diff --git a/doc/man-pages/pod1/vos_changeaddr.pod b/doc/man-pages/pod1/vos_changeaddr.pod
index 432705ab16..ffe28bf935 100644
--- a/doc/man-pages/pod1/vos_changeaddr.pod
+++ b/doc/man-pages/pod1/vos_changeaddr.pod
@@ -8,12 +8,12 @@ vos_changeaddr - Changes or removes a file server machine's entry in the VLDB
 <div class="synopsis">
 
 B<vos changeaddr> S<<< B<-oldaddr> <I<original IP address>> >>>
-    S<<< [B<-newaddr> <I<new IP address>>] >>> [B<-remove>]
+    S<<< [B<-newaddr> <I<new IP address>>] >>> [B<-remove>] [B<-force>]
     S<<< [B<-cell> <I<cell name>>] >>> [B<-noauth>] [B<-localauth>]
     [B<-verbose>] [B<-encrypt>] [B<-noresolve>] [B<-help>]
 
 B<vos changea> S<<< B<-o> <I<original IP address>> >>>
-    S<<< [B<-ne> <I<new IP address>>] >>> [B<-r>]
+    S<<< [B<-ne> <I<new IP address>>] >>> [B<-r>] [B<-f>]
     S<<< [B<-c> <I<cell name>>] >>>
     [B<-noa>] [B<-l>] [B<-v>] [B<-e>] [B<-nor>] [B<-h>]
 
@@ -74,11 +74,21 @@ multihomed machine, use any of them to identify the server entry.
 Specifies the new IP address that replaces all currently registered
 addresses.
 
+Unless the B<-force> option is given, B<vos changeaddr> will refuse to change
+addresses when the address given in B<-oldaddr> is registered with a multihomed
+server entry in the VLDB. See L</CAUTIONS>.
+
 =item B<-remove>
 
 Removes from the VLDB the server entry that includes the address specified
 by the B<-oldaddr> argument.
 
+=item B<-force>
+
+Overrides the multihomed server entry check when the B<-oldaddr> and
+B<-newaddr> options are combined. The B<-force> flag is provided for historical
+compatibility and is not recommended.
+
 =item B<-cell> <I<cell name>>
 
 Names the cell in which to run the command. Do not combine this argument
diff --git a/src/volser/vos.c b/src/volser/vos.c
index bb9d1eace8..47a94f4920 100644
--- a/src/volser/vos.c
+++ b/src/volser/vos.c
@@ -5208,6 +5208,7 @@ ChangeAddr(struct cmd_syndesc *as, void *arock)
 {
     afs_int32 ip1, ip2, vcode;
     int remove = 0;
+    int force = 0;
 
     if (noresolve)
 	ip1 = GetServerNoresolve(as->parms[0].items->data);
@@ -5225,6 +5226,10 @@ ChangeAddr(struct cmd_syndesc *as, void *arock)
 	return (EINVAL);
     }
 
+    if (as->parms[3].items) {
+	force = 1;
+    }
+
     if (as->parms[1].items) {
 	if (noresolve)
 	    ip2 = GetServerNoresolve(as->parms[1].items->data);
@@ -5244,6 +5249,42 @@ ChangeAddr(struct cmd_syndesc *as, void *arock)
 	ip1 = 0xffffffff;
     }
 
+    if (!remove && !force) {
+	afs_int32 m_nentries;
+	bulkaddrs m_addrs;
+	afs_int32 m_uniq = 0;
+	afsUUID m_uuid;
+	ListAddrByAttributes m_attrs;
+	char buffer[128];
+
+	memset(&m_attrs, 0, sizeof(m_attrs));
+	memset(&m_uuid, 0, sizeof(m_uuid));
+	memset(&m_addrs, 0, sizeof(m_addrs));
+	memset(buffer, 0, sizeof(buffer));
+
+	m_attrs.Mask = VLADDR_IPADDR;
+	m_attrs.ipaddr = ntohl(ip1);	/* -oldaddr */
+
+	vcode =
+	    ubik_VL_GetAddrsU(cstruct, UBIK_CALL_NEW, &m_attrs, &m_uuid,
+			      &m_uniq, &m_nentries, &m_addrs);
+	xdr_free((xdrproc_t) xdr_bulkaddrs, &m_addrs);
+	switch (vcode) {
+	case 0:		/* mh entry detected */
+	    afsUUID_to_string(&m_uuid, buffer, sizeof(buffer) - 1);
+	    fprintf(STDERR, "vos: Refusing to change address in multi-homed server entry.\n");
+	    fprintf(STDERR, "     -oldaddr address is registered to file server UUID %s\n", buffer);
+	    fprintf(STDERR, "     Please restart the file server or use vos setaddrs.\n");
+	    return EINVAL;
+	case VL_NOENT:
+	    break;
+	default:
+	    fprintf(STDERR, "vos: could not list the server addresses\n");
+	    PrintError("", vcode);
+	    return vcode;
+	}
+    }
+
     vcode = ubik_VL_ChangeAddr(cstruct, UBIK_CALL_NEW, ntohl(ip1), ntohl(ip2));
     if (vcode) {
 	char hoststr1[16], hoststr2[16];
@@ -6288,6 +6329,8 @@ main(int argc, char **argv)
     cmd_AddParm(ts, "-newaddr", CMD_SINGLE, CMD_OPTIONAL, "new IP address");
     cmd_AddParm(ts, "-remove", CMD_FLAG, CMD_OPTIONAL,
 		"remove the IP address from the VLDB");
+    cmd_AddParm(ts, "-force", CMD_FLAG, CMD_OPTIONAL,
+		"allow multi-homed server entry change (not recommended)");
     COMMONPARMS;
 
     ts = cmd_CreateSyntax("listaddrs", ListAddrs, NULL,