diff --git a/lib/if.c b/lib/if.c
index f7a167f251..9ee2f02e62 100644
--- a/lib/if.c
+++ b/lib/if.c
@@ -132,18 +132,26 @@ static int if_cmp_index_func(const struct interface *ifp1,
 }
 
 /* Create new interface structure. */
-struct interface *if_create(const char *name, vrf_id_t vrf_id)
+static struct interface *if_create_backend(const char *name, ifindex_t ifindex,
+					   vrf_id_t vrf_id)
 {
 	struct vrf *vrf = vrf_get(vrf_id, NULL);
 	struct interface *ifp;
 
 	ifp = XCALLOC(MTYPE_IF, sizeof(struct interface));
-	ifp->ifindex = IFINDEX_INTERNAL;
-
-	assert(name);
-	strlcpy(ifp->name, name, sizeof(ifp->name));
 	ifp->vrf_id = vrf_id;
-	IFNAME_RB_INSERT(vrf, ifp);
+
+	if (name) {
+		strlcpy(ifp->name, name, sizeof(ifp->name));
+		IFNAME_RB_INSERT(vrf, ifp);
+	} else
+		ifp->name[0] = '\0';
+
+	if (ifindex != IFINDEX_INTERNAL)
+		if_set_index(ifp, ifindex);
+	else
+		ifp->ifindex = ifindex; /* doesn't add it to the list */
+
 	ifp->connected = list_new();
 	ifp->connected->del = (void (*)(void *))connected_free;
 
@@ -158,6 +166,16 @@ struct interface *if_create(const char *name, vrf_id_t vrf_id)
 	return ifp;
 }
 
+struct interface *if_create(const char *name, vrf_id_t vrf_id)
+{
+	return if_create_backend(name, IFINDEX_INTERNAL, vrf_id);
+}
+
+struct interface *if_create_ifindex(ifindex_t ifindex, vrf_id_t vrf_id)
+{
+	return if_create_backend(NULL, ifindex, vrf_id);
+}
+
 /* Create new interface structure. */
 void if_update_to_new_vrf(struct interface *ifp, vrf_id_t vrf_id)
 {
@@ -302,6 +320,23 @@ struct interface *if_lookup_by_name_all_vrf(const char *name)
 	return NULL;
 }
 
+struct interface *if_lookup_by_index_all_vrf(ifindex_t ifindex)
+{
+	struct vrf *vrf;
+	struct interface *ifp;
+
+	if (ifindex == IFINDEX_INTERNAL)
+		return NULL;
+
+	RB_FOREACH (vrf, vrf_id_head, &vrfs_by_id) {
+		ifp = if_lookup_by_index(ifindex, vrf->vrf_id);
+		if (ifp)
+			return ifp;
+	}
+
+	return NULL;
+}
+
 /* Lookup interface by IPv4 address. */
 struct interface *if_lookup_exact_address(void *src, int family,
 					  vrf_id_t vrf_id)
@@ -447,6 +482,34 @@ struct interface *if_get_by_name(const char *name, vrf_id_t vrf_id)
 	return NULL;
 }
 
+struct interface *if_get_by_ifindex(ifindex_t ifindex, vrf_id_t vrf_id)
+{
+	struct interface *ifp;
+
+	switch (vrf_get_backend()) {
+	case VRF_BACKEND_UNKNOWN:
+	case VRF_BACKEND_NETNS:
+		ifp = if_lookup_by_index(ifindex, vrf_id);
+		if (ifp)
+			return ifp;
+		return if_create_ifindex(ifindex, vrf_id);
+	case VRF_BACKEND_VRF_LITE:
+		ifp = if_lookup_by_index_all_vrf(ifindex);
+		if (ifp) {
+			if (ifp->vrf_id == vrf_id)
+				return ifp;
+			/* 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_id);
+			return ifp;
+		}
+		return if_create_ifindex(ifindex, vrf_id);
+	}
+
+	return NULL;
+}
+
 void if_set_index(struct interface *ifp, ifindex_t ifindex)
 {
 	struct vrf *vrf;
diff --git a/lib/if.h b/lib/if.h
index 603c9c3780..871e319f29 100644
--- a/lib/if.h
+++ b/lib/if.h
@@ -478,7 +478,9 @@ extern int if_cmp_name_func(const char *p1, const char *p2);
  */
 extern void if_update_to_new_vrf(struct interface *, vrf_id_t vrf_id);
 extern struct interface *if_create(const char *name, vrf_id_t vrf_id);
+extern struct interface *if_create_ifindex(ifindex_t ifindex, vrf_id_t vrf_id);
 extern struct interface *if_lookup_by_index(ifindex_t, vrf_id_t vrf_id);
+extern struct interface *if_lookup_by_index_all_vrf(ifindex_t);
 extern struct interface *if_lookup_exact_address(void *matchaddr, int family,
 						 vrf_id_t vrf_id);
 extern struct connected *if_lookup_address(void *matchaddr, int family,
@@ -493,6 +495,7 @@ size_t if_lookup_by_hwaddr(const uint8_t *hw_addr, size_t addrsz,
 extern struct interface *if_lookup_by_name_all_vrf(const char *ifname);
 extern struct interface *if_lookup_by_name(const char *ifname, vrf_id_t vrf_id);
 extern struct interface *if_get_by_name(const char *ifname, vrf_id_t vrf_id);
+extern struct interface *if_get_by_ifindex(ifindex_t ifindex, vrf_id_t vrf_id);
 extern void if_set_index(struct interface *ifp, ifindex_t ifindex);
 
