diff --git a/sys/net/if.c b/sys/net/if.c
--- a/sys/net/if.c
+++ b/sys/net/if.c
@@ -311,19 +311,30 @@
 VNET_DEFINE(struct ifgrouphead, ifg_head);
 
 /* Table of ifnet by index. */
-VNET_DEFINE_STATIC(int, if_index);
-#define	V_if_index		VNET(if_index)
-VNET_DEFINE_STATIC(int, if_indexlim) = 8;
-#define	V_if_indexlim		VNET(if_indexlim)
-VNET_DEFINE_STATIC(struct ifnet **, ifindex_table);
-#define	V_ifindex_table		VNET(ifindex_table)
+static int if_index;
+static int if_indexlim = 8;
+static struct ifnet **ifindex_table;
 
 SYSCTL_NODE(_net_link_generic, IFMIB_SYSTEM, system,
     CTLFLAG_RW | CTLFLAG_MPSAFE, 0,
     "Variables global to all interfaces");
-SYSCTL_INT(_net_link_generic_system, IFMIB_IFCOUNT, ifcount,
-    CTLFLAG_VNET | CTLFLAG_RD, &VNET_NAME(if_index), 0,
-    "Number of configured interfaces");
+static int
+sysctl_ifcount(SYSCTL_HANDLER_ARGS)
+{
+	int rv = 0;
+
+	IFNET_RLOCK();
+	for (int i = 1; i <= if_index; i++)
+		if (ifindex_table[i] != NULL &&
+		    ifindex_table[i]->if_vnet == curvnet)
+			rv = i;
+	IFNET_RUNLOCK();
+
+	return (sysctl_handle_int(oidp, &rv, 0, req));
+}
+SYSCTL_PROC(_net_link_generic_system, IFMIB_IFCOUNT, ifcount,
+    CTLTYPE_INT | CTLFLAG_VNET | CTLFLAG_RD, NULL, 0, sysctl_ifcount, "I",
+    "Maximum known interface index");
 
 /*
  * The global network interface list (V_ifnet) and related state (such as
@@ -352,13 +363,19 @@
 struct ifnet *
 ifnet_byindex(u_int idx)
 {
+	struct ifnet *ifp;
 
 	NET_EPOCH_ASSERT();
 
-	if (__predict_false(idx > V_if_index))
+	if (__predict_false(idx > if_index))
 		return (NULL);
 
-	return (ck_pr_load_ptr(&V_ifindex_table[idx]));
+	ifp = ck_pr_load_ptr(&ifindex_table[idx]);
+
+	if (curvnet != NULL && ifp != NULL && ifp->if_vnet != curvnet)
+		ifp = NULL;
+
+	return (ifp);
 }
 
 struct ifnet *
@@ -374,58 +391,6 @@
 	return (ifp);
 }
 
-/*
- * Allocate an ifindex array entry.
- */
-static void
-ifindex_alloc(struct ifnet *ifp)
-{
-	u_short idx;
-
-	IFNET_WLOCK();
-	/*
-	 * Try to find an empty slot below V_if_index.  If we fail, take the
-	 * next slot.
-	 */
-	for (idx = 1; idx <= V_if_index; idx++) {
-		if (V_ifindex_table[idx] == NULL)
-			break;
-	}
-
-	/* Catch if_index overflow. */
-	if (idx >= V_if_indexlim) {
-		struct ifnet **new, **old;
-		int newlim;
-
-		newlim = V_if_indexlim * 2;
-		new = malloc(newlim * sizeof(*new), M_IFNET, M_WAITOK | M_ZERO);
-		memcpy(new, V_ifindex_table, V_if_indexlim * sizeof(*new));
-		old = V_ifindex_table;
-		ck_pr_store_ptr(&V_ifindex_table, new);
-		V_if_indexlim = newlim;
-		epoch_wait_preempt(net_epoch_preempt);
-		free(old, M_IFNET);
-	}
-	if (idx > V_if_index)
-		V_if_index = idx;
-
-	ifp->if_index = idx;
-	ck_pr_store_ptr(&V_ifindex_table[idx], ifp);
-	IFNET_WUNLOCK();
-}
-
-static void
-ifindex_free(u_short idx)
-{
-
-	IFNET_WLOCK_ASSERT();
-
-	ck_pr_store_ptr(&V_ifindex_table[idx], NULL);
-	while (V_if_index > 0 &&
-	    V_ifindex_table[V_if_index] == NULL)
-		V_if_index--;
-}
-
 struct ifaddr *
 ifaddr_byindex(u_short idx)
 {
@@ -448,33 +413,24 @@
  */
 
 static void
-vnet_if_init(const void *unused __unused)
+if_init(void *arg __unused)
 {
 
