diff --git a/zebra/if_netlink.c b/zebra/if_netlink.c
index 3a325df06c..fcb692b715 100644
--- a/zebra/if_netlink.c
+++ b/zebra/if_netlink.c
@@ -2323,8 +2323,6 @@ int netlink_link_change(struct nlmsghdr *h, ns_id_t ns_id, int startup)
 			zlog_debug("RTM_DELLINK for %s(%u)", name,
 				   ifp->ifindex);
 
-		UNSET_FLAG(ifp->status, ZEBRA_INTERFACE_VRF_LOOPBACK);
-
 		if (IS_ZEBRA_IF_BOND(ifp))
 			zebra_l2if_update_bond(ifp, false);
 		if (IS_ZEBRA_IF_BOND_SLAVE(ifp))
diff --git a/zebra/interface.c b/zebra/interface.c
index 496a85e676..231ddc51db 100644
--- a/zebra/interface.c
+++ b/zebra/interface.c
@@ -800,6 +800,8 @@ void if_delete_update(struct interface **pifp)
 	if (ifp->vrf->vrf_id && !vrf_is_backend_netns())
 		if_handle_vrf_change(ifp, VRF_DEFAULT);
 
+	UNSET_FLAG(ifp->status, ZEBRA_INTERFACE_VRF_LOOPBACK);
+
 	/* Reset some zebra interface params to default values. */
 	zif = ifp->info;
 	if (zif) {
@@ -840,6 +842,9 @@ void if_handle_vrf_change(struct interface *ifp, vrf_id_t vrf_id)
 	/* This is to issue an UPDATE or a DELETE, as appropriate. */
 	zebra_interface_vrf_update_del(ifp, vrf_id);
 
+	if (if_is_vrf(ifp))
+		return;
+
 	/* update VRF */
 	if_update_to_new_vrf(ifp, vrf_id);