diff --git a/docs/ndb_probes.rst b/docs/ndb_probes.rst
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..8c7240dc0
--- /dev/null
+++ b/docs/ndb_probes.rst
@@ -0,0 +1,6 @@
+.. ndbprobes:
+
+Network probes
+==============
+
+.. automodule:: pyroute2.ndb.objects.probe
diff --git a/docs/ndb_toc.rst b/docs/ndb_toc.rst
index 812ba7ddd..6c64044cc 100644
--- a/docs/ndb_toc.rst
+++ b/docs/ndb_toc.rst
@@ -11,6 +11,7 @@
    ndb_interfaces
    ndb_addresses
    ndb_routes
+   ndb_probes
    ndb_schema
    ndb_sources
    ndb_debug
diff --git a/pyroute2/iproute/linux.py b/pyroute2/iproute/linux.py
index a1f7e698d..4e550a52a 100644
--- a/pyroute2/iproute/linux.py
+++ b/pyroute2/iproute/linux.py
@@ -56,6 +56,7 @@
     RTM_NEWNEIGH,
     RTM_NEWNETNS,
     RTM_NEWNSID,
+    RTM_NEWPROBE,
     RTM_NEWQDISC,
     RTM_NEWROUTE,
     RTM_NEWRULE,
@@ -89,6 +90,7 @@
 from pyroute2.netlink.rtnl.ndtmsg import ndtmsg
 from pyroute2.netlink.rtnl.nsidmsg import nsidmsg
 from pyroute2.netlink.rtnl.nsinfmsg import nsinfmsg
+from pyroute2.netlink.rtnl.probe_msg import probe_msg
 from pyroute2.netlink.rtnl.riprsocket import RawIPRSocket
 from pyroute2.netlink.rtnl.rtmsg import rtmsg
 from pyroute2.netlink.rtnl.tcmsg import plugins as tc_plugins
@@ -378,6 +380,63 @@ def poll(self, method, command, timeout=10, interval=0.2, **spec):
                 pass
         raise TimeoutError()
 
+    # 8<---------------------------------------------------------------
+    #
+    # Diagnostics
+    #
+    def probe(self, command, **kwarg):
+        '''
+        Run a network probe.
+
+        The API will trigger a network probe from the environment it
+        works in. For NetNS it will be the network namespace, for
+        remote IPRoute instances it will be the host it runs on.
+
+        Running probes via API allows to test network connectivity
+        between the environments in a simple uniform way.
+
+        Supported arguments:
+
+        * kind -- probe type, for now only ping is supported
+        * dst -- target to run the probe against
+        * num -- number of probes to run
+        * timeout -- timeout for the whole request
+
+        Examples::
+
+            ipr.probe("add", kind="ping", dst="10.0.0.1")
+
+        By default ping probe will send one ICMP request towards
+        the target. To change this, use num argument::
+
+            ipr.probe(
+                "add",
+                kind="ping",
+                dst="10.0.0.1",
+                num=4,
+                timeout=10
+            )
+
+        Timeout for the ping probe by default is 1 second, which
+        may not be enough to run multiple requests.
+
+        In the next release more probe types are planned, like TCP
+        port probe.
+        '''
+        msg = probe_msg()
+        #
+        msg['family'] = AF_INET
+        msg['proto'] = 1
+        msg['port'] = 0
+        msg['dst_len'] = 32
+        #
+        msg['attrs'].append(['PROBE_KIND', kwarg.get('kind', 'ping')])
+        msg['attrs'].append(['PROBE_DST', kwarg.get('dst', '0.0.0.0')])
+        msg['attrs'].append(['PROBE_NUM', kwarg.get('num', 1)])
+        msg['attrs'].append(['PROBE_TIMEOUT', kwarg.get('timeout', 1)])
+        # iterate the results immediately, don't defer the probe run
+        return tuple(self.nlm_request(msg, msg_type=RTM_NEWPROBE, msg_flags=1))
+
     # 8<---------------------------------------------------------------
     #
     # Listing methods
diff --git a/pyroute2/ndb/main.py b/pyroute2/ndb/main.py
index 2ab039509..81b65238f 100644
--- a/pyroute2/ndb/main.py
+++ b/pyroute2/ndb/main.py
@@ -321,6 +321,7 @@ def add_mock_netns(self, netns):
     ('af_bridge_fdb', 'fdb'),
     ('rules', 'rules'),
     ('netns', 'netns'),
+    ('probes', 'probes'),
     ('af_bridge_vlans', 'vlans'),
 )
 
