diff --git a/lib/if.c b/lib/if.c
index fe1d3ebb4a..99fa83719a 100644
--- a/lib/if.c
+++ b/lib/if.c
@@ -245,36 +245,6 @@ void if_update_to_new_vrf(struct interface *ifp, vrf_id_t vrf_id)
 
 	if (ifp->ifindex != IFINDEX_INTERNAL)
 		IFINDEX_RB_INSERT(vrf, ifp);
-
-	/*
-	 * HACK: Change the interface VRF in the running configuration directly,
-	 * bypassing the northbound layer. This is necessary to avoid deleting
-	 * the interface and readding it in the new VRF, which would have
-	 * several implications.
-	 */
-	if (!vrf_is_backend_netns() && yang_module_find("frr-interface")) {
-		struct lyd_node *if_dnode;
-		char oldpath[XPATH_MAXLEN];
-		char newpath[XPATH_MAXLEN];
-
-		snprintf(oldpath, sizeof(oldpath),
-			 "/frr-interface:lib/interface[name='%s'][vrf='%s']",
-			 ifp->name, old_vrf->name);
-		snprintf(newpath, sizeof(newpath),
-			 "/frr-interface:lib/interface[name='%s'][vrf='%s']",
-			 ifp->name, vrf->name);
-
-		if_dnode = yang_dnode_getf(running_config->dnode, "%s/vrf",
-					   oldpath);
-
-		if (if_dnode) {
-			yang_dnode_change_leaf(if_dnode, vrf->name);
-			nb_running_move_tree(oldpath, newpath);
-			running_config->version++;
-		}
-
-		vty_update_xpath(oldpath, newpath);
-	}
 }
 
 
@@ -1185,13 +1155,6 @@ DEFPY_YANG_NOSH (interface,
 	struct vrf *vrf;
 	int ret, count;
 
-	/*
-	 * This command requires special handling to maintain backward
-	 * compatibility. If a VRF name is not specified, it means we're willing
-	 * to accept any interface with the given name on any VRF. If no
-	 * interface is found, then a new one should be created on the default
-	 * VRF.
-	 */
 	if (vrf_is_backend_netns()) {
 		/*
 		 * For backward compatibility, if the VRF name is not specified
@@ -1203,24 +1166,14 @@ DEFPY_YANG_NOSH (interface,
 			if (count != 1)
 				vrf_name = VRF_DEFAULT_NAME;
 		}
-	} else {
-		/*
-		 * If the interface already exists, use its VRF regardless of
-		 * what user specified. We can't have same interface name in
-		 * different VRFs with VRF-lite backend.
-		 */
-		ifp = if_lookup_by_name_all_vrf(ifname);
-		if (ifp) {
-			vrf_name = ifp->vrf->name;
-		} else {
-			if (!vrf_name)
-				vrf_name = VRF_DEFAULT_NAME;
-		}
-	}
 
-	snprintf(xpath_list, sizeof(xpath_list),
-		 "/frr-interface:lib/interface[name='%s'][vrf='%s']", ifname,
-		 vrf_name);
+		snprintf(xpath_list, XPATH_MAXLEN,
+			 "/frr-interface:lib/interface[name='%s:%s']", vrf_name,
+			 ifname);
+	} else {
+		snprintf(xpath_list, XPATH_MAXLEN,
+			 "/frr-interface:lib/interface[name='%s']", ifname);
+	}
 
