diff --git a/lib/netns_linux.c b/lib/netns_linux.c
index 3d61cecc03..c215b4151b 100644
--- a/lib/netns_linux.c
+++ b/lib/netns_linux.c
@@ -59,6 +59,26 @@ static int ns_default_ns_fd;
 
 static int ns_debug;
 
+struct ns_map_nsid {
+	RB_ENTRY(ns_map_nsid) id_entry;
+	ns_id_t ns_id_external;
+	ns_id_t ns_id;
+};
+
+static __inline int ns_map_compare(const struct ns_map_nsid *a,
+				   const struct ns_map_nsid *b)
+{
+	return (a->ns_id - b->ns_id);
+}
+
+RB_HEAD(ns_map_nsid_head, ns_map_nsid);
+RB_PROTOTYPE(ns_map_nsid_head, ns_map_nsid, id_entry, ns_map_compare);
+RB_GENERATE(ns_map_nsid_head, ns_map_nsid, id_entry, ns_map_compare);
+struct ns_map_nsid_head ns_map_nsid_list = RB_INITIALIZER(&ns_map_nsid_list);
+
+static ns_id_t ns_id_external_numbering;
+
+
 #ifndef CLONE_NEWNET
 #define CLONE_NEWNET 0x40000000
 /* New network namespace (lo, device, names sockets, etc) */
@@ -262,6 +282,38 @@ static void ns_disable_internal(struct ns *ns)
 	}
 }
 
+/* VRF list existance check by name. */
+static struct ns_map_nsid *ns_map_nsid_lookup_by_nsid(ns_id_t ns_id)
+{
+	struct ns_map_nsid ns_map;
+
+	ns_map.ns_id = ns_id;
+	return (RB_FIND(ns_map_nsid_head, &ns_map_nsid_list, &ns_map));
+}
+
+ns_id_t ns_map_nsid_with_external(ns_id_t ns_id, bool maporunmap)
+{
+	struct ns_map_nsid *ns_map;
+	vrf_id_t ns_id_external;
+
+	ns_map = ns_map_nsid_lookup_by_nsid(ns_id);
+	if (ns_map && !maporunmap) {
+		ns_id_external = ns_map->ns_id_external;
+		RB_REMOVE(ns_map_nsid_head, &ns_map_nsid_list, ns_map);
+		return ns_id_external;
+	}
+	if (ns_map)
+		return ns_map->ns_id_external;
+	ns_map = XCALLOC(MTYPE_NS, sizeof(struct ns_map_nsid));
+	/* increase vrf_id
+	 * default vrf is the first one : 0
+	 */
+	ns_map->ns_id_external = ns_id_external_numbering++;
+	ns_map->ns_id = ns_id;
+	RB_INSERT(ns_map_nsid_head, &ns_map_nsid_list, ns_map);
+	return ns_map->ns_id_external;
+}
+
 struct ns *ns_get_created(struct ns *ns, char *name, ns_id_t ns_id)
 {
 	return ns_get_created_internal(ns, name, ns_id);
@@ -430,7 +482,7 @@ void ns_init(void)
 }
 
 /* Initialize NS module. */
-void ns_init_management(ns_id_t default_ns_id)
+void ns_init_management(ns_id_t default_ns_id, ns_id_t internal_ns)
 {
 	int fd;
 
@@ -444,6 +496,8 @@ void ns_init_management(ns_id_t default_ns_id)
 		fd = open(NS_DEFAULT_NAME, O_RDONLY);
 		default_ns->fd = fd;
 	}
+	default_ns->internal_ns_id = internal_ns;
+
 	/* Set the default NS name. */
 	default_ns->name = XSTRDUP(MTYPE_NS_NAME, NS_DEFAULT_NAME);
 	if (ns_debug)
diff --git a/lib/netns_other.c b/lib/netns_other.c
index 2402dd17d6..4c7be05fab 100644
--- a/lib/netns_other.c
+++ b/lib/netns_other.c
@@ -153,6 +153,11 @@ int ns_enable(struct ns *ns, int (*func)(ns_id_t, void *))
 	return 0;
 }
 