diff --git a/pyroute2/ndb/objects/probe.py b/pyroute2/ndb/objects/probe.py
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..724171c43
--- /dev/null
+++ b/pyroute2/ndb/objects/probe.py
@@ -0,0 +1,82 @@
+'''
+Run a network probe
+===================
+
+A successful network probe neither creates real network objects
+like interfaces or addresses, nor database records. The only
+important thing it does -- it raises no exception.
+
+On the contrary, an unsuccessful network probe raises a
+`NetlinkError` exception, cancelling the whole transaction.
+
+A network probe is always run from the corresponding netlink
+target: a local system, a remote system, a network namespace,
+a container.
+
+An example scenario:
+
+    * target alpha, set up eth0 10.0.0.2/24
+    * target beta, set up eth0 10.0.0.4/24
+    * ping 10.0.0.4 (beta) from target alpha
+    * ping 10.0.0.2 (alpha) from target beta
+
+The code below sets up the addresses and checks ICMP responses. If
+any step fails, the whole transaction will be rolled back automatically::
+
+    with NDB(log='debug') as ndb:
+        ndb.sources.add(kind='remote', hostname='alpha', username='root')
+        ndb.sources.add(kind='remote', hostname='beta', username='root')
+
+        with ndb.begin() as trx:
+            trx.push(
+                (ndb
+                    .interfaces[{'target': 'alpha', 'ifname': 'eth0'}]
+                    .set(state='up')
+                    .add_ip(address='10.0.0.2', prefixlen=24)
+                ),
+                (ndb
+                    .interfaces[{'target': 'beta', 'ifname': 'eth0'}]
+                    .set(state='up')
+                    .add_ip(address='10.0.0.4', prefixlen=24)
+                ),
+                (ndb
+                    .probes
+                    .create(target='alpha', kind='ping', dst='10.0.0.4')
+                ),
+                (ndb
+                    .probes
+                    .create(target='beta', kind='ping', dst='10.0.0.2')
+                ),
+            )
+'''
+
+from pyroute2.netlink.rtnl.probe_msg import probe_msg
+
+from ..objects import RTNL_Object
+
+
+def load_probe_msg(schema, target, event):
+    pass
+
+
+schema = probe_msg.sql_schema().unique_index()
+init = {
+    'specs': [['probes', schema]],
+    'classes': [['probes', probe_msg]],
+    'event_map': {probe_msg: [load_probe_msg]},
+}
+
+
+class Probe(RTNL_Object):
+
+    table = 'probes'
+    msg_class = probe_msg
+    api = 'probe'
+
+    def __init__(self, *argv, **kwarg):
+        kwarg['iclass'] = probe_msg
+        self.event_map = {probe_msg: 'load_probe_msg'}
+        super().__init__(*argv, **kwarg)
+
+    def check(self):
+        return True
diff --git a/pyroute2/ndb/schema.py b/pyroute2/ndb/schema.py
index 97bf83ec6..42a4514cc 100644
--- a/pyroute2/ndb/schema.py
+++ b/pyroute2/ndb/schema.py
@@ -131,7 +131,7 @@
 from pyroute2.common import basestring, uuid32
 
 #
-from .objects import address, interface, neighbour, netns, route, rule
+from .objects import address, interface, neighbour, netns, probe, route, rule
 
 try:
     import psycopg2
@@ -141,7 +141,7 @@
 #
 # the order is important
 #
-plugins = [interface, address, neighbour, route, netns, rule]
+plugins = [interface, address, neighbour, route, netns, rule, probe]
 
