diff --git a/miniupnpd/miniupnpd.c b/miniupnpd/miniupnpd.c
index 74911a6..b11bc7e 100644
--- a/miniupnpd/miniupnpd.c
+++ b/miniupnpd/miniupnpd.c
@@ -990,6 +990,12 @@ parselanaddr(struct lan_addr_s * lan_addr, const char * str)
 			if(!inet_aton(lan_addr->ext_ip_str, &lan_addr->ext_ip_addr)) {
 				/* error */
 				fprintf(stderr, "Error parsing address : %s\n", lan_addr->ext_ip_str);
+				return -1;
+			}
+			if(addr_is_reserved(&lan_addr->ext_ip_addr)) {
+				/* error */
+				fprintf(stderr, "Error: option ext_ip address contains reserved / private address : %s\n", lan_addr->ext_ip_str);
+				return -1;
 			}
 		}
 	}
@@ -1070,6 +1076,7 @@ init(int argc, char * * argv, struct runtime_vars * v)
 	int pid;
 	int debug_flag = 0;
 	int openlog_option;
+	struct in_addr addr;
 	struct sigaction sa;
 	/*const char * logfilename = 0;*/
 	const char * presurl = 0;
@@ -1606,6 +1613,17 @@ init(int argc, char * * argv, struct runtime_vars * v)
 		goto print_usage;
 	}
 
+	if (use_ext_ip_addr) {
+		if (inet_pton(AF_INET, use_ext_ip_addr, &addr) != 1) {
+			fprintf(stderr, "Error: option ext_ip contains invalid address %s\n", use_ext_ip_addr);
+			return 1;
+		}
+		if (addr_is_reserved(&addr)) {
+			fprintf(stderr, "Error: option ext_ip contains reserved / private address %s, not public routable\n", use_ext_ip_addr);
+			return 1;
+		}
+	}
+
 	if(debug_flag)
 	{
 		pid = getpid();
diff --git a/miniupnpd/natpmp.c b/miniupnpd/natpmp.c
index 0ed09e0..8648dfb 100644
--- a/miniupnpd/natpmp.c
+++ b/miniupnpd/natpmp.c
@@ -94,6 +94,7 @@ error:
 static void FillPublicAddressResponse(unsigned char * resp, in_addr_t senderaddr)
 {
 #ifndef MULTIPLE_EXTERNAL_IP
+	struct in_addr addr;
 	char tmp[16];
 	UNUSED(senderaddr);
 
@@ -103,10 +104,13 @@ static void FillPublicAddressResponse(unsigned char * resp, in_addr_t senderaddr
 		if(!ext_if_name || ext_if_name[0]=='\0') {
 			resp[3] = 3;	/* Network Failure (e.g. NAT box itself
 			                 * has not obtained a DHCP lease) */
-		} else if(getifaddr(ext_if_name, tmp, INET_ADDRSTRLEN, NULL, NULL) < 0) {
+		} else if(getifaddr(ext_if_name, tmp, INET_ADDRSTRLEN, &addr, NULL) < 0) {
 			syslog(LOG_ERR, "Failed to get IP for interface %s", ext_if_name);
 			resp[3] = 3;	/* Network Failure (e.g. NAT box itself
 			                 * has not obtained a DHCP lease) */
+		} else if (addr_is_reserved(&addr)) {
+			resp[3] = 3;	/* Network Failure, box has not obtained
+			                   public IP address */
 		} else {
 			inet_pton(AF_INET, tmp, resp+8); /* ok */
 		}
diff --git a/miniupnpd/upnpdescgen.c b/miniupnpd/upnpdescgen.c
index 88e00c1..b2583eb 100644
--- a/miniupnpd/upnpdescgen.c
+++ b/miniupnpd/upnpdescgen.c
@@ -1281,8 +1281,9 @@ genEventVars(int * len, const struct serviceDesc * s)
 				if(use_ext_ip_addr)
 					str = strcat_str(str, len, &tmplen, use_ext_ip_addr);
 				else {
+					struct in_addr addr;
 					char ext_ip_addr[INET_ADDRSTRLEN];
-					if(getifaddr(ext_if_name, ext_ip_addr, INET_ADDRSTRLEN, NULL, NULL) < 0) {
+					if(getifaddr(ext_if_name, ext_ip_addr, INET_ADDRSTRLEN, &addr, NULL) < 0 || addr_is_reserved(&addr)) {
 						str = strcat_str(str, len, &tmplen, "0.0.0.0");
 					} else {
 						str = strcat_str(str, len, &tmplen, ext_ip_addr);
diff --git a/miniupnpd/upnpsoap.c b/miniupnpd/upnpsoap.c
index b4f156c..5a3eafc 100644
--- a/miniupnpd/upnpsoap.c
+++ b/miniupnpd/upnpsoap.c
@@ -332,17 +332,20 @@ GetExternalIPAddress(struct upnphttp * h, const char * action, const char * ns)
 	 * There is usually no NAT with IPv6 */
 
 #ifndef MULTIPLE_EXTERNAL_IP
+	struct in_addr addr;
 	if(use_ext_ip_addr)
 	{
 		strncpy(ext_ip_addr, use_ext_ip_addr, INET_ADDRSTRLEN);
 		ext_ip_addr[INET_ADDRSTRLEN - 1] = '\0';
 	}
-	else if(getifaddr(ext_if_name, ext_ip_addr, INET_ADDRSTRLEN, NULL, NULL) < 0)
+	else if(getifaddr(ext_if_name, ext_ip_addr, INET_ADDRSTRLEN, &addr, NULL) < 0)
 	{
 		syslog(LOG_ERR, "Failed to get ip address for interface %s",
 			ext_if_name);
 		strncpy(ext_ip_addr, "0.0.0.0", INET_ADDRSTRLEN);
 	}
+	if (addr_is_reserved(&addr))
+		strncpy(ext_ip_addr, "0.0.0.0", INET_ADDRSTRLEN);
 #else
 	struct lan_addr_s * lan_addr;
 	strncpy(ext_ip_addr, "0.0.0.0", INET_ADDRSTRLEN);