diff --git a/lib/vrf.c b/lib/vrf.c
index cd0439c407d5..e907626bae59 100644
--- a/lib/vrf.c
+++ b/lib/vrf.c
@@ -326,32 +326,31 @@ void vrf_disable(struct vrf *vrf)
 		(*vrf_master.vrf_disable_hook)(vrf);
 }
 
-/* Disable VRF module. */
-void vrf_disable_all(void)
+void vrf_iterate(vrf_iter_func fnc)
 {
 	struct vrf *vrf, *tmp;
 
 	if (debug_vrf)
-		zlog_debug("%s:  vrf subsystem", __func__);
+		zlog_debug("%s:  vrf subsystem iteration", __func__);
 
 	RB_FOREACH_SAFE (vrf, vrf_id_head, &vrfs_by_id, tmp) {
 		if (vrf->vrf_id == VRF_DEFAULT)
 			continue;
 
-		vrf_disable(vrf);
+		fnc(vrf);
 	}
 
 	RB_FOREACH_SAFE (vrf, vrf_name_head, &vrfs_by_name, tmp) {
 		if (vrf->vrf_id == VRF_DEFAULT)
 			continue;
 
-		vrf_disable(vrf);
+		fnc(vrf);
 	}
 
-	/* Finally disable default VRF */
+	/* Finally process default VRF */
 	vrf = vrf_lookup_by_id(VRF_DEFAULT);
 	if (vrf)
-		vrf_disable(vrf);
+		fnc(vrf);
 }
 
 const char *vrf_id_to_name(vrf_id_t vrf_id)
@@ -570,32 +569,12 @@ static void vrf_terminate_single(struct vrf *vrf)
 	vrf_delete(vrf);
 }
 
-/* Terminate VRF module. */
 void vrf_terminate(void)
 {
-	struct vrf *vrf, *tmp;
-
 	if (debug_vrf)
 		zlog_debug("%s: Shutting down vrf subsystem", __func__);
 
-	RB_FOREACH_SAFE (vrf, vrf_id_head, &vrfs_by_id, tmp) {
-		if (vrf->vrf_id == VRF_DEFAULT)
-			continue;
-
-		vrf_terminate_single(vrf);
-	}
-
-	RB_FOREACH_SAFE (vrf, vrf_name_head, &vrfs_by_name, tmp) {
-		if (vrf->vrf_id == VRF_DEFAULT)
-			continue;
-
-		vrf_terminate_single(vrf);
-	}
-
-	/* Finally terminate default VRF */
-	vrf = vrf_lookup_by_id(VRF_DEFAULT);
-	if (vrf)
-		vrf_terminate_single(vrf);
+	vrf_iterate(vrf_terminate_single);
 }
 
 int vrf_socket(int domain, int type, int protocol, vrf_id_t vrf_id,
diff --git a/lib/vrf.h b/lib/vrf.h
index 00e10690a6b5..3ebb6ddf5371 100644
--- a/lib/vrf.h
+++ b/lib/vrf.h
@@ -201,13 +201,16 @@ extern void vrf_init(int (*create)(struct vrf *vrf),
 		     int (*disable)(struct vrf *vrf),
 		     int (*destroy)(struct vrf *vrf));
 
+/*
+ * Iterate over custom VRFs and round up by processing the default VRF.
+ */
+typedef void (*vrf_iter_func)(struct vrf *vrf);
+extern void vrf_iterate(vrf_iter_func fnc);
+
 /*
  * Call vrf_terminate when the protocol is being shutdown
- *     it implements disable() and destroy() hooks
- * vrf_disable_all does disable() only
  */
 extern void vrf_terminate(void);
-extern void vrf_disable_all(void);
 
 /*
  * Utilities to create networks objects,
diff --git a/zebra/main.c b/zebra/main.c
index 0ac0a1284fd3..d83f1d0491bf 100644
--- a/zebra/main.c
+++ b/zebra/main.c
@@ -205,7 +205,11 @@ static void sigint(void)
 	list_delete(&zrouter.client_list);
 	list_delete(&zrouter.stale_client_list);
 
-	vrf_disable_all();
+	/*
+	 * Besides other clean-ups zebra's vrf_disable() also enqueues installed
+	 * routes for removal from the kernel, unless ZEBRA_VRF_RETAIN is set.
+	 */
+	vrf_iterate(vrf_disable);
 
 	/* Indicate that all new dplane work has been enqueued. When that
 	 * work is complete, the dataplane will enqueue an event