diff --git a/lib/if.c b/lib/if.c
index abcc6c5d3c..5b1473af40 100644
--- a/lib/if.c
+++ b/lib/if.c
@@ -396,6 +396,7 @@ struct interface *if_get_by_name(const char *name, vrf_id_t vrf_id)
 	struct interface *ifp;
 
 	switch (vrf_get_backend()) {
+	case VRF_BACKEND_UNKNOWN:
 	case VRF_BACKEND_NETNS:
 		ifp = if_lookup_by_name(name, vrf_id);
 		if (ifp)
@@ -1279,6 +1280,11 @@ static int lib_interface_create(enum nb_event event,
 				  vrf->name);
 			return NB_ERR_VALIDATION;
 		}
+
+		/* if VRF is netns or not yet known - init for instance
+		 * then assumption is that passed config is exact
+		 * then the user intent was not to use an other iface
+		 */
 		if (vrf_get_backend() == VRF_BACKEND_VRF_LITE) {
 			ifp = if_lookup_by_name_all_vrf(ifname);
 			if (ifp && ifp->vrf_id != vrf->vrf_id) {
diff --git a/lib/vrf.c b/lib/vrf.c
index ab47f242fd..dd87ed63e8 100644
--- a/lib/vrf.c
+++ b/lib/vrf.c
@@ -56,6 +56,7 @@ struct vrf_id_head vrfs_by_id = RB_INITIALIZER(&vrfs_by_id);
 struct vrf_name_head vrfs_by_name = RB_INITIALIZER(&vrfs_by_name);
 
 static int vrf_backend;
+static int vrf_backend_configured;
 static struct zebra_privs_t *vrf_daemon_privs;
 static char vrf_default_name[VRF_NAMSIZ] = VRF_DEFAULT_NAME_INTERNAL;
 
@@ -613,12 +614,15 @@ int vrf_is_backend_netns(void)
 
 int vrf_get_backend(void)
 {
+	if (!vrf_backend_configured)
+		return VRF_BACKEND_UNKNOWN;
 	return vrf_backend;
 }
 
 void vrf_configure_backend(int vrf_backend_netns)
 {
 	vrf_backend = vrf_backend_netns;
+	vrf_backend_configured = 1;
 }
 
 int vrf_handler_create(struct vty *vty, const char *vrfname,
diff --git a/lib/vrf.h b/lib/vrf.h
index b947ab1d52..d8fedf9111 100644
--- a/lib/vrf.h
+++ b/lib/vrf.h
@@ -101,8 +101,9 @@ RB_PROTOTYPE(vrf_name_head, vrf, name_entry, vrf_name_compare)
 DECLARE_QOBJ_TYPE(vrf)
 
 /* Allow VRF with netns as backend */
-#define VRF_BACKEND_VRF_LITE 0
-#define VRF_BACKEND_NETNS    1
+#define VRF_BACKEND_VRF_LITE   0
+#define VRF_BACKEND_NETNS      1
+#define VRF_BACKEND_UNKNOWN    2
 
 extern struct vrf_id_head vrfs_by_id;
 extern struct vrf_name_head vrfs_by_name;