diff --git a/lib/log.c b/lib/log.c
index ce0b1c9670..ca2f501686 100644
--- a/lib/log.c
+++ b/lib/log.c
@@ -470,8 +470,8 @@ static const struct zebra_desc_table command_types[] = {
 	DESC_ENTRY(ZEBRA_NHRP_NEIGH_GET),
 	DESC_ENTRY(ZEBRA_NHRP_NEIGH_REGISTER),
 	DESC_ENTRY(ZEBRA_NHRP_NEIGH_UNREGISTER),
-	DESC_ENTRY(ZEBRA_NEIGH_ADD),
-	DESC_ENTRY(ZEBRA_NEIGH_DEL),
+	DESC_ENTRY(ZEBRA_NEIGH_IP_ADD),
+	DESC_ENTRY(ZEBRA_NEIGH_IP_DEL),
 	DESC_ENTRY(ZEBRA_CONFIGURE_ARP)};
 #undef DESC_ENTRY
 
diff --git a/lib/zclient.c b/lib/zclient.c
index 8d94fe1aca..d613906d82 100644
--- a/lib/zclient.c
+++ b/lib/zclient.c
@@ -4196,3 +4196,59 @@ char *zclient_evpn_dump_macip_flags(uint8_t flags, char *buf, size_t len)
 
 	return buf;
 }
+
+static int zclient_neigh_ip_read_entry(struct stream *s, struct ipaddr *add)
+{
+	uint8_t family;
+
+	STREAM_GETC(s, family);
+	if (family != AF_INET && family != AF_INET6)
+		return -1;
+
+	STREAM_GET(&add->ip.addr, s, family2addrsize(family));
+	add->ipa_type = family;
+	return 0;
+ stream_failure:
+	return -1;
+}
+
+int zclient_neigh_ip_encode(struct stream *s,
+			    uint16_t cmd,
+			    union sockunion *in,
+			    union sockunion *out,
+			    struct interface *ifp)
+{
+	int ret = 0;
+
+	zclient_create_header(s, cmd, ifp->vrf_id);
+	stream_putc(s, sockunion_family(in));
+	stream_write(s, sockunion_get_addr(in), sockunion_get_addrlen(in));
+	if (out && sockunion_family(out) != AF_UNSPEC) {
+		stream_putc(s, sockunion_family(out));
+		stream_write(s, sockunion_get_addr(out),
+			     sockunion_get_addrlen(out));
+	} else
+		stream_putc(s, AF_UNSPEC);
+	stream_putl(s, ifp->ifindex);
+	if (out)
+		stream_putl(s, ZEBRA_NEIGH_STATE_REACHABLE);
+	else
+		stream_putl(s, ZEBRA_NEIGH_STATE_FAILED);
+	return ret;
+}
+
+int zclient_neigh_ip_decode(struct stream *s, struct zapi_neigh_ip *api)
+{
+	int ret;
+
+	ret = zclient_neigh_ip_read_entry(s, &api->ip_in);
+	if (ret < 0)
+		return -1;
+	zclient_neigh_ip_read_entry(s, &api->ip_out);
+
+	STREAM_GETL(s, api->index);
+	STREAM_GETL(s, api->ndm_state);
+	return 0;
+ stream_failure:
+	return -1;
+}
diff --git a/lib/zclient.h b/lib/zclient.h
index 25b7103116..90240e40b2 100644
--- a/lib/zclient.h
+++ b/lib/zclient.h
@@ -229,8 +229,8 @@ typedef enum {
 	ZEBRA_NHRP_NEIGH_GET,
 	ZEBRA_NHRP_NEIGH_REGISTER,
 	ZEBRA_NHRP_NEIGH_UNREGISTER,
-	ZEBRA_NEIGH_ADD,
-	ZEBRA_NEIGH_DEL,
+	ZEBRA_NEIGH_IP_ADD,
+	ZEBRA_NEIGH_IP_DEL,
 	ZEBRA_CONFIGURE_ARP,
 } zebra_message_types_t;
 
