diff --git a/isisd/isis_zebra.c b/isisd/isis_zebra.c
index d03c1dde08..dfe74e325e 100644
--- a/isisd/isis_zebra.c
+++ b/isisd/isis_zebra.c
@@ -249,8 +249,6 @@ static void isis_zebra_route_add_route(struct prefix *prefix,
 		return;
 
 	memset(&api, 0, sizeof(api));
-	if (fabricd)
-		api.flags |= ZEBRA_FLAG_ONLINK;
 	api.vrf_id = VRF_DEFAULT;
 	api.type = PROTO_TYPE;
 	api.safi = SAFI_UNICAST;
@@ -275,6 +273,8 @@ static void isis_zebra_route_add_route(struct prefix *prefix,
 			if (count >= MULTIPATH_NUM)
 				break;
 			api_nh = &api.nexthops[count];
+			if (fabricd)
+				api_nh->onlink = true;
 			api_nh->vrf_id = VRF_DEFAULT;
 			/* FIXME: can it be ? */
 			if (nexthop->ip.s_addr != INADDR_ANY) {
@@ -298,6 +298,8 @@ static void isis_zebra_route_add_route(struct prefix *prefix,
 			}
 
 			api_nh = &api.nexthops[count];
+			if (fabricd)
+				api_nh->onlink = true;
 			api_nh->vrf_id = VRF_DEFAULT;
 			api_nh->gate.ipv6 = nexthop6->ip6;
 			api_nh->ifindex = nexthop6->ifindex;
diff --git a/lib/zclient.c b/lib/zclient.c
index 0e58d97174..a01da77669 100644
--- a/lib/zclient.c
+++ b/lib/zclient.c
@@ -807,6 +807,7 @@ int zapi_route_encode(uint8_t cmd, struct stream *s, struct zapi_route *api)
 
 			stream_putl(s, api_nh->vrf_id);
 			stream_putc(s, api_nh->type);
+			stream_putc(s, api_nh->onlink);
 			switch (api_nh->type) {
 			case NEXTHOP_TYPE_BLACKHOLE:
 				stream_putc(s, api_nh->bh_type);
@@ -973,6 +974,7 @@ int zapi_route_decode(struct stream *s, struct zapi_route *api)
 
 			STREAM_GETL(s, api_nh->vrf_id);
 			STREAM_GETC(s, api_nh->type);
+			STREAM_GETC(s, api_nh->onlink);
 			switch (api_nh->type) {
 			case NEXTHOP_TYPE_BLACKHOLE:
 				STREAM_GETC(s, api_nh->bh_type);
diff --git a/lib/zclient.h b/lib/zclient.h
index 8a3423cdd8..e00821f2f6 100644
--- a/lib/zclient.h
+++ b/lib/zclient.h
@@ -306,6 +306,7 @@ struct zapi_nexthop {
 	enum nexthop_types_t type;
 	vrf_id_t vrf_id;
 	ifindex_t ifindex;
+	bool onlink;
 	union {
 		union g_addr gate;
 		enum blackhole_type bh_type;
diff --git a/lib/zebra.h b/lib/zebra.h
index 09115951e9..43ab4309c2 100644
--- a/lib/zebra.h
+++ b/lib/zebra.h
@@ -446,11 +446,6 @@ extern const char *zserv_command_string(unsigned int command);
  * route entry.  This mainly is used for backup static routes.
  */
 #define ZEBRA_FLAG_RR_USE_DISTANCE    0x40
-/*
- * This flag tells Zebra that the passed down route is ONLINK and the
- * kernel install flag for it should be turned on
- */
-#define ZEBRA_FLAG_ONLINK             0x80
 
 #ifndef INADDR_LOOPBACK
 #define	INADDR_LOOPBACK	0x7f000001	/* Internet address 127.0.0.1.  */
diff --git a/staticd/static_zebra.c b/staticd/static_zebra.c
index d6db60d3ed..3f31177524 100644
--- a/staticd/static_zebra.c
+++ b/staticd/static_zebra.c
@@ -370,8 +370,6 @@ extern void static_zebra_route_add(struct route_node *rn,
 		memcpy(&api.src_prefix, src_pp, sizeof(api.src_prefix));
 	}
 	SET_FLAG(api.flags, ZEBRA_FLAG_RR_USE_DISTANCE);
-	if (si_changed->onlink)
-		SET_FLAG(api.flags, ZEBRA_FLAG_ONLINK);
 	SET_FLAG(api.message, ZAPI_MESSAGE_NEXTHOP);
 	if (si_changed->distance) {
 		SET_FLAG(api.message, ZAPI_MESSAGE_DISTANCE);
@@ -397,6 +395,8 @@ extern void static_zebra_route_add(struct route_node *rn,
 			continue;
 
