diff --git a/CHANGELOG.md b/CHANGELOG.md
index ee54fa13..c89f3b37 100644
--- a/CHANGELOG.md
+++ b/CHANGELOG.md
@@ -67,6 +67,9 @@ and this project adheres to [Semantic Versioning](https://semver.org/spec/v2.0.0
   ([`#2108`](https://github.com/polybar/polybar/issues/2108))
 - `internal/xworkspaces`: Make the urgent hint persistent
   ([`#1081`](https://github.com/polybar/polybar/issues/1081))
+- `internal/network`: `interface-type` may be used in place of `interface` to
+  automatically select a network interface
+  ([`#2025`](https://github.com/polybar/polybar/pull/2025))
 
 ### Changed
 - Slight changes to the value ranges the different ramp levels are responsible
diff --git a/include/adapters/net.hpp b/include/adapters/net.hpp
index fe73fc76..74ef7cea 100644
--- a/include/adapters/net.hpp
+++ b/include/adapters/net.hpp
@@ -1,15 +1,15 @@
 #pragma once
 
-#include <chrono>
-#include <cstdlib>
-
 #include <arpa/inet.h>
 #include <ifaddrs.h>
 
+#include <chrono>
+#include <cstdlib>
+
 #include "common.hpp"
-#include "settings.hpp"
-#include "errors.hpp"
 #include "components/logger.hpp"
+#include "errors.hpp"
+#include "settings.hpp"
 #include "utils/math.hpp"
 
 #if WITH_LIBNL
@@ -38,6 +38,8 @@ namespace net {
   DEFINE_ERROR(network_error);
 
   bool is_wireless_interface(const string& ifname);
+  std::string find_wireless_interface();
+  std::string find_wired_interface();
 
   // types {{{
 
diff --git a/src/adapters/net.cpp b/src/adapters/net.cpp
index 1b1d8e09..99a421ff 100644
--- a/src/adapters/net.cpp
+++ b/src/adapters/net.cpp
@@ -1,6 +1,7 @@
 #include "adapters/net.hpp"
 
 #include <arpa/inet.h>
+#include <dirent.h>
 #include <linux/ethtool.h>
 #include <linux/if_link.h>
 #include <linux/sockios.h>
@@ -9,6 +10,9 @@
 #include <netinet/in.h>
 #include <sys/ioctl.h>
 #include <sys/socket.h>
+#include <sys/types.h>
+
+#include <iomanip>
 
 #include <iomanip>
 
@@ -21,14 +25,65 @@
 POLYBAR_NS
 
 namespace net {
+  enum class NetType {
+    WIRELESS,
+    ETHERNET,
+    OTHER,
+  };
+
+  static const string NO_IP = string("N/A");
+  static const string NET_PATH = "/sys/class/net/";
+  static const string VIRTUAL_PATH = "/sys/devices/virtual/";
+
+  static bool is_virtual(const std::string& ifname) {
+    char* target = realpath((NET_PATH + ifname).c_str(), nullptr);
+    const std::string real_path{target};
+    free(target);
+    return real_path.rfind(VIRTUAL_PATH, 0) == 0;
+  }
+
+  NetType iface_type(const std::string& ifname) {
+    if (file_util::exists(NET_PATH + ifname + "/wireless")) {
+      return NetType::WIRELESS;
+    }
+
+    if (is_virtual(ifname)) {
+      return NetType::OTHER;
+    }
+
+    return NetType::ETHERNET;
+  }
+
   /**
    * Test if interface with given name is a wireless device
    */
   bool is_wireless_interface(const string& ifname) {
-    return file_util::exists("/sys/class/net/" + ifname + "/wireless");
+    return iface_type(ifname) == NetType::WIRELESS;
   }
 
-  static const string NO_IP = string("N/A");
+  std::string find_interface(NetType type) {
+    struct ifaddrs* ifaddrs;
+    getifaddrs(&ifaddrs);
+    for (struct ifaddrs* i = ifaddrs; i != nullptr; i = i->ifa_next) {
+      const std::string name{i->ifa_name};
+      const NetType iftype = iface_type(name);
+      if (iftype != type) {
+        continue;
+      }
+      freeifaddrs(ifaddrs);
+      return name;
+    }
+    freeifaddrs(ifaddrs);
+    return "";
+  }
+
+  std::string find_wireless_interface() {
+    return find_interface(NetType::WIRELESS);
+  }
+
+  std::string find_wired_interface() {
+    return find_interface(NetType::ETHERNET);
+  }
 
   // class : network {{{
 
@@ -215,7 +270,7 @@ namespace net {
    * Test if the network interface is in a valid state
    */
   bool network::test_interface() const {
-    auto operstate = file_util::contents("/sys/class/net/" + m_interface + "/operstate");
+    auto operstate = file_util::contents(NET_PATH + m_interface + "/operstate");
     bool up = operstate.compare(0, 2, "up") == 0;
     return m_unknown_up ? (up || operstate.compare(0, 7, "unknown") == 0) : up;
   }
diff --git a/src/modules/network.cpp b/src/modules/network.cpp
index ddebde02..4f365710 100644
--- a/src/modules/network.cpp
+++ b/src/modules/network.cpp
@@ -3,9 +3,8 @@
 #include "drawtypes/animation.hpp"
 #include "drawtypes/label.hpp"
 #include "drawtypes/ramp.hpp"
-#include "utils/factory.hpp"
-
 #include "modules/meta/base.inl"
+#include "utils/factory.hpp"
 
 POLYBAR_NS
 
@@ -16,6 +15,32 @@ namespace modules {
       : timer_module<network_module>(bar, move(name_)) {
     // Load configuration values
     m_interface = m_conf.get(name(), "interface", m_interface);
+
+    if (m_interface.empty()) {
+      std::string type = m_conf.get(name(), "interface-type");
+      if (type == "wired") {
+        m_interface = net::find_wired_interface();
+        if (!m_interface.empty()) {
+          m_log.notice("%s: Discovered wired interface %s", name(), m_interface);
+        }
+      } else if (type == "wireless") {
+        m_interface = net::find_wireless_interface();
+        if (!m_interface.empty()) {
+          m_log.notice("%s: Discovered wireless interface %s", name(), m_interface);
+        }
+      } else {
+        throw module_error("Invalid interface type '" + type + "'");
+      }
+
+      if (m_interface.empty()) {
+        throw module_error("No interface found for type '" + type + "'");
+      }
+    }
+
+    if (m_interface.empty()) {
+      throw module_error("missing 'interface' or 'interface-type'");
+    }
+
     m_ping_nth_update = m_conf.get(name(), "ping-interval", m_ping_nth_update);
     m_udspeed_minwidth = m_conf.get(name(), "udspeed-minwidth", m_udspeed_minwidth);
     m_accumulate = m_conf.get(name(), "accumulate-stats", m_accumulate);
@@ -189,6 +214,6 @@ namespace modules {
 
     m_log.trace("%s: Reached end of network subthread", name());
   }
-}
+}  // namespace modules
 
 POLYBAR_NS_END