@@ -809,13 +809,23 @@ extern struct zclient_options zclient_options_default;
 /* link layer representation for GRE like interfaces
  * ip_in is the underlay IP, ip_out is the tunnel dest
  * index stands for the index of the interface
+ * ndm state stands for the NDM value in netlink
  */
-struct zapi_nbr {
+#define ZEBRA_NEIGH_STATE_REACHABLE (0x02)
+#define ZEBRA_NEIGH_STATE_FAILED    (0x20)
+struct zapi_neigh_ip {
 	int cmd;
 	struct ipaddr ip_in;
 	struct ipaddr ip_out;
 	ifindex_t index;
+	uint32_t ndm_state;
 };
+int zclient_neigh_ip_decode(struct stream *s, struct zapi_neigh_ip *api);
+int zclient_neigh_ip_encode(struct stream *s,
+			    uint16_t cmd,
+			    union sockunion *in,
+			    union sockunion *out,
+			    struct interface *ifp);
 
 /*
  * We reserve the top 4 bits for l2-NHG, everything else
diff --git a/nhrpd/netlink_arp.c b/nhrpd/netlink_arp.c
index 4cca177c9a..8eab7cd54d 100644
--- a/nhrpd/netlink_arp.c
+++ b/nhrpd/netlink_arp.c
@@ -154,31 +154,26 @@ void nhrp_neighbor_operation(ZAPI_CALLBACK_ARGS)
 {
 	union sockunion addr = {}, lladdr = {};
 	struct interface *ifp;
-	ifindex_t idx;
-	struct ethaddr mac;
 	int state, ndm_state;
 	struct nhrp_cache *c;
-	unsigned short l2_len;
+	struct zapi_neigh_ip api = {};
 
-	STREAM_GETL(zclient->ibuf, idx);
-	ifp = if_lookup_by_index(idx, vrf_id);
-	STREAM_GETW(zclient->ibuf, addr.sa.sa_family);
-	if (addr.sa.sa_family == AF_INET) {
-		STREAM_GET(&addr.sin.sin_addr.s_addr,
-			   zclient->ibuf, IPV4_MAX_BYTELEN);
-	} else {
-		STREAM_GET(&addr.sin6.sin6_addr.s6_addr,
-			   zclient->ibuf, IPV6_MAX_BYTELEN);
-	}
-	STREAM_GETL(zclient->ibuf, ndm_state);
+	zclient_neigh_ip_decode(zclient->ibuf, &api);
+	if (api.ip_in.ipa_type == AF_UNSPEC)
+		return;
+	sockunion_family(&addr) = api.ip_in.ipa_type;
+	memcpy((uint8_t *)sockunion_get_addr(&addr), &api.ip_in.ip.addr,
+	       family2addrsize(api.ip_in.ipa_type));
+
+	sockunion_family(&lladdr) = api.ip_out.ipa_type;
+	if (api.ip_out.ipa_type != AF_UNSPEC)
+		memcpy((uint8_t *)sockunion_get_addr(&lladdr),
+		       &api.ip_out.ip.addr,
+		       family2addrsize(api.ip_out.ipa_type));
+
+	ifp = if_lookup_by_index(api.index, vrf_id);
+	ndm_state = api.ndm_state;
 
-	STREAM_GETL(zclient->ibuf, l2_len);
-	if (l2_len) {
-		STREAM_GET(&mac, zclient->ibuf, l2_len);
-		if (l2_len == IPV4_MAX_BYTELEN)
-			sockunion_set(&lladdr, AF_INET, (const uint8_t *)&mac,
-				      l2_len);
-	}
 	if (!ifp)
 		return;
 	c = nhrp_cache_get(ifp, &addr, 0);
@@ -205,12 +200,9 @@ void nhrp_neighbor_operation(ZAPI_CALLBACK_ARGS)
 		}
 	} else {
 		state = (cmd == ZEBRA_NHRP_NEIGH_ADDED) ? ndm_state
-			: NUD_FAILED;
-		nhrp_cache_set_used(c, state == NUD_REACHABLE);
+			: ZEBRA_NEIGH_STATE_FAILED;
+		nhrp_cache_set_used(c, state == ZEBRA_NEIGH_STATE_REACHABLE);
 	}
-	return;
- stream_failure:
-	return;
 }
 