 MAX_ATTEMPTS = 5
 
diff --git a/pyroute2/ndb/view.py b/pyroute2/ndb/view.py
index 09da32ffb..311b62b96 100644
--- a/pyroute2/ndb/view.py
+++ b/pyroute2/ndb/view.py
@@ -66,6 +66,7 @@
 from .objects.interface import Interface, Vlan
 from .objects.neighbour import FDBRecord, Neighbour
 from .objects.netns import NetNS
+from .objects.probe import Probe
 from .objects.route import Route
 from .objects.rule import Rule
 from .report import Record, RecordSet
@@ -120,6 +121,7 @@ def __init__(self, ndb, table, chain=None, auth_managers=None):
         self.classes['routes'] = Route
         self.classes['rules'] = Rule
         self.classes['netns'] = NetNS
+        self.classes['probes'] = Probe
         self.classes['af_bridge_vlans'] = Vlan
 
     def __enter__(self):
diff --git a/pyroute2/netlink/rtnl/__init__.py b/pyroute2/netlink/rtnl/__init__.py
index 0859046d8..df52c98f7 100644
--- a/pyroute2/netlink/rtnl/__init__.py
+++ b/pyroute2/netlink/rtnl/__init__.py
@@ -155,6 +155,9 @@
 RTM_NEWNETNS = 500
 RTM_DELNETNS = 501
 RTM_GETNETNS = 502
+RTM_NEWPROBE = 504
+RTM_DELPROBE = 505
+RTM_GETPROBE = 506
 (RTM_NAMES, RTM_VALUES) = map_namespace('RTM_', globals())
 
 TC_H_INGRESS = 0xFFFFFFF1
diff --git a/pyroute2/netlink/rtnl/iprsocket.py b/pyroute2/netlink/rtnl/iprsocket.py
index 5dc3b4877..a6f671e03 100644
--- a/pyroute2/netlink/rtnl/iprsocket.py
+++ b/pyroute2/netlink/rtnl/iprsocket.py
@@ -17,6 +17,7 @@
         proxy_newlink,
         proxy_setlink,
     )
+    from pyroute2.netlink.rtnl.probe_msg import proxy_newprobe
 
 
 class IPRSocketBase(object):
@@ -37,6 +38,7 @@ def __init__(self, *argv, **kwarg):
             self._sproxy.pmap = {
                 rtnl.RTM_NEWLINK: proxy_newlink,
                 rtnl.RTM_SETLINK: proxy_setlink,
+                rtnl.RTM_NEWPROBE: proxy_newprobe,
             }
 
     def bind(self, groups=None, **kwarg):
diff --git a/pyroute2/netlink/rtnl/marshal.py b/pyroute2/netlink/rtnl/marshal.py
index 448b8bfea..40431dc54 100644
--- a/pyroute2/netlink/rtnl/marshal.py
+++ b/pyroute2/netlink/rtnl/marshal.py
@@ -7,6 +7,7 @@
 from pyroute2.netlink.rtnl.ndmsg import ndmsg
 from pyroute2.netlink.rtnl.ndtmsg import ndtmsg
 from pyroute2.netlink.rtnl.nsidmsg import nsidmsg
+from pyroute2.netlink.rtnl.probe_msg import probe_msg
 from pyroute2.netlink.rtnl.rtmsg import rtmsg
 from pyroute2.netlink.rtnl.tcmsg import tcmsg
 
@@ -48,6 +49,7 @@ class MarshalRtnl(Marshal):
         rtnl.RTM_GETSTATS: ifstatsmsg,
         rtnl.RTM_NEWLINKPROP: ifinfmsg,
         rtnl.RTM_DELLINKPROP: ifinfmsg,
+        rtnl.RTM_NEWPROBE: probe_msg,
     }
 
