diff --git a/ospfd/ospf_vty.c b/ospfd/ospf_vty.c
index fd74cec1f5..5bf38ae49c 100644
--- a/ospfd/ospf_vty.c
+++ b/ospfd/ospf_vty.c
@@ -213,9 +213,6 @@ DEFUN_NOSH (router_ospf,
 	struct ospf *ospf = NULL;
 	int ret = CMD_SUCCESS;
 	unsigned short instance = 0;
-	struct vrf *vrf = NULL;
-	struct route_node *rn;
-	struct interface *ifp;
 
 	ospf = ospf_cmd_lookup_ospf(vty, argv, argc, 1, &instance);
 	if (!ospf)
@@ -227,46 +224,12 @@ DEFUN_NOSH (router_ospf,
 		VTY_PUSH_CONTEXT_NULL(OSPF_NODE);
 		ret = CMD_NOT_MY_INSTANCE;
 	} else {
-		if (ospf->vrf_id != VRF_UNKNOWN)
-			ospf->oi_running = 1;
 		if (IS_DEBUG_OSPF_EVENT)
 			zlog_debug(
 				"Config command 'router ospf %d' received, vrf %s id %u oi_running %u",
 				instance, ospf->name ? ospf->name : "NIL",
 				ospf->vrf_id, ospf->oi_running);
 		VTY_PUSH_CONTEXT(OSPF_NODE, ospf);
-
-		/* Activate 'ip ospf area x' configured interfaces for given
-		 * vrf. Activate area on vrf x aware interfaces.
-		 * vrf_enable callback calls router_id_update which
-		 * internally will call ospf_if_update to trigger
-		 * network_run_state
-		 */
-		vrf = vrf_lookup_by_id(ospf->vrf_id);
-
-		FOR_ALL_INTERFACES (vrf, ifp) {
-			struct ospf_if_params *params;
-
-			params = IF_DEF_PARAMS(ifp);
-			if (OSPF_IF_PARAM_CONFIGURED(params, if_area)) {
-				for (rn = route_top(ospf->networks); rn;
-				     rn = route_next(rn)) {
-					if (rn->info != NULL) {
-						vty_out(vty,
-							"Interface %s has area config but please remove all network commands first.\n",
-							ifp->name);
-						return ret;
-					}
-				}
-				if (!ospf_interface_area_is_already_set(ospf,
-									ifp)) {
-					ospf_interface_area_set(ospf, ifp);
-					ospf->if_ospf_cli_count++;
-				}
-			}
-		}
-
-		ospf_router_id_update(ospf);
 	}
 
 	return ret;
diff --git a/ospfd/ospfd.c b/ospfd/ospfd.c
index 4ac1fb2992..1d00905cd7 100644
--- a/ospfd/ospfd.c
+++ b/ospfd/ospfd.c
@@ -385,6 +385,8 @@ struct ospf *ospf_lookup_by_inst_name(unsigned short instance, const char *name)
 struct ospf *ospf_get(unsigned short instance, const char *name, bool *created)
 {
 	struct ospf *ospf;
+	struct vrf *vrf;
+	struct interface *ifp;
 
 	/* vrf name provided call inst and name based api
 	 * in case of no name pass default ospf instance */
@@ -399,6 +401,29 @@ struct ospf *ospf_get(unsigned short instance, const char *name, bool *created)
 		ospf_add(ospf);
 
 		ospf_opaque_type11_lsa_init(ospf);
+
+		if (ospf->vrf_id != VRF_UNKNOWN)
+			ospf->oi_running = 1;
+
+		/* Activate 'ip ospf area x' configured interfaces for given
+		 * vrf. Activate area on vrf x aware interfaces.
+		 * vrf_enable callback calls router_id_update which
+		 * internally will call ospf_if_update to trigger
+		 * network_run_state
+		 */
+		vrf = vrf_lookup_by_id(ospf->vrf_id);
+
+		FOR_ALL_INTERFACES (vrf, ifp) {
+			struct ospf_if_params *params;
+
+			params = IF_DEF_PARAMS(ifp);
+			if (OSPF_IF_PARAM_CONFIGURED(params, if_area)) {
+				ospf_interface_area_set(ospf, ifp);
+				ospf->if_ospf_cli_count++;
+			}
+		}
+
+		ospf_router_id_update(ospf);
 	}
 
 	return ospf;
@@ -1128,32 +1153,6 @@ void ospf_interface_area_unset(struct ospf *ospf, struct interface *ifp)
 	update_redistributed(ospf, 0); /* interfaces possibly removed */
 }
 
-bool ospf_interface_area_is_already_set(struct ospf *ospf,
-					struct interface *ifp)
-{
-	struct route_node *rn_oi;
-
-	if (!ospf)
-		return false; /* Ospf not ready yet */
-
-	/* Find interfaces that may need to be removed. */
-	for (rn_oi = route_top(IF_OIFS(ifp)); rn_oi;
-	     rn_oi = route_next(rn_oi)) {
-		struct ospf_interface *oi = rn_oi->info;
-
-		if (oi == NULL)
-			continue;
-
-		if (oi->type == OSPF_IFTYPE_VIRTUALLINK)
-			continue;
-		/* at least one route covered by interface
-		 * that implies already done
-		 */
-		return true;
-	}
-	return false;
-}
-
 /* Check whether interface matches given network
  * returns: 1, true. 0, false
  */
diff --git a/ospfd/ospfd.h b/ospfd/ospfd.h
index 5009355d48..8cfeb25c9a 100644
--- a/ospfd/ospfd.h
+++ b/ospfd/ospfd.h
@@ -614,8 +614,6 @@ extern void ospf_area_del_if(struct ospf_area *, struct ospf_interface *);
 
 extern void ospf_interface_area_set(struct ospf *, struct interface *);
 extern void ospf_interface_area_unset(struct ospf *, struct interface *);
-extern bool ospf_interface_area_is_already_set(struct ospf *ospf,
-					       struct interface *ifp);
 
 extern void ospf_route_map_init(void);