 void netlink_init(void)
diff --git a/nhrpd/nhrp_route.c b/nhrpd/nhrp_route.c
index 99f35b79de..23fa0771ef 100644
--- a/nhrpd/nhrp_route.c
+++ b/nhrpd/nhrp_route.c
@@ -422,18 +422,9 @@ void nhrp_send_zebra_nbr(union sockunion *in,
 		return;
 	s = zclient->obuf;
 	stream_reset(s);
-	zclient_create_header(s,
-			      out ? ZEBRA_NEIGH_ADD : ZEBRA_NEIGH_DEL,
-			      ifp->vrf_id);
-	stream_putc(s, sockunion_family(in));
-	stream_write(s, sockunion_get_addr(in), sockunion_get_addrlen(in));
-	if (out) {
-		stream_putc(s, sockunion_family(out));
-		stream_write(s, sockunion_get_addr(out),
-			     sockunion_get_addrlen(out));
-	}
-	stream_putl(s, ifp->ifindex);
-
+	zclient_neigh_ip_encode(s, out ? ZEBRA_NEIGH_IP_ADD :
+				ZEBRA_NEIGH_IP_DEL, in, out,
+				ifp);
 	stream_putw_at(s, 0, stream_get_endp(s));
 	zclient_send_message(zclient);
 }
diff --git a/zebra/rt_netlink.c b/zebra/rt_netlink.c
index b641d07000..dc0c839674 100644
--- a/zebra/rt_netlink.c
+++ b/zebra/rt_netlink.c
@@ -3390,9 +3390,18 @@ static int netlink_ipneigh_change(struct nlmsghdr *h, int len, ns_id_t ns_id)
 		l2_len = RTA_PAYLOAD(tb[NDA_LLADDR]);
 		memcpy(&mac, RTA_DATA(tb[NDA_LLADDR]), l2_len);
 	}
-	if (l2_len == IPV4_MAX_BYTELEN || l2_len == 0)
+	if (l2_len == IPV4_MAX_BYTELEN || l2_len == 0) {
+		union sockunion link_layer_ipv4;
+
+		if (l2_len) {
+			sockunion_family(&link_layer_ipv4) = AF_INET;
+			memcpy((void *)sockunion_get_addr(&link_layer_ipv4),
+			       &mac, l2_len);
+		} else
+			sockunion_family(&link_layer_ipv4) = AF_UNSPEC;
 		zsend_nhrp_neighbor_notify(cmd, ifp, &ip, ndm->ndm_state,
-					   &mac, l2_len);
+					   &link_layer_ipv4);
+	}
 
 	if (h->nlmsg_type == RTM_GETNEIGH)
 		return 0;
diff --git a/zebra/zapi_msg.c b/zebra/zapi_msg.c
index 46e4766e97..e854d7ff3a 100644
--- a/zebra/zapi_msg.c
+++ b/zebra/zapi_msg.c
@@ -976,45 +976,30 @@ void zsend_ipset_entry_notify_owner(const struct zebra_dplane_ctx *ctx,
 
 void zsend_nhrp_neighbor_notify(int cmd, struct interface *ifp,
 				struct ipaddr *ipaddr, int ndm_state,
-				void *mac, int macsize)
+				union sockunion *link_layer_ipv4)
 {
 	struct stream *s;
 	struct listnode *node, *nnode;
 	struct zserv *client;
 	afi_t afi;
+	union sockunion ip;
 
 	if (IS_ZEBRA_DEBUG_PACKET)
 		zlog_debug("%s: Notifying Neighbor entry (%u)",
 			   __PRETTY_FUNCTION__, cmd);
 