-	CK_STAILQ_INIT(&V_ifnet);
-	CK_STAILQ_INIT(&V_ifg_head);
-	V_ifindex_table = malloc(V_if_indexlim * sizeof(*V_ifindex_table),
+	ifindex_table = malloc(if_indexlim * sizeof(*ifindex_table),
 	    M_IFNET, M_WAITOK | M_ZERO);
-	vnet_if_clone_init();
 }
-VNET_SYSINIT(vnet_if_init, SI_SUB_INIT_IF, SI_ORDER_SECOND, vnet_if_init,
-    NULL);
+SYSINIT(if_init, SI_SUB_INIT_IF, SI_ORDER_SECOND, if_init, NULL);
 
-#ifdef VIMAGE
 static void
-vnet_if_uninit(const void *unused __unused)
+vnet_if_init(const void *unused __unused)
 {
 
-	VNET_ASSERT(CK_STAILQ_EMPTY(&V_ifnet), ("%s:%d tailq &V_ifnet=%p "
-	    "not empty", __func__, __LINE__, &V_ifnet));
-	VNET_ASSERT(CK_STAILQ_EMPTY(&V_ifg_head), ("%s:%d tailq &V_ifg_head=%p "
-	    "not empty", __func__, __LINE__, &V_ifg_head));
-
-	free((caddr_t)V_ifindex_table, M_IFNET);
+	CK_STAILQ_INIT(&V_ifnet);
+	CK_STAILQ_INIT(&V_ifg_head);
+	vnet_if_clone_init();
 }
-VNET_SYSUNINIT(vnet_if_uninit, SI_SUB_INIT_IF, SI_ORDER_FIRST,
-    vnet_if_uninit, NULL);
-#endif
+VNET_SYSINIT(vnet_if_init, SI_SUB_INIT_IF, SI_ORDER_SECOND, vnet_if_init,
+    NULL);
 
 static void
 if_link_ifnet(struct ifnet *ifp)
@@ -568,6 +524,7 @@
 if_alloc_domain(u_char type, int numa_domain)
 {
 	struct ifnet *ifp;
+	u_short idx;
 
 	KASSERT(numa_domain <= IF_NODOM, ("numa_domain too large"));
 	if (numa_domain == IF_NODOM)
@@ -607,7 +564,37 @@
 	ifp->if_get_counter = if_get_counter_default;
 	ifp->if_pcp = IFNET_PCP_NONE;
 
-	ifindex_alloc(ifp);
+	/* Allocate an ifindex array entry. */
+	IFNET_WLOCK();
+	/*
+	 * Try to find an empty slot below if_index.  If we fail, take the
+	 * next slot.
+	 */
+	for (idx = 1; idx <= if_index; idx++) {
+		if (ifindex_table[idx] == NULL)
+			break;
+	}
+
+	/* Catch if_index overflow. */
+	if (idx >= if_indexlim) {
+		struct ifnet **new, **old;
+		int newlim;
+
+		newlim = if_indexlim * 2;
+		new = malloc(newlim * sizeof(*new), M_IFNET, M_WAITOK | M_ZERO);
+		memcpy(new, ifindex_table, if_indexlim * sizeof(*new));
+		old = ifindex_table;
+		ck_pr_store_ptr(&ifindex_table, new);
+		if_indexlim = newlim;
+		epoch_wait_preempt(net_epoch_preempt);
+		free(old, M_IFNET);
+	}
+	if (idx > if_index)
+		if_index = idx;
+
+	ifp->if_index = idx;
+	ck_pr_store_ptr(&ifindex_table[idx], ifp);
+	IFNET_WUNLOCK();
 
