diff --git a/bgpd/bgp_fsm.c b/bgpd/bgp_fsm.c
index 764b6b8716..607e34e8d3 100644
--- a/bgpd/bgp_fsm.c
+++ b/bgpd/bgp_fsm.c
@@ -325,7 +325,7 @@ void bgp_timer_set(struct peer_connection *connection)
 		/* First entry point of peer's finite state machine.  In Idle
 		   status start timer is on unless peer is shutdown or peer is
 		   inactive.  All other timer must be turned off */
-		if (BGP_PEER_START_SUPPRESSED(peer) || !peer_active(connection) ||
+		if (BGP_PEER_START_SUPPRESSED(peer) || peer_active(connection) != BGP_PEER_ACTIVE ||
 		    peer->bgp->vrf_id == VRF_UNKNOWN) {
 			EVENT_OFF(connection->t_start);
 		} else {
diff --git a/bgpd/bgp_network.c b/bgpd/bgp_network.c
index 4bcb41b8dc..1f4f4d52a2 100644
--- a/bgpd/bgp_network.c
+++ b/bgpd/bgp_network.c
@@ -389,6 +389,23 @@ static void bgp_socket_set_buffer_size(const int fd)
 		setsockopt_so_recvbuf(fd, bm->socket_buffer);
 }
 
+static const char *bgp_peer_active2str(enum bgp_peer_active active)
+{
+	switch (active) {
+	case BGP_PEER_ACTIVE:
+		return "active";
+	case BGP_PEER_CONNECTION_UNSPECIFIED:
+		return "unspecified connection";
+	case BGP_PEER_BFD_DOWN:
+		return "BFD down";
+	case BGP_PEER_AF_UNCONFIGURED:
+		return "no AF activated";
+	}
+
+	assert(!"We should never get here this is a dev escape");
+	return "ERROR";
+}
+
 /* Accept bgp connection. */
 static void bgp_accept(struct event *thread)
 {
@@ -400,6 +417,7 @@ static void bgp_accept(struct event *thread)
 	struct peer_connection *connection, *incoming;
 	char buf[SU_ADDRSTRLEN];
 	struct bgp *bgp = NULL;
+	enum bgp_peer_active active;
 
 	sockunion_init(&su);
 
@@ -508,7 +526,7 @@ static void bgp_accept(struct event *thread)
 			bgp_fsm_change_status(incoming, Active);
 			EVENT_OFF(incoming->t_start);
 
-			if (peer_active(incoming)) {
+			if (peer_active(incoming) == BGP_PEER_ACTIVE) {
 				if (CHECK_FLAG(dynamic_peer->flags, PEER_FLAG_TIMER_DELAYOPEN))
 					BGP_EVENT_ADD(incoming, TCP_connection_open_w_delay);
 				else
@@ -559,10 +577,11 @@ static void bgp_accept(struct event *thread)
 	}
 
 	/* Check that at least one AF is activated for the peer. */
-	if (!peer_active(connection)) {
+	active = peer_active(connection);
+	if (active != BGP_PEER_ACTIVE) {
 		if (bgp_debug_neighbor_events(peer))
-			zlog_debug("%s - incoming conn rejected - no AF activated for peer",
-				   peer->host);
+			zlog_debug("%s - incoming conn rejected - %s", peer->host,
+				   bgp_peer_active2str(active));
 		close(bgp_sock);
 		return;
 	}
@@ -662,7 +681,7 @@ static void bgp_accept(struct event *thread)
 		bgp_event_update(connection, TCP_connection_closed);
 	}
 