-	if (ipaddr->ipa_type == IPADDR_V4)
-		afi = AFI_IP;
-	else if (ipaddr->ipa_type == IPADDR_V6)
-		afi = AFI_IP6;
-	else
-		return;
+	sockunion_family(&ip) = ipaddr_family(ipaddr);
+	afi = family2afi(sockunion_family(&ip));
+	memcpy((char *)sockunion_get_addr(&ip), &ipaddr->ip.addr,
+	       family2addrsize(sockunion_family(&ip)));
+
 	for (ALL_LIST_ELEMENTS(zrouter.client_list, node, nnode, client)) {
 		if (!vrf_bitmap_check(client->nhrp_neighinfo[afi], ifp->vrf_id))
 			continue;
 
 		s = stream_new(ZEBRA_MAX_PACKET_SIZ);
-
-		zclient_create_header(s, cmd, ifp->vrf_id);
-		stream_putl(s, ifp->ifindex);
-		if (ipaddr->ipa_type == IPADDR_V4) {
-			stream_putw(s, AF_INET);
-			stream_put(s, &ipaddr->ip._v4_addr, IPV4_MAX_BYTELEN);
-		} else if (ipaddr->ipa_type == IPADDR_V6) {
-			stream_putw(s, AF_INET6);
-			stream_put(s, &ipaddr->ip._v6_addr, IPV6_MAX_BYTELEN);
-		} else
-			return;
-		stream_putl(s, ndm_state);
-		stream_putl(s, macsize);
-		if (mac)
-			stream_put(s, mac, macsize);
+		zclient_neigh_ip_encode(s, cmd, &ip, link_layer_ipv4, ifp);
 		stream_putw_at(s, 0, stream_get_endp(s));
-
 		zserv_send_message(client, s);
 	}
 }
@@ -3214,38 +3199,6 @@ stream_failure:
 	return;
 }
 
-static int zebra_neigh_read_ip(struct stream *s, struct ipaddr *add)
-{
-	uint8_t family;
-
-	STREAM_GETC(s, family);
-	if (family != AF_INET && family != AF_INET6)
-		return -1;
-
-	STREAM_GET(&add->ip.addr, s, family2addrsize(family));
-	add->ipa_type = family;
-	return 0;
-stream_failure:
-	return -1;
-}
-
-static int zebra_neigh_get(struct stream *s, struct zapi_nbr *api, bool add)
-{
-	int ret;
-
-	ret = zebra_neigh_read_ip(s, &api->ip_in);
-	if (ret < 0)
-		return -1;
-	if (add) {
-		ret = zebra_neigh_read_ip(s, &api->ip_out);
-		if (ret < 0)
-			return -1;
-	}
-	STREAM_GETL(s, api->index);
-	return 0;
-stream_failure:
-	return -1;
-}
 
 static inline void zebra_neigh_register(ZAPI_HANDLER_ARGS)
 {
@@ -3299,43 +3252,41 @@ stream_failure:
 	return;
 }
 
-static inline void zebra_neigh_add(ZAPI_HANDLER_ARGS)
+static inline void zebra_neigh_ip_add(ZAPI_HANDLER_ARGS)
 {
 	struct stream *s;
-	struct zapi_nbr api;
+	struct zapi_neigh_ip api = {};
 	int ret;
 	const struct interface *ifp;
 
 	s = msg;
-	memset(&api, 0, sizeof(api));
-	ret = zebra_neigh_get(s, &api, true);
+	ret = zclient_neigh_ip_decode(s, &api);
 	if (ret < 0)
 		return;
 	ifp = if_lookup_by_index(api.index, zvrf_id(zvrf));
 	if (!ifp)
 		return;
 	dplane_neigh_ip_update(DPLANE_OP_NEIGH_IP_INSTALL, ifp, &api.ip_out,
-			       &api.ip_in, false, client->proto);
+			       &api.ip_in, api.ndm_state, client->proto);
 }
 
 
-static inline void zebra_neigh_del(ZAPI_HANDLER_ARGS)
+static inline void zebra_neigh_ip_del(ZAPI_HANDLER_ARGS)
 {
 	struct stream *s;
-	struct zapi_nbr api;
+	struct zapi_neigh_ip api = {};
 	int ret;
 	struct interface *ifp;
 
 	s = msg;
-	memset(&api, 0, sizeof(api));
-	ret = zebra_neigh_get(s, &api, false);
+	ret = zclient_neigh_ip_decode(s, &api);
 	if (ret < 0)
 		return;
 	ifp = if_lookup_by_index(api.index, zvrf_id(zvrf));
 	if (!ifp)
 		return;
 	dplane_neigh_ip_update(DPLANE_OP_NEIGH_IP_DELETE, ifp, &api.ip_out,
-			       &api.ip_in, true, client->proto);
+			       &api.ip_in, api.ndm_state, client->proto);
 }
 