     def fix_message(self, msg):
diff --git a/pyroute2/netlink/rtnl/probe_msg.py b/pyroute2/netlink/rtnl/probe_msg.py
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..eb5c2db21
--- /dev/null
+++ b/pyroute2/netlink/rtnl/probe_msg.py
@@ -0,0 +1,74 @@
+import errno
+import shutil
+import subprocess
+
+from pyroute2.netlink import nlmsg
+from pyroute2.netlink.exceptions import NetlinkError
+
+
+class probe_msg(nlmsg):
+    '''
+    Fake message type to represent network probe info.
+
+    This is a prototype, the NLA layout is subject to change without
+    notification.
+    '''
+
+    __slots__ = ()
+    prefix = 'PROBE_'
+
+    fields = (('family', 'B'), ('proto', 'B'), ('port', 'H'), ('dst_len', 'I'))
+
+    nla_map = (
+        ('PROBE_UNSPEC', 'none'),
+        ('PROBE_KIND', 'asciiz'),
+        ('PROBE_STDOUT', 'asciiz'),
+        ('PROBE_STDERR', 'asciiz'),
+        ('PROBE_SRC', 'target'),
+        ('PROBE_DST', 'target'),
+        ('PROBE_NUM', 'uint8'),
+        ('PROBE_TIMEOUT', 'uint8'),
+    )
+
+
+def proxy_newprobe(msg, nl):
+    num = msg.get('num')
+    timeout = msg.get('timeout')
+    dst = msg.get('dst')
+    kind = msg.get('kind')
+
+    if kind.endswith('ping'):
+        args = [
+            shutil.which(kind),
+            '-c',
+            f'{num}',
+            '-W',
+            f'{timeout}',
+            f'{dst}',
+        ]
+        if args[0] is None:
+            raise NetlinkError(errno.ENOENT, 'probe not found')
+
+        process = subprocess.Popen(
+            args, stdout=subprocess.PIPE, stderr=subprocess.PIPE
+        )
+        try:
+            out, err = process.communicate(timeout=timeout)
+            if out:
+                msg['attrs'].append(['PROBE_STDOUT', out])
+            if err:
+                msg['attrs'].append(['PROBE_STDERR', err])
+        except subprocess.TimeoutExpired:
+            process.terminate()
+            raise NetlinkError(errno.ETIMEDOUT, 'timeout expired')
+        finally:
+            process.stdout.close()
+            process.stderr.close()
+            return_code = process.wait()
+        if return_code != 0:
+            raise NetlinkError(errno.EHOSTUNREACH, 'probe failed')
+    else:
+        raise NetlinkError(errno.ENOTSUP, 'probe type not supported')
+    msg.reset()
+    msg.encode()
+    return {'verdict': 'return', 'data': msg.data}
diff --git a/tests/test_linux/test_ipr/test_probe.py b/tests/test_linux/test_ipr/test_probe.py
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..df8b7a7cf
--- /dev/null
+++ b/tests/test_linux/test_ipr/test_probe.py
@@ -0,0 +1,77 @@
+import errno
+from socket import AF_INET
+
+import pytest
+from pr2test.context_manager import make_test_matrix, skip_if_not_supported
+from pr2test.marks import require_root
+
+from pyroute2 import NetlinkError
+
+pytestmark = [require_root()]
+test_matrix = make_test_matrix(targets=['local', 'netns'])
+
+
+@pytest.mark.parametrize('context', test_matrix, indirect=True)
+@skip_if_not_supported
+def test_ping_ok(context):
+    index, ifname = context.default_interface
+    ipaddr = context.new_ipaddr
+
+    context.ipr.addr('add', index=index, address=ipaddr, prefixlen=24)
+    context.ipr.link('set', index=index, state='up')
+    context.ipr.link(
+        'set', index=context.ipr.link_lookup(ifname='lo'), state='up'
+    )
+
+    context.ndb.interfaces.wait(ifname=ifname, state='up')
+    context.ndb.interfaces.wait(ifname='lo', state='up')
+
+    probes = [x for x in context.ipr.probe('add', kind='ping', dst=ipaddr)]
+    probe = probes[0]
+