+ns_id_t ns_map_nsid_with_external(ns_id_t ns_id, bool maporunmap)
+{
+	return NS_UNKNOWN;
+}
+
 struct ns *ns_get_created(struct ns *ns, char *name, ns_id_t ns_id)
 {
 	return NULL;
diff --git a/lib/ns.h b/lib/ns.h
index fac91a40da..ba857b630e 100644
--- a/lib/ns.h
+++ b/lib/ns.h
@@ -46,6 +46,9 @@ struct ns {
 	/* Identifier, same as the vector index */
 	ns_id_t ns_id;
 
+	/* Identifier, mapped on the NSID value */
+	ns_id_t internal_ns_id;
+
 	/* Name */
 	char *name;
 
@@ -100,7 +103,7 @@ extern void ns_terminate(void);
 /* API to initialize NETNS managerment
  * parameter is the default ns_id
  */
-extern void ns_init_management(ns_id_t ns_id);
+extern void ns_init_management(ns_id_t ns_id, ns_id_t internal_ns_idx);
 
 
 /*
@@ -133,6 +136,11 @@ extern int ns_have_netns(void);
 /* API to get context information of a NS */
 extern void *ns_info_lookup(ns_id_t ns_id);
 
+/* API to map internal ns id value with
+ * user friendly ns id external value
+ */
+extern ns_id_t ns_map_nsid_with_external(ns_id_t ns_id, bool maporunmap);
+
 /*
  * NS init routine
  * should be called from backendx
diff --git a/lib/vrf.c b/lib/vrf.c
index 8593cf289f..b493f832f3 100644
--- a/lib/vrf.c
+++ b/lib/vrf.c
@@ -539,7 +539,8 @@ void vrf_configure_backend(int vrf_backend_netns)
 	vrf_backend = vrf_backend_netns;
 }
 
-int vrf_handler_create(struct vty *vty, const char *vrfname, struct vrf **vrf)
+int vrf_handler_create(struct vty *vty, const char *vrfname,
+		       struct vrf **vrf)
 {
 	struct vrf *vrfp;
 
@@ -566,7 +567,7 @@ int vrf_handler_create(struct vty *vty, const char *vrfname, struct vrf **vrf)
 }
 
 int vrf_netns_handler_create(struct vty *vty, struct vrf *vrf, char *pathname,
-			     ns_id_t ns_id)
+			     ns_id_t ns_id, ns_id_t internal_ns_id)
 {
 	struct ns *ns = NULL;
 
@@ -613,6 +614,7 @@ int vrf_netns_handler_create(struct vty *vty, struct vrf *vrf, char *pathname,
 		return CMD_WARNING_CONFIG_FAILED;
 	}
 	ns = ns_get_created(ns, pathname, ns_id);
+	ns->internal_ns_id = internal_ns_id;
 	ns->vrf_ctxt = (void *)vrf;
 	vrf->ns_ctxt = (void *)ns;
 	/* update VRF netns NAME */
@@ -718,7 +720,8 @@ DEFUN_NOSH (vrf_netns,
 	    vrf_daemon_privs->change(ZPRIVS_RAISE))
 		zlog_err("%s: Can't raise privileges", __func__);
 
-	ret = vrf_netns_handler_create(vty, vrf, pathname, NS_UNKNOWN);
+	ret = vrf_netns_handler_create(vty, vrf, pathname,
+				       NS_UNKNOWN, NS_UNKNOWN);
 
 	if (vrf_daemon_privs &&
 	    vrf_daemon_privs->change(ZPRIVS_LOWER))
@@ -827,6 +830,9 @@ vrf_id_t vrf_get_default_id(void)
 
 	if (vrf)
 		return vrf->vrf_id;
+	/* backend netns is only known by zebra
+	 * for other daemons, we return VRF_DEFAULT_INTERNAL
+	 */
 	if (vrf_is_backend_netns())
 		return ns_get_default_id();
 	else
diff --git a/lib/vrf.h b/lib/vrf.h
index 85a5309279..8aa0fc2215 100644
--- a/lib/vrf.h
+++ b/lib/vrf.h
@@ -272,7 +272,8 @@ extern int vrf_handler_create(struct vty *vty, const char *name,
  * should be called from zebra only
  */
 extern int vrf_netns_handler_create(struct vty *vty, struct vrf *vrf,
-				    char *pathname, ns_id_t ns_id);
+				    char *pathname, ns_id_t ext_ns_id,
+				    ns_id_t ns_id);
 