 
@@ -3524,8 +3475,8 @@ void (*const zserv_handlers[])(ZAPI_HANDLER_ARGS) = {
 	[ZEBRA_ROUTE_NOTIFY_REQUEST] = zread_route_notify_request,
 	[ZEBRA_EVPN_REMOTE_NH_ADD] = zebra_evpn_proc_remote_nh,
 	[ZEBRA_EVPN_REMOTE_NH_DEL] = zebra_evpn_proc_remote_nh,
-	[ZEBRA_NEIGH_ADD] = zebra_neigh_add,
-	[ZEBRA_NEIGH_DEL] = zebra_neigh_del,
+	[ZEBRA_NEIGH_IP_ADD] = zebra_neigh_ip_add,
+	[ZEBRA_NEIGH_IP_DEL] = zebra_neigh_ip_del,
 	[ZEBRA_NHRP_NEIGH_REGISTER] = zebra_neigh_register,
 	[ZEBRA_NHRP_NEIGH_UNREGISTER] = zebra_neigh_unregister,
 	[ZEBRA_CONFIGURE_ARP] = zebra_configure_arp,
diff --git a/zebra/zapi_msg.h b/zebra/zapi_msg.h
index 2822619da9..0beb3cc100 100644
--- a/zebra/zapi_msg.h
+++ b/zebra/zapi_msg.h
@@ -106,7 +106,7 @@ extern int zsend_sr_policy_notify_status(uint32_t color,
 					 int status);
 extern void zsend_nhrp_neighbor_notify(int cmd, struct interface *ifp,
 				       struct ipaddr *ipaddr, int ndm_state,
-				       void *mac, int macsize);
+				       union sockunion *link_layer_ipv4);
 
 extern int zsend_client_close_notify(struct zserv *client,
 				     struct zserv *closed_client);
diff --git a/zebra/zebra_dplane.c b/zebra/zebra_dplane.c
index 8186ab98a5..c7f396ebf9 100644
--- a/zebra/zebra_dplane.c
+++ b/zebra/zebra_dplane.c
@@ -3509,7 +3509,7 @@ enum zebra_dplane_result dplane_neigh_ip_update(enum dplane_op_e op,
 						const struct interface *ifp,
 						struct ipaddr *link_ip,
 						struct ipaddr *ip,
-						bool permanent, int protocol)
+						uint32_t ndm_state, int protocol)
 {
 	enum zebra_dplane_result result = ZEBRA_DPLANE_REQUEST_FAILURE;
 	uint16_t state = 0;
@@ -3523,12 +3523,9 @@ enum zebra_dplane_result dplane_neigh_ip_update(enum dplane_op_e op,
 		zlog_debug("init link ctx %s: ifp %s, ip %s link %s",
 			   dplane_op2str(op), ifp->name, buf1, buf2);
 	}
-	if (op == DPLANE_OP_NEIGH_IP_INSTALL) {
-		if (!permanent)
-			state = DPLANE_NUD_REACHABLE;
-		else
-			state = DPLANE_NUD_PERMANENT;
-	} else
+	if (ndm_state == ZEBRA_NEIGH_STATE_REACHABLE)
+		state = DPLANE_NUD_REACHABLE;
+	else if (ndm_state == ZEBRA_NEIGH_STATE_FAILED)
 		state = DPLANE_NUD_FAILED;
 
 	update_flags = DPLANE_NEIGH_NO_EXTENSION;
diff --git a/zebra/zebra_dplane.h b/zebra/zebra_dplane.h
index c678706354..8d51d93cd4 100644
--- a/zebra/zebra_dplane.h
+++ b/zebra/zebra_dplane.h
@@ -611,7 +611,8 @@ enum zebra_dplane_result dplane_neigh_ip_update(enum dplane_op_e op,
 						const struct interface *ifp,
 						struct ipaddr *link_ip,
 						struct ipaddr *ip,
-						bool permanent, int protocol);
+						uint32_t ndm_state,
+						int protocol);
 
 /*
  * Enqueue evpn mac operations for the dataplane.