diff --git a/lib/vrf.c b/lib/vrf.c
index 1fb1b786c7..696ae3f48c 100644
--- a/lib/vrf.c
+++ b/lib/vrf.c
@@ -497,6 +497,16 @@ void vrf_init(int (*create)(struct vrf *), int (*enable)(struct vrf *),
 		strlcpy(default_vrf->data.l.netns_name,
 			VRF_DEFAULT_NAME, NS_NAMSIZ);
 
+	if (vrf_is_backend_netns()) {
+		struct ns *ns;
+
+		strlcpy(default_vrf->data.l.netns_name,
+			VRF_DEFAULT_NAME, NS_NAMSIZ);
+		ns = ns_lookup(ns_get_default_id());
+		ns->vrf_ctxt = (void *)default_vrf;
+		default_vrf->ns_ctxt = (void *)ns;
+	}
+
 	/* Enable the default VRF. */
 	if (!vrf_enable(default_vrf)) {
 		flog_err(LIB_ERR_VRF_START,
@@ -711,8 +721,6 @@ int vrf_is_mapped_on_netns(struct vrf *vrf)
 {
 	if (!vrf || vrf->data.l.netns_name[0] == '\0')
 		return 0;
-	if (vrf->vrf_id == VRF_DEFAULT)
-		return 0;
 	return 1;
 }