 	nb_cli_enqueue_change(vty, ".", NB_OP_CREATE, NULL);
 	ret = nb_cli_apply_changes_clear_pending(vty, xpath_list);
@@ -1257,27 +1210,72 @@ DEFPY_YANG (no_interface,
        "Interface's name\n"
        VRF_CMD_HELP_STR)
 {
-	if (!vrf_name)
-		vrf_name = VRF_DEFAULT_NAME;
+	char xpath_list[XPATH_MAXLEN];
+	int count;
+
+	if (vrf_is_backend_netns()) {
+		/*
+		 * For backward compatibility, if the VRF name is not specified
+		 * and there is exactly one interface with this name in the
+		 * system, use its VRF. Otherwise fallback to the default VRF.
+		 */
+		if (!vrf_name) {
+			count = vrfname_by_ifname(ifname, &vrf_name);
+			if (count != 1)
+				vrf_name = VRF_DEFAULT_NAME;
+		}
+
+		snprintf(xpath_list, XPATH_MAXLEN,
+			 "/frr-interface:lib/interface[name='%s:%s']", vrf_name,
+			 ifname);
+	} else {
+		snprintf(xpath_list, XPATH_MAXLEN,
+			 "/frr-interface:lib/interface[name='%s']", ifname);
+	}
 
 	nb_cli_enqueue_change(vty, ".", NB_OP_DESTROY, NULL);
 
-	return nb_cli_apply_changes(
-		vty, "/frr-interface:lib/interface[name='%s'][vrf='%s']",
-		ifname, vrf_name);
+	return nb_cli_apply_changes(vty, xpath_list);
+}
+
+static void netns_ifname_split(const char *xpath, char *ifname, char *vrfname)
+{
+	char *delim;
+	int len;
+
+	assert(vrf_is_backend_netns());
+
+	delim = strchr(xpath, ':');
+	assert(delim);
+
+	len = delim - xpath;
+	memcpy(vrfname, xpath, len);
+	vrfname[len] = 0;
+
+	strlcpy(ifname, delim + 1, XPATH_MAXLEN);
 }
 
 static void cli_show_interface(struct vty *vty, const struct lyd_node *dnode,
 			       bool show_defaults)
 {
-	const char *vrf;
-
-	vrf = yang_dnode_get_string(dnode, "./vrf");
-
 	vty_out(vty, "!\n");
-	vty_out(vty, "interface %s", yang_dnode_get_string(dnode, "./name"));
-	if (!strmatch(vrf, VRF_DEFAULT_NAME))
-		vty_out(vty, " vrf %s", vrf);
+
+	if (vrf_is_backend_netns()) {
+		char ifname[XPATH_MAXLEN];
+		char vrfname[XPATH_MAXLEN];
+
+		netns_ifname_split(yang_dnode_get_string(dnode, "./name"),
+				   ifname, vrfname);
+
+		vty_out(vty, "interface %s", ifname);
+		if (!strmatch(vrfname, VRF_DEFAULT_NAME))
+			vty_out(vty, " vrf %s", vrfname);
+	} else {
+		const char *ifname = yang_dnode_get_string(dnode, "./name");
+
+		vty_out(vty, "interface %s", ifname);
+	}
+
 	vty_out(vty, "\n");
 }
 
@@ -1406,19 +1404,55 @@ void if_zapi_callbacks(int (*create)(struct interface *ifp),
 static int lib_interface_create(struct nb_cb_create_args *args)
 {
 	const char *ifname;
-	const char *vrfname;
 	struct interface *ifp;
 
 	ifname = yang_dnode_get_string(args->dnode, "./name");
-	vrfname = yang_dnode_get_string(args->dnode, "./vrf");
 
