Methods and systems for communication network element configuration and connection rerouting are disclosed. For a communication network connection between network elements, one of which supports a local connection rerouting function to detect a loss of continuity on the connection based on continuity check signals and to reroute the connection responsive to the detection and another of which does not support the local connection rerouting function, the non-supporting network element is configured to send continuity check signals to the supporting network element over the connection, and the local connection rerouting function is enabled at the supporting network element. The supporting network element then monitors the connection to detect loss of continuity and reroutes the connection responsive to the detection. A non-supporting network element may also monitor a connection for continuity check signals sent from a supporting network element to detect a loss of continuity on the connection, send a loss of continuity alarm to a remote system responsive to detecting a loss of continuity, and reroute the connection at the first network element responsive to a connection rerouting command from the remote system.