+    assert len(probes) == 1
+    assert probe['family'] == AF_INET
+    assert probe['proto'] == 1
+    assert probe['port'] == 0
+    assert probe['dst_len'] == 32
+    assert probe.get('dst') == ipaddr
+    assert probe.get('kind') == 'ping'
+
+
+@pytest.mark.parametrize(
+    'context', make_test_matrix(targets=['netns']), indirect=True
+)
+@skip_if_not_supported
+def test_ping_fail_ehostunreach(context):
+    context.ipr.link(
+        'set', index=context.ipr.link_lookup(ifname='lo'), state='down'
+    )
+    with pytest.raises(NetlinkError) as e:
+        context.ipr.probe('add', kind='ping', dst='127.0.0.1')
+    assert e.value.code == errno.EHOSTUNREACH
+
+
+@pytest.mark.parametrize(
+    'context', make_test_matrix(targets=['netns']), indirect=True
+)
+@skip_if_not_supported
+def test_ping_fail_etimedout(context):
+    index, ifname = context.default_interface
+    ipaddr = context.new_ipaddr
+    target = context.new_ipaddr
+
+    context.ipr.addr('add', index=index, address=ipaddr, prefixlen=24)
+    context.ipr.link('set', index=index, state='up')
+    context.ipr.link(
+        'set', index=context.ipr.link_lookup(ifname='lo'), state='up'
+    )
+
+    context.ndb.interfaces.wait(ifname=ifname, state='up')
+    context.ndb.interfaces.wait(ifname='lo', state='up')
+
+    context.ipr.link(
+        'set', index=context.ipr.link_lookup(ifname='lo'), state='up'
+    )
+    with pytest.raises(NetlinkError) as e:
+        context.ipr.probe('add', kind='ping', dst=target)
+    assert e.value.code == errno.ETIMEDOUT
diff --git a/tests/test_linux/test_ndb/test_probe.py b/tests/test_linux/test_ndb/test_probe.py
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..72669f9f4
--- /dev/null
+++ b/tests/test_linux/test_ndb/test_probe.py
@@ -0,0 +1,57 @@
+import errno
+
+import pytest
+from pr2test.context_manager import make_test_matrix, skip_if_not_supported
+from pr2test.marks import require_root
+
+from pyroute2 import NetlinkError
+
+pytestmark = [require_root()]
+test_matrix = make_test_matrix(targets=['local', 'netns'])
+
+
+@pytest.mark.parametrize('context', test_matrix, indirect=True)
+@skip_if_not_supported
+def test_ping_ok(context):
+    index, ifname = context.default_interface
+    ipaddr = context.new_ipaddr
+
+    with context.ndb.interfaces[ifname] as i:
+        i.add_ip(address=ipaddr, prefixlen=24)
+        i.set(state='up')
+
+    with context.ndb.interfaces['lo'] as i:
+        i.set(state='up')
+
+    context.ndb.probes.create(kind='ping', dst=ipaddr).commit()
+
+
+@pytest.mark.parametrize(
+    'context', make_test_matrix(targets=['netns']), indirect=True
+)
+@skip_if_not_supported
+def test_ping_fail_ehostunreach(context):
+    with context.ndb.interfaces['lo'] as i:
+        i.set(state='down')
+    with pytest.raises(NetlinkError) as e:
+        context.ndb.probes.create(kind='ping', dst='127.0.0.1').commit()
+    assert e.value.code == errno.EHOSTUNREACH
+
+
+@pytest.mark.parametrize(
+    'context', make_test_matrix(targets=['netns']), indirect=True
+)
+@skip_if_not_supported
+def test_ping_fail_etimedout(context):
+    index, ifname = context.default_interface
+    ipaddr = context.new_ipaddr
+    target = context.new_ipaddr
+
+    with context.ndb.interfaces[ifname] as i:
+        i.add_ip(address=ipaddr, prefixlen=24)
+        i.set(state='up')
+    with context.ndb.interfaces['lo'] as i:
+        i.set(state='up')
+    with pytest.raises(NetlinkError) as e:
+        context.ndb.probes.create(kind='ping', dst=target).commit()
+    assert e.value.code == errno.ETIMEDOUT