         return nio
 
+    def _enable_l1_keepalives(self, command):
+        """
+        Enables L1 keepalive messages if supported.
+
+        :param command: command line
+        """
+
+        env = os.environ.copy()
+        env["IOURC"] = self._iourc
+        output = b""
+        try:
+            output = subprocess.check_output([self._path, "-h"], stderr=subprocess.STDOUT, cwd=self._working_dir, env=env)
+        except OSError as e:
+            log.warn("could not determine if layer 1 keepalive messages are supported by {}: {}".format(os.path.basename(self._path), e))
+        else:
+            if re.search("-l\s+Enable Layer 1 keepalive messages", output.decode("utf-8")):
+                command.extend(["-l"])
+            else:
+                log.warn("layer 1 keepalive messages are not supported by {}".format(os.path.basename(self._path)))
+
     def _build_command(self):
         """
         Command to start the IOU process.
@@ -750,6 +772,8 @@ class IOUDevice(object):
         command.extend(["-L"])  # disable local console, use remote console
         if self._startup_config:
             command.extend(["-c", self._startup_config])
+        if self._l1_keepalives:
+            self._enable_l1_keepalives(command)
         command.extend([str(self._id)])
         return command
 
@@ -777,6 +801,30 @@ class IOUDevice(object):
         else:
             log.info("IOU {name} [id={id}]: does not use the default IOU image values".format(name=self._name, id=self._id))
 
+    @property
+    def l1_keepalives(self):
+        """
+        Returns either layer 1 keepalive messages option is enabled or disabled.
+
+        :returns: boolean
+        """
+
+        return self._l1_keepalives
+
+    @l1_keepalives.setter
+    def l1_keepalives(self, state):
+        """
+        Enables or disables layer 1 keepalive messages.
+
+        :param state: boolean
+        """
+
+        self._l1_keepalives = state
+        if state:
+            log.info("IOU {name} [id={id}]: has activated layer 1 keepalive messages".format(name=self._name, id=self._id))
+        else:
+            log.info("IOU {name} [id={id}]: has deactivated layer 1 keepalive messages".format(name=self._name, id=self._id))
+
     @property
     def ram(self):
         """
diff --git a/gns3server/modules/iou/schemas.py b/gns3server/modules/iou/schemas.py
index 5d37ffed..ad232a4c 100644
--- a/gns3server/modules/iou/schemas.py
+++ b/gns3server/modules/iou/schemas.py
@@ -102,6 +102,10 @@ IOU_UPDATE_SCHEMA = {
             "description": "use the default IOU RAM & NVRAM values",
             "type": "boolean"
         },
+        "l1_keepalives": {
+            "description": "enable or disable layer 1 keepalive messages",
+            "type": "boolean"
+        },
         "startup_config_base64": {
             "description": "startup configuration base64 encoded",
             "type": "string"
diff --git a/gns3server/modules/vpcs/__init__.py b/gns3server/modules/vpcs/__init__.py
index 585f9abd..3ef9347c 100644
--- a/gns3server/modules/vpcs/__init__.py
+++ b/gns3server/modules/vpcs/__init__.py
@@ -390,7 +390,6 @@ class VPCS(IModule):
             return
 
         try:
-            log.debug("starting VPCS with command: {}".format(vpcs_instance.command()))
             vpcs_instance.start()
         except VPCSError as e:
             self.send_custom_error(str(e))