diff --git a/lib/zclient.c b/lib/zclient.c
index beb3ca4f34..d2a6c75548 100644
--- a/lib/zclient.c
+++ b/lib/zclient.c
@@ -1770,19 +1770,19 @@ struct interface *zebra_interface_vrf_update_read(struct stream *s,
 						  vrf_id_t vrf_id,
 						  vrf_id_t *new_vrf_id)
 {
-	unsigned int ifindex;
+	char ifname[INTERFACE_NAMSIZ];
 	struct interface *ifp;
 	vrf_id_t new_id;
 
-	/* Get interface index. */
-	ifindex = stream_getl(s);
+	/* Read interface name. */
+	stream_get(ifname, s, INTERFACE_NAMSIZ);
 
 	/* Lookup interface. */
-	ifp = if_lookup_by_index(ifindex, vrf_id);
+	ifp = if_lookup_by_name(ifname, vrf_id);
 	if (ifp == NULL) {
 		flog_err(EC_LIB_ZAPI_ENCODE,
-			 "INTERFACE_VRF_UPDATE: Cannot find IF %u in VRF %d",
-			 ifindex, vrf_id);
+			 "INTERFACE_VRF_UPDATE: Cannot find IF %s in VRF %d",
+			 ifname, vrf_id);
 		return NULL;
 	}
 
diff --git a/zebra/zapi_msg.c b/zebra/zapi_msg.c
index 26a3cd5b42..32614f408e 100644
--- a/zebra/zapi_msg.c
+++ b/zebra/zapi_msg.c
@@ -432,8 +432,8 @@ int zsend_interface_vrf_update(struct zserv *client, struct interface *ifp,
 
 	zclient_create_header(s, ZEBRA_INTERFACE_VRF_UPDATE, ifp->vrf_id);
 
-	/* Fill in the ifIndex of the interface and its new VRF (id) */
-	stream_putl(s, ifp->ifindex);
+	/* Fill in the name of the interface and its new VRF (id) */
+	stream_put(s, ifp->name, INTERFACE_NAMSIZ);
 	stream_putl(s, vrf_id);
 
 	/* Write packet size. */