 	switch (args->event) {
 	case NB_EV_VALIDATE:
+		if (vrf_is_backend_netns()) {
+			char ifname_ns[XPATH_MAXLEN];
+			char vrfname_ns[XPATH_MAXLEN];
+
+			netns_ifname_split(ifname, ifname_ns, vrfname_ns);
+
+			if (strlen(ifname_ns) > 16) {
+				snprintf(
+					args->errmsg, args->errmsg_len,
+					"Maximum interface name length is 16 characters");
+				return NB_ERR_VALIDATION;
+			}
+			if (strlen(vrfname_ns) > 36) {
+				snprintf(
+					args->errmsg, args->errmsg_len,
+					"Maximum VRF name length is 36 characters");
+				return NB_ERR_VALIDATION;
+			}
+		} else {
+			if (strlen(ifname) > 16) {
+				snprintf(
+					args->errmsg, args->errmsg_len,
+					"Maximum interface name length is 16 characters");
+				return NB_ERR_VALIDATION;
+			}
+		}
+		break;
 	case NB_EV_PREPARE:
 	case NB_EV_ABORT:
 		break;
 	case NB_EV_APPLY:
-		ifp = if_get_by_name(ifname, VRF_UNKNOWN, vrfname);
+		if (vrf_is_backend_netns()) {
+			char ifname_ns[XPATH_MAXLEN];
+			char vrfname_ns[XPATH_MAXLEN];
+
+			netns_ifname_split(ifname, ifname_ns, vrfname_ns);
+
+			ifp = if_get_by_name(ifname_ns, VRF_UNKNOWN,
+					     vrfname_ns);
+		} else {
+			ifp = if_get_by_name(ifname, VRF_UNKNOWN,
+					     VRF_DEFAULT_NAME);
+		}
 
 		ifp->configured = true;
 		nb_running_set_entry(args->dnode, ifp);
@@ -1491,9 +1525,14 @@ static int lib_interface_get_keys(struct nb_cb_get_keys_args *args)
 {
 	const struct interface *ifp = args->list_entry;
 
-	args->keys->num = 2;
-	strlcpy(args->keys->key[0], ifp->name, sizeof(args->keys->key[0]));
-	strlcpy(args->keys->key[1], ifp->vrf->name, sizeof(args->keys->key[1]));
+	args->keys->num = 1;
+
+	if (vrf_is_backend_netns())
+		snprintf(args->keys->key[0], sizeof(args->keys->key[0]),
+			 "%s:%s", ifp->vrf->name, ifp->name);
+	else
+		snprintf(args->keys->key[0], sizeof(args->keys->key[0]), "%s",
+			 ifp->name);
 
 	return NB_OK;
 }
@@ -1501,11 +1540,19 @@ static int lib_interface_get_keys(struct nb_cb_get_keys_args *args)
 static const void *
 lib_interface_lookup_entry(struct nb_cb_lookup_entry_args *args)
 {
-	const char *ifname = args->keys->key[0];
-	const char *vrfname = args->keys->key[1];
-	struct vrf *vrf = vrf_lookup_by_name(vrfname);
+	if (vrf_is_backend_netns()) {
+		char ifname[XPATH_MAXLEN];
+		char vrfname[XPATH_MAXLEN];
+		struct vrf *vrf;
 
-	return vrf ? if_lookup_by_name(ifname, vrf->vrf_id) : NULL;
+		netns_ifname_split(args->keys->key[0], ifname, vrfname);
+
+		vrf = vrf_lookup_by_name(vrfname);
+
+		return vrf ? if_lookup_by_name(ifname, vrf->vrf_id) : NULL;
+	} else {
+		return if_lookup_by_name_all_vrf(args->keys->key[0]);
+	}
 }
 
 /*
@@ -1540,6 +1587,17 @@ static int lib_interface_description_destroy(struct nb_cb_destroy_args *args)
 	return NB_OK;
 }
 
+/*
+ * XPath: /frr-interface:lib/interface/vrf
+ */
+static struct yang_data *
+lib_interface_vrf_get_elem(struct nb_cb_get_elem_args *args)
+{
+	const struct interface *ifp = args->list_entry;
+
+	return yang_data_new_string(args->xpath, ifp->vrf->name);
+}
+
 /*
  * XPath: /frr-interface:lib/interface/state/if-index
  */
@@ -1653,6 +1711,12 @@ const struct frr_yang_module_info frr_interface_info = {
 				.cli_show = cli_show_interface_desc,
 			},
 		},
+		{
+			.xpath = "/frr-interface:lib/interface/vrf",
+			.cbs = {
+				.get_elem = lib_interface_vrf_get_elem,
+			}
+		},
 		{
 			.xpath = "/frr-interface:lib/interface/state/if-index",
 			.cbs = {
diff --git a/lib/vrf.c b/lib/vrf.c
index 5dc4e05855..b5f06048b7 100644
--- a/lib/vrf.c
+++ b/lib/vrf.c
@@ -690,15 +690,10 @@ DEFUN_YANG (no_vrf,
 