 /* Delete the interface, but do not free the structure, and leave it in the
diff --git a/zebra/if_netlink.c b/zebra/if_netlink.c
index 63e72fed00..2c536c5d1f 100644
--- a/zebra/if_netlink.c
+++ b/zebra/if_netlink.c
@@ -590,7 +590,7 @@ static int netlink_interface(struct nlmsghdr *h, ns_id_t ns_id, int startup)
 	char *kind = NULL;
 	char *desc = NULL;
 	char *slave_kind = NULL;
-	struct zebra_ns *zns;
+	struct zebra_ns *zns = NULL;
 	vrf_id_t vrf_id = VRF_DEFAULT;
 	zebra_iftype_t zif_type = ZEBRA_IF_OTHER;
 	zebra_slave_iftype_t zif_slave_type = ZEBRA_IF_SLAVE_NONE;
@@ -598,6 +598,7 @@ static int netlink_interface(struct nlmsghdr *h, ns_id_t ns_id, int startup)
 	ifindex_t link_ifindex = IFINDEX_INTERNAL;
 	ifindex_t bond_ifindex = IFINDEX_INTERNAL;
 	struct zebra_if *zif;
+	struct vrf *vrf = NULL;
 
 	zns = zebra_ns_lookup(ns_id);
 	ifi = NLMSG_DATA(h);
@@ -681,9 +682,17 @@ static int netlink_interface(struct nlmsghdr *h, ns_id_t ns_id, int startup)
 	if (tb[IFLA_LINK])
 		link_ifindex = *(ifindex_t *)RTA_DATA(tb[IFLA_LINK]);
 
-	/* Add interface. */
-	ifp = if_get_by_name(name, vrf_id);
-	set_ifindex(ifp, ifi->ifi_index, zns);
+	vrf = vrf_get(vrf_id, NULL);
+	/* Add interface.
+	 * We add by index first because in some cases such as the master
+	 * interface, we have the index before we have the name. Fixing
+	 * back references on the slave interfaces is painful if not done
+	 * this way, i.e. by creating by ifindex.
+	 */
+	ifp = if_get_by_ifindex(ifi->ifi_index, vrf_id);
+	set_ifindex(ifp, ifi->ifi_index, zns); /* add it to ns struct */
+	strlcpy(ifp->name, name, sizeof(ifp->name));
+	IFNAME_RB_INSERT(vrf, ifp);
 	ifp->flags = ifi->ifi_flags & 0x0000fffff;
 	ifp->mtu6 = ifp->mtu = *(uint32_t *)RTA_DATA(tb[IFLA_MTU]);
 	ifp->metric = 0;
diff --git a/zebra/zebra_l2.c b/zebra/zebra_l2.c
index ca37dd748e..e549d80a5c 100644
--- a/zebra/zebra_l2.c
+++ b/zebra/zebra_l2.c
@@ -99,15 +99,18 @@ void zebra_l2_unmap_slave_from_bridge(struct zebra_l2info_brslave *br_slave)
 	br_slave->br_if = NULL;
 }
 
-void zebra_l2_map_slave_to_bond(struct zebra_l2info_bondslave *bond_slave)
+void zebra_l2_map_slave_to_bond(struct zebra_l2info_bondslave *bond_slave,
+				vrf_id_t vrf_id)
 {
 	struct interface *bond_if;
 
 	/* TODO: Handle change of master */
-	bond_if = if_lookup_by_index_per_ns(zebra_ns_lookup(NS_DEFAULT),
-					    bond_slave->bond_ifindex);
+	bond_if = if_lookup_by_index_all_vrf(bond_slave->bond_ifindex);
 	if (bond_if)
 		bond_slave->bond_if = bond_if;
+	else
+		bond_slave->bond_if = if_create_ifindex(bond_slave->bond_ifindex,
+							vrf_id);
 }
 
 void zebra_l2_unmap_slave_from_bond(struct zebra_l2info_bondslave *bond_slave)
@@ -282,7 +285,7 @@ void zebra_l2if_update_bond_slave(struct interface *ifp, ifindex_t bond_ifindex)
 
 	/* Set up or remove link with master */
 	if (bond_ifindex != IFINDEX_INTERNAL)
-		zebra_l2_map_slave_to_bond(&zif->bondslave_info);
+		zebra_l2_map_slave_to_bond(&zif->bondslave_info, ifp->vrf_id);
 	else if (old_bond_ifindex != IFINDEX_INTERNAL)
 		zebra_l2_unmap_slave_from_bond(&zif->bondslave_info);
 }
diff --git a/zebra/zebra_l2.h b/zebra/zebra_l2.h
index 33aa2e3746..d9f0eec3f8 100644
--- a/zebra/zebra_l2.h
+++ b/zebra/zebra_l2.h
@@ -81,7 +81,7 @@ extern void zebra_l2_map_slave_to_bridge(struct zebra_l2info_brslave *br_slave);
 extern void
 zebra_l2_unmap_slave_from_bridge(struct zebra_l2info_brslave *br_slave);
 extern void
-zebra_l2_map_slave_to_bond(struct zebra_l2info_bondslave *bond_slave);
+zebra_l2_map_slave_to_bond(struct zebra_l2info_bondslave *bond_slave, vrf_id_t);
 extern void
 zebra_l2_unmap_slave_from_bond(struct zebra_l2info_bondslave *bond_slave);
 extern void zebra_l2_bridge_add_update(struct interface *ifp,