diff --git a/bgpd/bgp_zebra.c b/bgpd/bgp_zebra.c
index 4fff339b85..66c18c8e57 100644
--- a/bgpd/bgp_zebra.c
+++ b/bgpd/bgp_zebra.c
@@ -581,7 +581,7 @@ bgp_interface_vrf_update (int command, struct zclient *zclient, zebra_size_t len
       }
   }
 
-  if_update (ifp, ifp->name, strlen (ifp->name), new_vrf_id);
+  if_update_to_new_vrf (ifp, 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 d9b4544271..1d6a8cb529 100644
--- a/lib/if.c
+++ b/lib/if.c
@@ -158,7 +158,7 @@ if_create (const char *name, int namelen, vrf_id_t vrf_id)
 
 /* Create new interface structure. */
 void
-if_update (struct interface *ifp, const char *name, int namelen, vrf_id_t vrf_id)
+if_update_to_new_vrf (struct interface *ifp, vrf_id_t vrf_id)
 {
   struct list *intf_list = vrf_iflist_get (vrf_id);
 
@@ -166,10 +166,6 @@ if_update (struct interface *ifp, const char *name, int namelen, vrf_id_t vrf_id
   if (vrf_iflist (ifp->vrf_id))
     listnode_delete (vrf_iflist (ifp->vrf_id), ifp);
 
-  assert (name);
-  assert (namelen <= INTERFACE_NAMSIZ);	/* Need space for '\0' at end. */
-  strncpy (ifp->name, name, namelen);
-  ifp->name[namelen] = '\0';
   ifp->vrf_id = vrf_id;
   if (if_lookup_by_name (ifp->name, vrf_id) == NULL)
     listnode_add_sort (intf_list, ifp);
@@ -453,7 +449,7 @@ if_get_by_name_len (const char *name, size_t namelen, vrf_id_t vrf_id, int vty)
                 }
 	      else
 		{
-		  if_update (ifp, name, namelen, vrf_id);
+		  if_update_to_new_vrf (ifp, vrf_id);
 		  return ifp;
 		}
 	    }
diff --git a/lib/if.h b/lib/if.h
index fa95901a58..a061110a4a 100644
--- a/lib/if.h
+++ b/lib/if.h
@@ -393,8 +393,7 @@ struct nbr_connected
 /* Prototypes. */
 extern int if_cmp_name_func (char *, char *);
 
-extern void if_update (struct interface *, const char *name, int namelen,
-                       vrf_id_t vrf_id);
+extern void if_update_to_new_vrf (struct interface *, vrf_id_t vrf_id);
 extern struct interface *if_create (const char *name, int namelen,
                                     vrf_id_t vrf_id);
 extern struct interface *if_lookup_by_index (ifindex_t, vrf_id_t vrf_id);
diff --git a/zebra/if_netlink.c b/zebra/if_netlink.c
index dba916403d..8c50a95065 100644
--- a/zebra/if_netlink.c
+++ b/zebra/if_netlink.c
@@ -774,7 +774,7 @@ netlink_link_change (struct sockaddr_nl *snl, struct nlmsghdr *h,
             {
               /* pre-configured interface, learnt now */
               if (ifp->vrf_id != vrf_id)
-                if_update (ifp, name, strlen(name), vrf_id);
+                if_update_to_new_vrf (ifp, vrf_id);
             }
 
           /* Update interface information. */
diff --git a/zebra/interface.c b/zebra/interface.c
index a8ac405e36..b8426c6890 100644
--- a/zebra/interface.c
+++ b/zebra/interface.c
@@ -737,7 +737,7 @@ if_handle_vrf_change (struct interface *ifp, vrf_id_t vrf_id)
   zebra_interface_vrf_update_del (ifp, vrf_id);
 
   /* update VRF */
-  if_update (ifp, ifp->name, strlen (ifp->name), vrf_id);
+  if_update_to_new_vrf (ifp, vrf_id);
 
   /* Send out notification on interface VRF change. */
   /* This is to issue an ADD, if needed. */