diff --git a/bfdd/ptm_adapter.c b/bfdd/ptm_adapter.c
index 3e2ace6ea6..1d5e8310fd 100644
--- a/bfdd/ptm_adapter.c
+++ b/bfdd/ptm_adapter.c
@@ -698,13 +698,14 @@ static int bfdd_interface_update(ZAPI_CALLBACK_ARGS)
 static int bfdd_interface_vrf_update(ZAPI_CALLBACK_ARGS)
 {
 	struct interface *ifp;
+	struct vrf *nvrf;
 	vrf_id_t nvrfid;
 
 	ifp = zebra_interface_vrf_update_read(zclient->ibuf, vrf_id, &nvrfid);
 	if (ifp == NULL)
 		return 0;
-
-	if_update_to_new_vrf(ifp, nvrfid);
+	nvrf = vrf_lookup_by_id(nvrfid);
+	if_update_to_new_vrf(ifp, nvrf);
 
 	return 0;
 }
diff --git a/bgpd/bgp_zebra.c b/bgpd/bgp_zebra.c
index 252eb88143..44c1261a9a 100644
--- a/bgpd/bgp_zebra.c
+++ b/bgpd/bgp_zebra.c
@@ -503,7 +503,7 @@ static int bgp_interface_vrf_update(ZAPI_CALLBACK_ARGS)
 		}
 	}
 
-	if_update_to_new_vrf(ifp, new_vrf_id);
+	if_update_to_new_vrf(ifp, vrf_lookup_by_id(new_vrf_id));
 
 	bgp = bgp_lookup_by_vrf_id(new_vrf_id);
 	if (!bgp)
diff --git a/lib/if.c b/lib/if.c
index a803754375..16d2b2bd6e 100644
--- a/lib/if.c
+++ b/lib/if.c
@@ -157,11 +157,18 @@ struct interface *if_create(const char *name, struct vrf *vrf)
 	return ifp;
 }
 
-/* Create new interface structure. */
-void if_update_to_new_vrf(struct interface *ifp, vrf_id_t vrf_id)
+/* Create new interface structure.
+ * vrf must be created outside of this routing
+ */
+void if_update_to_new_vrf(struct interface *ifp, struct vrf *vrf)
 {
-	struct vrf *old_vrf, *vrf;
+	struct vrf *old_vrf;
 
+	if (!vrf) {
+		flog_err(EC_LIB_INTERFACE, "interface %s. Unknown VRF",
+			 ifp->name);
+		return;
+	}
 	/* remove interface from old master vrf list */
 	old_vrf = vrf_lookup_by_id(ifp->vrf_id);
 	if (old_vrf) {
@@ -170,8 +177,7 @@ void if_update_to_new_vrf(struct interface *ifp, vrf_id_t vrf_id)
 			IFINDEX_RB_REMOVE(old_vrf, ifp);
 	}
 
-	ifp->vrf_id = vrf_id;
-	vrf = vrf_get(ifp->vrf_id, NULL);
+	ifp->vrf_id = vrf->vrf_id;
 
 	IFNAME_RB_INSERT(vrf, ifp);
 	if (ifp->ifindex != IFINDEX_INTERNAL)
@@ -439,7 +445,7 @@ struct interface *if_get_by_name(const char *name, struct vrf *vrf)
 			/* If it came from the kernel or by way of zclient,
 			 * believe it and update the ifp accordingly.
 			 */
-			if_update_to_new_vrf(ifp, vrf->vrf_id);
+			if_update_to_new_vrf(ifp, vrf);
 			return ifp;
 		}
 		return if_create(name, vrf);
diff --git a/lib/if.h b/lib/if.h
index 794952897d..8bbbd1082d 100644
--- a/lib/if.h
+++ b/lib/if.h
@@ -479,7 +479,7 @@ extern int if_cmp_name_func(const char *p1, const char *p2);
  * This is useful for vrf route-leaking.  So more than anything
  * else think before you use VRF_UNKNOWN
  */
-extern void if_update_to_new_vrf(struct interface *, vrf_id_t vrf_id);
+extern void if_update_to_new_vrf(struct interface *, struct vrf *vrf);
 extern struct interface *if_create(const char *name, struct vrf *vrf);
 extern struct interface *if_lookup_by_index(ifindex_t, vrf_id_t vrf_id);
 extern struct interface *if_lookup_exact_address(void *matchaddr, int family,
diff --git a/ospfd/ospf_zebra.c b/ospfd/ospf_zebra.c
index 9db89faa93..01b48b0c74 100644
--- a/ospfd/ospf_zebra.c
+++ b/ospfd/ospf_zebra.c
@@ -366,7 +366,7 @@ static int ospf_interface_vrf_update(ZAPI_CALLBACK_ARGS)
 			ospf_vrf_id_to_name(new_vrf_id), new_vrf_id);
 