 	if (vrf_get_backend() == VRF_BACKEND_VRF_LITE) {
 		/*
-		 * Remove the VRF interface config. Currently, we allow to
-		 * remove only inactive VRFs, so we use VRF_DEFAULT_NAME here,
-		 * because when the VRF is removed from kernel, the interface
-		 * is moved to the default VRF. If we ever allow removing
-		 * active VRFs, this code have to be updated accordingly.
+		 * Remove the VRF interface config when removing the VRF.
 		 */
 		snprintf(xpath_list, sizeof(xpath_list),
-			 "/frr-interface:lib/interface[name='%s'][vrf='%s']",
-			 vrfname, VRF_DEFAULT_NAME);
+			 "/frr-interface:lib/interface[name='%s']", vrfname);
 		nb_cli_enqueue_change(vty, xpath_list, NB_OP_DESTROY, NULL);
 	}
 
diff --git a/yang/frr-interface.yang b/yang/frr-interface.yang
index 46c03a1d1f..4a152aadda 100644
--- a/yang/frr-interface.yang
+++ b/yang/frr-interface.yang
@@ -288,13 +288,11 @@ module frr-interface {
 
   container lib {
     list interface {
-      key "name vrf";
+      key "name";
       description
         "Interface.";
       leaf name {
-        type string {
-          length "1..16";
-        }
+        type string;
         description
           "Interface name.";
       }
@@ -303,6 +301,7 @@ module frr-interface {
         type frr-vrf:vrf-ref;
         description
           "VRF this interface is associated with.";
+        config false;
       }
 
       leaf description {
diff --git a/yang/ietf/frr-ietf-translator.json b/yang/ietf/frr-ietf-translator.json
index 38a609982f..36d6ddc8af 100644
--- a/yang/ietf/frr-ietf-translator.json
+++ b/yang/ietf/frr-ietf-translator.json
@@ -2,20 +2,6 @@
   "frr-module-translator:frr-module-translator": {
     "family": "ietf",
     "module": [
-      {
-        "name": "ietf-interfaces@2018-01-09",
-        "deviations": "frr-deviations-ietf-interfaces",
-        "mappings": [
-          {
-            "custom": "/ietf-interfaces:interfaces/interface[name='KEY1']",
-            "native": "/frr-interface:lib/interface[name='KEY1'][vrf='default']"
-          },
-          {
-            "custom": "/ietf-interfaces:interfaces/interface[name='KEY1']/description",
-            "native": "/frr-interface:lib/interface[name='KEY1'][vrf='default']/description"
-          }
-        ]
-      },
       {
         "name": "ietf-routing@2018-01-25",
         "deviations": "frr-deviations-ietf-routing",
@@ -60,7 +46,7 @@
           },
           {
             "custom": "/ietf-routing:routing/control-plane-protocols/control-plane-protocol[type='ietf-rip:ripv2'][name='main']/ietf-rip:rip/interfaces/interface[interface='KEY1']/split-horizon",
-            "native": "/frr-interface:lib/interface[name='KEY1'][vrf='default']/frr-ripd:rip/split-horizon"
+            "native": "/frr-interface:lib/interface[name='KEY1']/frr-ripd:rip/split-horizon"
           },
           {
             "custom": "/ietf-routing:routing/control-plane-protocols/control-plane-protocol[type='ietf-rip:ripv2'][name='main']/ietf-rip:rip/ipv4/neighbors/neighbor[ipv4-address='KEY1']",