 		api_nh->vrf_id = si->nh_vrf_id;
+		api_nh->onlink = si->onlink;
+
 		switch (si->type) {
 		case STATIC_IFNAME:
 			if (si->ifindex == IFINDEX_INTERNAL)
diff --git a/zebra/zapi_msg.c b/zebra/zapi_msg.c
index b6d0948d35..951a411f25 100644
--- a/zebra/zapi_msg.c
+++ b/zebra/zapi_msg.c
@@ -1521,6 +1521,9 @@ static void zread_route_add(ZAPI_HANDLER_ARGS)
 			XFREE(MTYPE_RE, re);
 			return;
 		}
+		if (api_nh->onlink)
+			SET_FLAG(nexthop->flags, NEXTHOP_FLAG_ONLINK);
+
 		/* MPLS labels for BGP-LU or Segment Routing */
 		if (CHECK_FLAG(api.message, ZAPI_MESSAGE_LABEL)
 		    && api_nh->type != NEXTHOP_TYPE_IFINDEX
diff --git a/zebra/zebra_rib.c b/zebra/zebra_rib.c
index 0dc8a05e9c..99ddd438ea 100644
--- a/zebra/zebra_rib.c
+++ b/zebra/zebra_rib.c
@@ -277,8 +277,7 @@ struct nexthop *route_entry_nexthop_ipv4_ifindex_add(struct route_entry *re,
 	  There was a crash because ifp here was coming to be NULL */
 	if (ifp)
 		if (connected_is_unnumbered(ifp)
-		    || CHECK_FLAG(re->flags, ZEBRA_FLAG_EVPN_ROUTE)
-		    || CHECK_FLAG(re->flags, ZEBRA_FLAG_ONLINK)) {
+		    || CHECK_FLAG(re->flags, ZEBRA_FLAG_EVPN_ROUTE)) {
 			SET_FLAG(nexthop->flags, NEXTHOP_FLAG_ONLINK);
 		}
 
@@ -315,10 +314,8 @@ struct nexthop *route_entry_nexthop_ipv6_ifindex_add(struct route_entry *re,
 	nexthop->type = NEXTHOP_TYPE_IPV6_IFINDEX;
 	nexthop->gate.ipv6 = *ipv6;
 	nexthop->ifindex = ifindex;
-	if (CHECK_FLAG(re->flags, ZEBRA_FLAG_EVPN_ROUTE)
-	    || CHECK_FLAG(re->flags, ZEBRA_FLAG_ONLINK)) {
+	if (CHECK_FLAG(re->flags, ZEBRA_FLAG_EVPN_ROUTE))
 		SET_FLAG(nexthop->flags, NEXTHOP_FLAG_ONLINK);
-	}
 
 	route_entry_nexthop_add(re, nexthop);
 
@@ -457,8 +454,15 @@ static int nexthop_active(afi_t afi, struct route_entry *re,
 	 */
 	if (CHECK_FLAG(nexthop->flags, NEXTHOP_FLAG_ONLINK)) {
 		ifp = if_lookup_by_index(nexthop->ifindex, nexthop->vrf_id);
-		if ((ifp && connected_is_unnumbered(ifp))
-		    || CHECK_FLAG(re->flags, ZEBRA_FLAG_ONLINK)) {
+		if (!ifp) {
+			if (IS_ZEBRA_DEBUG_RIB_DETAILED)
+				zlog_debug(
+					"\t%s: Onlink and interface: %u[%u] does not exist",
+					__PRETTY_FUNCTION__, nexthop->ifindex,
+					nexthop->vrf_id);
+			return 0;
+		}
+		if (connected_is_unnumbered(ifp)) {
 			if (if_is_operative(ifp))
 				return 1;
 			else {
@@ -468,7 +472,8 @@ static int nexthop_active(afi_t afi, struct route_entry *re,
 						__PRETTY_FUNCTION__, ifp->name);
 				return 0;
 			}
-		} else {
+		}
+		if (!if_is_operative(ifp)) {
 			if (IS_ZEBRA_DEBUG_RIB_DETAILED)
 				zlog_debug(
 					"\t%s: Interface %s is not unnumbered",