diff --git a/zebra/rt_netlink.c b/zebra/rt_netlink.c
index db8e28cea0..4407167521 100644
--- a/zebra/rt_netlink.c
+++ b/zebra/rt_netlink.c
@@ -2447,12 +2447,6 @@ int netlink_nexthop_change(struct nlmsghdr *h, ns_id_t ns_id, int startup)
 					id);
 				nhg_connected_head_free(&nhg_depends);
 			} else {
-				/* Add the nhe to the interface's tree
-				 * of connected nhe's
-				 */
-				if (ifp)
-					zebra_nhg_set_if(nhe, ifp);
-
 				SET_FLAG(nhe->flags, NEXTHOP_GROUP_INSTALLED);
 				SET_FLAG(nhe->flags, NEXTHOP_GROUP_VALID);
 			}
diff --git a/zebra/zebra_nhg.c b/zebra/zebra_nhg.c
index 376d07535d..cacbce1785 100644
--- a/zebra/zebra_nhg.c
+++ b/zebra/zebra_nhg.c
@@ -308,7 +308,6 @@ static void *zebra_nhg_alloc(void *arg)
 	nhe->refcnt = 0;
 	nhe->is_kernel_nh = copy->is_kernel_nh;
 	nhe->dplane_ref = zebra_router_get_next_sequence();
-	nhe->ifp = NULL;
 
 	/* Attach backpointer to anything that it depends on */
 	zebra_nhg_dependents_init(nhe);
@@ -319,6 +318,25 @@ static void *zebra_nhg_alloc(void *arg)
 		}
 	}
 
+	/* Add the ifp now if its not a group or recursive and has ifindex */
+	if (zebra_nhg_depends_is_empty(nhe) && nhe->nhg->nexthop) {
+		struct interface *ifp = NULL;
+
+		switch (nhe->nhg->nexthop->type) {
+		case NEXTHOP_TYPE_IPV4_IFINDEX:
+		case NEXTHOP_TYPE_IPV6_IFINDEX:
+		case NEXTHOP_TYPE_IFINDEX:
+			ifp = if_lookup_by_index(nhe->nhg->nexthop->ifindex,
+						 nhe->vrf_id);
+			zebra_nhg_set_if(nhe, ifp);
+			break;
+		case NEXTHOP_TYPE_BLACKHOLE:
+		case NEXTHOP_TYPE_IPV4:
+		case NEXTHOP_TYPE_IPV6:
+			break;
+		}
+	}
+
 	/* Add to id table as well */
 	zebra_nhg_insert_id(nhe);