Index: head/sys/net/route.h
===================================================================
--- head/sys/net/route.h
+++ head/sys/net/route.h
@@ -436,6 +436,8 @@
 
 /* New API */
 void	rib_walk(int af, u_int fibnum, rt_walktree_f_t *wa_f, void *arg);
+struct nhop_object *rib_lookup(uint32_t fibnum, const struct sockaddr *dst,
+	    uint32_t flags, uint32_t flowid);
 #endif
 
 #endif
Index: head/sys/net/route.c
===================================================================
--- head/sys/net/route.c
+++ head/sys/net/route.c
@@ -683,7 +683,6 @@
 				u_int fibnum)
 {
 	struct ifaddr *ifa;
-	int not_found = 0;
 
 	NET_EPOCH_ASSERT();
 	if ((flags & RTF_GATEWAY) == 0) {
@@ -710,34 +709,17 @@
 	if (ifa == NULL)
 		ifa = ifa_ifwithnet(gateway, 0, fibnum);
 	if (ifa == NULL) {
-		struct rtentry *rt;
+		struct nhop_object *nh;
 
-		rt = rtalloc1_fib(gateway, 0, flags, fibnum);
-		if (rt == NULL)
-			goto out;
+		nh = rib_lookup(fibnum, gateway, NHR_NONE, 0);
+
 		/*
 		 * dismiss a gateway that is reachable only
 		 * through the default router
 		 */
-		switch (gateway->sa_family) {
-		case AF_INET:
-			if (satosin(rt_key(rt))->sin_addr.s_addr == INADDR_ANY)
-				not_found = 1;
-			break;
-		case AF_INET6:
-			if (IN6_IS_ADDR_UNSPECIFIED(&satosin6(rt_key(rt))->sin6_addr))
-				not_found = 1;
-			break;
-		default:
-			break;
-		}
-		if (!not_found && rt->rt_nhop->nh_ifa != NULL) {
-			ifa = rt->rt_nhop->nh_ifa;
-		}
-		RT_REMREF(rt);
-		RT_UNLOCK(rt);
-		if (not_found || ifa == NULL)
-			goto out;
+		if ((nh == NULL) || (nh->nh_flags & NHF_DEFAULT))
+			return (NULL);
+		ifa = nh->nh_ifa;
 	}
 	if (ifa->ifa_addr->sa_family != dst->sa_family) {
 		struct ifaddr *oifa = ifa;
@@ -745,7 +727,7 @@
 		if (ifa == NULL)
 			ifa = oifa;
 	}
- out:
+
 	return (ifa);
 }
 
Index: head/sys/net/route/route_helpers.c
===================================================================
--- head/sys/net/route/route_helpers.c
+++ head/sys/net/route/route_helpers.c
@@ -55,6 +55,12 @@
 #include <net/route/nhop.h>
 #include <net/route/nhop_var.h>
 #include <net/route/shared.h>
+#ifdef INET
+#include <netinet/in_fib.h>
+#endif
+#ifdef INET6
+#include <netinet6/in6_fib.h>
+#endif
 #include <net/vnet.h>
 
 /*
@@ -79,5 +85,50 @@
 	RIB_RLOCK(rnh);
 	rnh->rnh_walktree(&rnh->head, (walktree_f_t *)wa_f, arg);
 	RIB_RUNLOCK(rnh);
+}
+
+/*
+ * Wrapper for the control plane functions for performing af-agnostic
+ *  lookups.
+ * @fibnum: fib to perform the lookup.
+ * @dst: sockaddr with family and addr filled in. IPv6 addresses needs to be in
+ *  deembedded from.
+ * @flags: fib(9) flags.
+ * @flowid: flow id for path selection in multipath use case.
+ *
+ * Returns nhop_object or NULL.
+ *
+ * Requires NET_EPOCH.
+ *
+ */
+struct nhop_object *
+rib_lookup(uint32_t fibnum, const struct sockaddr *dst, uint32_t flags,
+    uint32_t flowid)
+{
+	struct nhop_object *nh;
+
+	nh = NULL;
+
+	switch (dst->sa_family) {
+#ifdef INET
+	case AF_INET:
+	{
+		const struct sockaddr_in *a = (const struct sockaddr_in *)dst;
+		nh = fib4_lookup(fibnum, a->sin_addr, 0, flags, flowid);
+		break;
+	}
+#endif
+#ifdef INET6
+	case AF_INET6:
+	{
+		const struct sockaddr_in6 *a = (const struct sockaddr_in6*)dst;
+		nh = fib6_lookup(fibnum, &a->sin6_addr, a->sin6_scope_id,
+		    flags, flowid);
+		break;
+	}
+#endif
+	}
+
+	return (nh);
 }