-	if (peer_active(incoming)) {
+	if (peer_active(incoming) == BGP_PEER_ACTIVE) {
 		if (CHECK_FLAG(doppelganger->flags, PEER_FLAG_TIMER_DELAYOPEN))
 			BGP_EVENT_ADD(incoming, TCP_connection_open_w_delay);
 		else
diff --git a/bgpd/bgp_nexthop.c b/bgpd/bgp_nexthop.c
index ed689c8bac..db7580c283 100644
--- a/bgpd/bgp_nexthop.c
+++ b/bgpd/bgp_nexthop.c
@@ -444,7 +444,7 @@ void bgp_connected_add(struct bgp *bgp, struct connected *ifc)
 		    !peer_established(peer->connection) &&
 		    !CHECK_FLAG(peer->flags, PEER_FLAG_IFPEER_V6ONLY)) {
 			connection = peer->connection;
-			if (peer_active(connection))
+			if (peer_active(connection) == BGP_PEER_ACTIVE)
 				BGP_EVENT_ADD(connection, BGP_Stop);
 			BGP_EVENT_ADD(connection, BGP_Start);
 		}
diff --git a/bgpd/bgp_zebra.c b/bgpd/bgp_zebra.c
index 84ff88be16..b953da57ce 100644
--- a/bgpd/bgp_zebra.c
+++ b/bgpd/bgp_zebra.c
@@ -137,7 +137,7 @@ static void bgp_start_interface_nbrs(struct bgp *bgp, struct interface *ifp)
 	for (ALL_LIST_ELEMENTS(bgp->peer, node, nnode, peer)) {
 		if (peer->conf_if && (strcmp(peer->conf_if, ifp->name) == 0) &&
 		    !peer_established(peer->connection)) {
-			if (peer_active(peer->connection))
+			if (peer_active(peer->connection) == BGP_PEER_ACTIVE)
 				BGP_EVENT_ADD(peer->connection, BGP_Stop);
 			BGP_EVENT_ADD(peer->connection, BGP_Start);
 		}
diff --git a/bgpd/bgpd.c b/bgpd/bgpd.c
index 6a56eb4598..b3cc86ed27 100644
--- a/bgpd/bgpd.c
+++ b/bgpd/bgpd.c
@@ -1960,7 +1960,7 @@ struct peer *peer_create(union sockunion *su, const char *conf_if,
 			 enum peer_asn_type as_type, struct peer_group *group,
 			 bool config_node, const char *as_str)
 {
-	int active;
+	enum bgp_peer_active active;
 	struct peer *peer;
 	char buf[SU_ADDRSTRLEN];
 	afi_t afi;
@@ -2014,7 +2014,7 @@ struct peer *peer_create(union sockunion *su, const char *conf_if,
 	}
 
 	active = peer_active(peer->connection);
-	if (!active) {
+	if (active != BGP_PEER_ACTIVE) {
 		if (peer->connection->su.sa.sa_family == AF_UNSPEC)
 			peer->last_reset = PEER_DOWN_NBR_ADDR;
 		else
@@ -2046,7 +2046,7 @@ struct peer *peer_create(union sockunion *su, const char *conf_if,
 	if (bgp->autoshutdown)
 		peer_flag_set(peer, PEER_FLAG_SHUTDOWN);
 	/* Set up peer's events and timers. */
-	else if (!active && peer_active(peer->connection)) {
+	else if (active != BGP_PEER_ACTIVE && peer_active(peer->connection) == BGP_PEER_ACTIVE) {
 		if (peer->last_reset == PEER_DOWN_NOAFI_ACTIVATED)
 			peer->last_reset = 0;
 		bgp_timer_set(peer->connection);
@@ -2419,7 +2419,7 @@ static void peer_group2peer_config_copy_af(struct peer_group *group,
 
 static int peer_activate_af(struct peer *peer, afi_t afi, safi_t safi)
 {
-	int active;
+	enum bgp_peer_active active;
 	struct peer *other;
 
 	if (CHECK_FLAG(peer->sflags, PEER_STATUS_GROUP)) {
@@ -2447,7 +2447,7 @@ static int peer_activate_af(struct peer *peer, afi_t afi, safi_t safi)
 	if (peer->group)
 		peer_group2peer_config_copy_af(peer->group, peer, afi, safi);
 
-	if (!active && peer_active(peer->connection)) {
+	if (active != BGP_PEER_ACTIVE && peer_active(peer->connection) == BGP_PEER_ACTIVE) {
 		bgp_timer_set(peer->connection);
 	} else {
 		peer->last_reset = PEER_DOWN_AF_ACTIVATE;
@@ -3391,7 +3391,7 @@ int peer_group_bind(struct bgp *bgp, union sockunion *su, struct peer *peer,
 		}
 
 		/* Set up peer's events and timers. */
-		if (peer_active(peer->connection))
+		if (peer_active(peer->connection) == BGP_PEER_ACTIVE)
 			bgp_timer_set(peer->connection);
 	}
 
@@ -4709,16 +4709,16 @@ bool bgp_path_attribute_treat_as_withdraw(struct peer *peer, char *buf,
 }
 
 /* If peer is configured at least one address family return 1. */
-bool peer_active(struct peer_connection *connection)
+enum bgp_peer_active peer_active(struct peer_connection *connection)
 {
 	struct peer *peer = connection->peer;
 
 	if (BGP_CONNECTION_SU_UNSPEC(connection))
-		return false;
+		return BGP_PEER_CONNECTION_UNSPECIFIED;
 
 	if (peer->bfd_config) {
 		if (bfd_session_is_down(peer->bfd_config->session))
-			return false;
+			return BGP_PEER_BFD_DOWN;
 	}
 
 	if (peer->afc[AFI_IP][SAFI_UNICAST] || peer->afc[AFI_IP][SAFI_MULTICAST]
@@ -4732,8 +4732,9 @@ bool peer_active(struct peer_connection *connection)
 	    || peer->afc[AFI_IP6][SAFI_ENCAP]
 	    || peer->afc[AFI_IP6][SAFI_FLOWSPEC]
 	    || peer->afc[AFI_L2VPN][SAFI_EVPN])
-		return true;
-	return false;
+		return BGP_PEER_ACTIVE;
+
+	return BGP_PEER_AF_UNCONFIGURED;
 }
 
