This technology enables directed broadcasts in network fabrics. A control plane node is configured to resolve directed broadcast addresses by mapping the directed broadcast address to a subnet address. A fabric border node receives a directed broadcast, extracts a destination address, and transmits a request to the control plane node to resolve the destination address. The control plane node retrieves the stored mapping and generates a map reply with a multicast destination. The fabric border node encapsulates and forwards the directed broadcast to fabric edge nodes, which decapsulate the directed broadcast and deliver a data set from the directed broadcast to appropriate end point devices. Each fabric edge node may be enabled to determine if the fabric edge node may be connected to a silent host and, based on that determination, request the fabric border node to be added to the multicast destination to receive the directed broadcast.