 	return (ifp);
 }
@@ -677,23 +664,18 @@
 	 * epoch and then dereferencing ifp while we peform if_free(),
 	 * and after if_free() finished, too.
 	 *
-	 * The reason is the VIMAGE.  For some reason it was designed
-	 * to require all sockets drained before destroying, but not all
-	 * ifnets.  A vnet destruction calls if_vmove() on ifnet, which
-	 * causes ID change.  But ID change and a possible misidentification
-	 * of an ifnet later is a lesser problem, as it doesn't crash kernel.
-	 * A worse problem is that removed interface may outlive the vnet it
-	 * belongs too!  The if_free_deferred() would see ifp->if_vnet freed.
+	 * This early index freeing was important back when ifindex was
+	 * virtualized and interface would outlive the vnet.
 	 */
-	CURVNET_SET_QUIET(ifp->if_vnet);
 	IFNET_WLOCK();
-	MPASS(V_ifindex_table[ifp->if_index] == ifp);
-	ifindex_free(ifp->if_index);
+	MPASS(ifindex_table[ifp->if_index] == ifp);
+	ck_pr_store_ptr(&ifindex_table[ifp->if_index], NULL);
+	while (if_index > 0 && ifindex_table[if_index] == NULL)
+		if_index--;
 	IFNET_WUNLOCK();
 
 	if (refcount_release(&ifp->if_refcount))
 		NET_EPOCH_CALL(if_free_deferred, &ifp->if_epoch_ctx);
-	CURVNET_RESTORE();
 }
 
 /*
@@ -837,7 +819,7 @@
 	struct sockaddr_dl *sdl;
 	struct ifaddr *ifa;
 
-	MPASS(V_ifindex_table[ifp->if_index] == ifp);
+	MPASS(ifindex_table[ifp->if_index] == ifp);
 
 #ifdef VIMAGE
 	ifp->if_vnet = curvnet;
@@ -1287,17 +1269,6 @@
 	if (rc != 0)
 		return (rc);
 
-	/*
-	 * Unlink the ifnet from ifindex_table[] in current vnet, and shrink
-	 * the if_index for that vnet if possible.
-	 *
-	 * NOTE: IFNET_WLOCK/IFNET_WUNLOCK() are assumed to be unvirtualized,
-	 * or we'd lock on one vnet and unlock on another.
-	 */
-	IFNET_WLOCK();
-	ifindex_free(ifp->if_index);
-	IFNET_WUNLOCK();
-
 	/*
 	 * Perform interface-specific reassignment tasks, if provided by
 	 * the driver.
@@ -1309,7 +1280,6 @@
 	 * Switch to the context of the target vnet.
 	 */
 	CURVNET_SET_QUIET(new_vnet);
-	ifindex_alloc(ifp);
 	if_attach_internal(ifp, true);
 
 #ifdef DEV_BPF
@@ -1945,7 +1915,6 @@
 	struct ifaddr *ifa_maybe = NULL;
 	u_int af = addr->sa_family;
 	const char *addr_data = addr->sa_data, *cplim;
-	const struct sockaddr_dl *sdl;
 
 	NET_EPOCH_ASSERT();
 	/*
@@ -1953,14 +1922,9 @@
 	 * so do that if we can.
 	 */
 	if (af == AF_LINK) {
-		sdl = (const struct sockaddr_dl *)addr;
-		if (sdl->sdl_index && sdl->sdl_index <= V_if_index) {
-			ifp = ifnet_byindex(sdl->sdl_index);
-			if (ifp == NULL)
-				return (NULL);
-
-			return (ifp->if_addr);
-		}
+		ifp = ifnet_byindex(
+		    ((const struct sockaddr_dl *)addr)->sdl_index);
+		return (ifp ? ifp->if_addr : NULL);
 	}
 
 	/*
@@ -4596,24 +4560,16 @@
 
 DB_SHOW_ALL_COMMAND(ifnets, db_show_all_ifnets)
 {
-	VNET_ITERATOR_DECL(vnet_iter);
 	struct ifnet *ifp;
 	u_short idx;
 
-	VNET_FOREACH(vnet_iter) {
-		CURVNET_SET_QUIET(vnet_iter);
-#ifdef VIMAGE
-		db_printf("vnet=%p\n", curvnet);
-#endif
-		for (idx = 1; idx <= V_if_index; idx++) {
-			ifp = V_ifindex_table[idx];
-			if (ifp == NULL)
-				continue;
-			db_printf( "%20s ifp=%p\n", ifp->if_xname, ifp);
-			if (db_pager_quit)
-				break;
-		}
-		CURVNET_RESTORE();
+	for (idx = 1; idx <= if_index; idx++) {
+		ifp = ifindex_table[idx];
+		if (ifp == NULL)
+			continue;
+		db_printf( "%20s ifp=%p\n", ifp->if_xname, ifp);
+		if (db_pager_quit)
+			break;
 	}
 }
 #endif	/* DDB */