 /* If peer is negotiated at least one address family return 1. */
@@ -6417,7 +6418,7 @@ int peer_timers_connect_set(struct peer *peer, uint32_t connect)
 	/* Skip peer-group mechanics for regular peers. */
 	if (!CHECK_FLAG(peer->sflags, PEER_STATUS_GROUP)) {
 		if (!peer_established(peer->connection)) {
-			if (peer_active(peer->connection))
+			if (peer_active(peer->connection) == BGP_PEER_ACTIVE)
 				BGP_EVENT_ADD(peer->connection, BGP_Stop);
 			BGP_EVENT_ADD(peer->connection, BGP_Start);
 		}
@@ -6438,7 +6439,7 @@ int peer_timers_connect_set(struct peer *peer, uint32_t connect)
 		member->v_connect = connect;
 
 		if (!peer_established(member->connection)) {
-			if (peer_active(member->connection))
+			if (peer_active(member->connection) == BGP_PEER_ACTIVE)
 				BGP_EVENT_ADD(member->connection, BGP_Stop);
 			BGP_EVENT_ADD(member->connection, BGP_Start);
 		}
@@ -6471,7 +6472,7 @@ int peer_timers_connect_unset(struct peer *peer)
 	/* Skip peer-group mechanics for regular peers. */
 	if (!CHECK_FLAG(peer->sflags, PEER_STATUS_GROUP)) {
 		if (!peer_established(peer->connection)) {
-			if (peer_active(peer->connection))
+			if (peer_active(peer->connection) == BGP_PEER_ACTIVE)
 				BGP_EVENT_ADD(peer->connection, BGP_Stop);
 			BGP_EVENT_ADD(peer->connection, BGP_Start);
 		}
@@ -6492,7 +6493,7 @@ int peer_timers_connect_unset(struct peer *peer)
 		member->v_connect = peer->bgp->default_connect_retry;
 
 		if (!peer_established(member->connection)) {
-			if (peer_active(member->connection))
+			if (peer_active(member->connection) == BGP_PEER_ACTIVE)
 				BGP_EVENT_ADD(member->connection, BGP_Stop);
 			BGP_EVENT_ADD(member->connection, BGP_Start);
 		}
@@ -8771,7 +8772,8 @@ static int peer_unshut_after_cfg(struct bgp *bgp)
 				   peer->host);
 
 		peer->shut_during_cfg = false;
-		if (peer_active(peer->connection) && peer->connection->status != Established) {
+		if (peer_active(peer->connection) == BGP_PEER_ACTIVE &&
+		    peer->connection->status != Established) {
 			if (peer->connection->status != Idle)
 				BGP_EVENT_ADD(peer->connection, BGP_Stop);
 			BGP_EVENT_ADD(peer->connection, BGP_Start);
diff --git a/bgpd/bgpd.h b/bgpd/bgpd.h
index 9b13270ca7..25f533631c 100644
--- a/bgpd/bgpd.h
+++ b/bgpd/bgpd.h
@@ -2299,6 +2299,14 @@ enum bgp_martian_type {
 	BGP_MARTIAN_SOO,    /* bgp->evpn_info->macvrf_soo */
 };
 
+/* Distinguish the reason why the peer is not active. */
+enum bgp_peer_active {
+	BGP_PEER_ACTIVE,
+	BGP_PEER_CONNECTION_UNSPECIFIED,
+	BGP_PEER_BFD_DOWN,
+	BGP_PEER_AF_UNCONFIGURED,
+};
+
 extern const struct message bgp_martian_type_str[];
 extern const char *bgp_martian_type2str(enum bgp_martian_type mt);
 
@@ -2347,7 +2355,7 @@ extern struct peer *peer_unlock_with_caller(const char *, struct peer *);
 extern enum bgp_peer_sort peer_sort(struct peer *peer);
 extern enum bgp_peer_sort peer_sort_lookup(struct peer *peer);
 
-extern bool peer_active(struct peer_connection *connection);
+extern enum bgp_peer_active peer_active(struct peer_connection *connection);
 extern bool peer_active_nego(struct peer *);
 extern bool peer_afc_received(struct peer *peer);
 extern bool peer_afc_advertised(struct peer *peer);