 	/*if_update(ifp, ifp->name, strlen(ifp->name), new_vrf_id);*/
-	if_update_to_new_vrf(ifp, new_vrf_id);
+	if_update_to_new_vrf(ifp, vrf_lookup_by_id(new_vrf_id));
 
 	return 0;
 }
diff --git a/pimd/pim_zebra.c b/pimd/pim_zebra.c
index 2a772639fb..b5cde6b7f5 100644
--- a/pimd/pim_zebra.c
+++ b/pimd/pim_zebra.c
@@ -291,7 +291,7 @@ static int pim_zebra_interface_vrf_update(ZAPI_CALLBACK_ARGS)
 			   __PRETTY_FUNCTION__,
 			   ifp->name, vrf_id, new_vrf_id);
 
-	if_update_to_new_vrf(ifp, new_vrf_id);
+	if_update_to_new_vrf(ifp, vrf_lookup_by_id(new_vrf_id));
 
 	return 0;
 }
diff --git a/ripd/rip_interface.c b/ripd/rip_interface.c
index 634fee0b30..631c7f4603 100644
--- a/ripd/rip_interface.c
+++ b/ripd/rip_interface.c
@@ -468,17 +468,20 @@ int rip_interface_vrf_update(ZAPI_CALLBACK_ARGS)
 {
 	struct interface *ifp;
 	vrf_id_t new_vrf_id;
+	struct vrf *new_vrf;
 
 	ifp = zebra_interface_vrf_update_read(zclient->ibuf, vrf_id,
 					      &new_vrf_id);
 	if (!ifp)
 		return 0;
 
+	new_vrf = vrf_lookup_by_id(new_vrf_id);
+
 	if (IS_RIP_DEBUG_ZEBRA)
 		zlog_debug("interface %s VRF change vrf_id %u new vrf id %u",
 			   ifp->name, vrf_id, new_vrf_id);
 
-	if_update_to_new_vrf(ifp, new_vrf_id);
+	if_update_to_new_vrf(ifp, new_vrf);
 	rip_interface_sync(ifp);
 
 	return 0;
diff --git a/ripngd/ripng_interface.c b/ripngd/ripng_interface.c
index d83f4d2791..ebecb64847 100644
--- a/ripngd/ripng_interface.c
+++ b/ripngd/ripng_interface.c
@@ -314,17 +314,20 @@ int ripng_interface_vrf_update(ZAPI_CALLBACK_ARGS)
 {
 	struct interface *ifp;
 	vrf_id_t new_vrf_id;
+	struct vrf *new_vrf;
 
 	ifp = zebra_interface_vrf_update_read(zclient->ibuf, vrf_id,
 					      &new_vrf_id);
 	if (!ifp)
 		return 0;
 
+	new_vrf = vrf_lookup_by_id(new_vrf_id);
+
 	if (IS_RIPNG_DEBUG_ZEBRA)
 		zlog_debug("interface %s VRF change vrf_id %u new vrf id %u",
 			   ifp->name, vrf_id, new_vrf_id);
 
-	if_update_to_new_vrf(ifp, new_vrf_id);
+	if_update_to_new_vrf(ifp, new_vrf);
 	ripng_interface_sync(ifp);
 
 	return 0;
diff --git a/zebra/if_netlink.c b/zebra/if_netlink.c
index 2c94dd52b5..acd1159ca6 100644
--- a/zebra/if_netlink.c
+++ b/zebra/if_netlink.c
@@ -1233,7 +1233,7 @@ int netlink_link_change(struct nlmsghdr *h, ns_id_t ns_id, int startup)
 			} else {
 				/* pre-configured interface, learnt now */
 				if (ifp->vrf_id != vrf_id)
-					if_update_to_new_vrf(ifp, vrf_id);
+					if_update_to_new_vrf(ifp, vrf);
 			}
 
 			/* Update interface information. */
diff --git a/zebra/interface.c b/zebra/interface.c
index b183b285e0..0eec68e840 100644
--- a/zebra/interface.c
+++ b/zebra/interface.c
@@ -768,6 +768,7 @@ void if_delete_update(struct interface *ifp)
 void if_handle_vrf_change(struct interface *ifp, vrf_id_t vrf_id)
 {
 	vrf_id_t old_vrf_id;
+	struct vrf *vrf = vrf_lookup_by_id(vrf_id);
 
 	old_vrf_id = ifp->vrf_id;
 
@@ -785,7 +786,7 @@ void if_handle_vrf_change(struct interface *ifp, vrf_id_t vrf_id)
 	zebra_interface_vrf_update_del(ifp, vrf_id);
 
 	/* update VRF */
-	if_update_to_new_vrf(ifp, vrf_id);
+	if_update_to_new_vrf(ifp, vrf);
 
 	/* Send out notification on interface VRF change. */
 	/* This is to issue an ADD, if needed. */