One embodiment of the present invention provides a switch. The switch includes a fabric switch module and a learning module. The fabric switch module maintains a membership in a first fabric switch. A fabric switch includes a plurality of switches and operates as a single switch. The first fabric switch is in an extended fabric switch which further comprises a second fabric switch. The learning module identifies from a notification message from the second fabric switch a media access control (MAC) address learned at the second fabric switch. The learning module stores the MAC address in a local MAC table in association with an Internet Protocol (IP) address of the second fabric switch.