 /* used internally to enable or disable VRF.
  * Notify a change in the VRF ID of the VRF
diff --git a/zebra/zebra_netns_notify.c b/zebra/zebra_netns_notify.c
index f9beb32ac4..30f850597c 100644
--- a/zebra/zebra_netns_notify.c
+++ b/zebra/zebra_netns_notify.c
@@ -70,7 +70,7 @@ static void zebra_ns_notify_create_context_from_entry_name(const char *name)
 	char *netnspath = ns_netns_pathname(NULL, name);
 	struct vrf *vrf;
 	int ret;
-	ns_id_t ns_id;
+	ns_id_t ns_id, ns_id_external;
 
 	if (netnspath == NULL)
 		return;
@@ -80,8 +80,9 @@ static void zebra_ns_notify_create_context_from_entry_name(const char *name)
 	ns_id = zebra_ns_id_get(netnspath);
 	if (zserv_privs.change(ZPRIVS_LOWER))
 		zlog_err("Can't lower privileges");
+	ns_id_external = ns_map_nsid_with_external(ns_id, true);
 	/* if VRF with NS ID already present */
-	vrf = vrf_lookup_by_id((vrf_id_t)ns_id);
+	vrf = vrf_lookup_by_id((vrf_id_t)ns_id_external);
 	if (vrf) {
 		zlog_warn(
 			"NS notify : same NSID used by VRF %s. Ignore NS %s creation",
@@ -90,15 +91,18 @@ static void zebra_ns_notify_create_context_from_entry_name(const char *name)
 	}
 	if (vrf_handler_create(NULL, name, &vrf) != CMD_SUCCESS) {
 		zlog_warn("NS notify : failed to create VRF %s", name);
+		ns_map_nsid_with_external(ns_id, false);
 		return;
 	}
 	if (zserv_privs.change(ZPRIVS_RAISE))
 		zlog_err("Can't raise privileges");
-	ret = vrf_netns_handler_create(NULL, vrf, netnspath, ns_id);
+	ret = vrf_netns_handler_create(NULL, vrf, netnspath,
+				       ns_id_external, ns_id);
 	if (zserv_privs.change(ZPRIVS_LOWER))
 		zlog_err("Can't lower privileges");
 	if (ret != CMD_SUCCESS) {
 		zlog_warn("NS notify : failed to create NS %s", netnspath);
+		ns_map_nsid_with_external(ns_id, false);
 		return;
 	}
 	zlog_info("NS notify : created VRF %s NS %s", name, netnspath);
diff --git a/zebra/zebra_ns.c b/zebra/zebra_ns.c
index 7393f767af..52cf4351bc 100644
--- a/zebra/zebra_ns.c
+++ b/zebra/zebra_ns.c
@@ -274,6 +274,7 @@ int zebra_ns_disable(ns_id_t ns_id, void **info)
 int zebra_ns_init(void)
 {
 	ns_id_t ns_id;
+	ns_id_t ns_id_external;
 
 	dzns = zebra_ns_alloc();
 
@@ -282,8 +283,8 @@ int zebra_ns_init(void)
 	ns_id = zebra_ns_id_get_default();
 	if (zserv_privs.change(ZPRIVS_LOWER))
 		zlog_err("Can't lower privileges");
-
-	ns_init_management(ns_id);
+	ns_id_external = ns_map_nsid_with_external(ns_id, true);
+	ns_init_management(ns_id_external, ns_id);
 
 	logicalrouter_init(logicalrouter_config_write);
 
@@ -295,7 +296,7 @@ int zebra_ns_init(void)
 	zebra_vrf_init();
 
 	/* Default NS is activated */
-	zebra_ns_enable(ns_id, (void **)&dzns);
+	zebra_ns_enable(ns_id_external, (void **)&dzns);
 
 	if (vrf_is_backend_netns()) {
 		ns_add_hook(NS_NEW_HOOK, zebra_ns_new);