diff --git a/bgpd/bgp_vty.c b/bgpd/bgp_vty.c
index 33b220d3ec70..8fefbeb49378 100644
--- a/bgpd/bgp_vty.c
+++ b/bgpd/bgp_vty.c
@@ -1499,13 +1499,12 @@ DEFUN_NOSH (router_bgp,
 	int idx_asn = 2;
 	int idx_view_vrf = 3;
 	int idx_vrf = 4;
-	int is_new_bgp = 0;
 	int idx_asnotation = 3;
 	int idx_asnotation_kind = 4;
 	enum asnotation_mode asnotation = ASNOTATION_UNDEFINED;
 	int ret;
 	as_t as;
-	struct bgp *bgp;
+	struct bgp *bgp = NULL;
 	const char *name = NULL;
 	enum bgp_instance_type inst_type;
 
@@ -1567,11 +1566,14 @@ DEFUN_NOSH (router_bgp,
 				asnotation = ASNOTATION_PLAIN;
 		}
 
-		if (inst_type == BGP_INSTANCE_TYPE_DEFAULT)
-			is_new_bgp = (bgp_lookup(as, name) == NULL);
-
-		ret = bgp_get_vty(&bgp, &as, name, inst_type,
-				  argv[idx_asn]->arg, asnotation);
+		ret = bgp_lookup_by_as_name_type(&bgp, &as, argv[idx_asn]->arg, asnotation, name,
+						 inst_type, true);
+		if (bgp && ret == BGP_INSTANCE_EXISTS)
+			ret = CMD_SUCCESS;
+		else if (bgp == NULL && ret == CMD_SUCCESS)
+			/* SUCCESS and bgp is NULL */
+			ret = bgp_get_vty(&bgp, &as, name, inst_type, argv[idx_asn]->arg,
+					  asnotation);
 		switch (ret) {
 		case BGP_ERR_AS_MISMATCH:
 			vty_out(vty, "BGP is already running; AS is %s\n",
@@ -1591,7 +1593,7 @@ DEFUN_NOSH (router_bgp,
 		 * any pending VRF-VPN leaking that was configured via
 		 * earlier "router bgp X vrf FOO" blocks.
 		 */
-		if (is_new_bgp && inst_type == BGP_INSTANCE_TYPE_DEFAULT)
+		if (bgp && inst_type == BGP_INSTANCE_TYPE_DEFAULT)
 			vpn_leak_postchange_all();
 
 		if (inst_type == BGP_INSTANCE_TYPE_VRF ||
diff --git a/bgpd/bgpd.c b/bgpd/bgpd.c
index c2254ae791e9..c45690a79261 100644
--- a/bgpd/bgpd.c
+++ b/bgpd/bgpd.c
@@ -3634,13 +3634,13 @@ struct bgp *bgp_lookup(as_t as, const char *name)
 }
 
 /* Lookup BGP structure by view name. */
-struct bgp *bgp_lookup_by_name(const char *name)
+static struct bgp *bgp_lookup_by_name_filter(const char *name, bool filter_auto)
 {
 	struct bgp *bgp;
 	struct listnode *node, *nnode;
 
 	for (ALL_LIST_ELEMENTS(bm->bgp, node, nnode, bgp)) {
-		if (CHECK_FLAG(bgp->vrf_flags, BGP_VRF_AUTO))
+		if (filter_auto && CHECK_FLAG(bgp->vrf_flags, BGP_VRF_AUTO))
 			continue;
 		if ((bgp->name == NULL && name == NULL)
 		    || (bgp->name && name && strcmp(bgp->name, name) == 0))
@@ -3649,6 +3649,11 @@ struct bgp *bgp_lookup_by_name(const char *name)
 	return NULL;
 }
 
+struct bgp *bgp_lookup_by_name(const char *name)
+{
+	return bgp_lookup_by_name_filter(name, true);
+}
+
 /* Lookup BGP instance based on VRF id. */
 /* Note: Only to be used for incoming messages from Zebra. */
 struct bgp *bgp_lookup_by_vrf_id(vrf_id_t vrf_id)
@@ -3734,10 +3739,9 @@ int bgp_handle_socket(struct bgp *bgp, struct vrf *vrf, vrf_id_t old_vrf_id,
 		return bgp_check_main_socket(create, bgp);
 }
 
-int bgp_lookup_by_as_name_type(struct bgp **bgp_val, as_t *as,
-			       const char *as_pretty,
+int bgp_lookup_by_as_name_type(struct bgp **bgp_val, as_t *as, const char *as_pretty,
 			       enum asnotation_mode asnotation, const char *name,
-			       enum bgp_instance_type inst_type)
+			       enum bgp_instance_type inst_type, bool force_config)
 {
 	struct bgp *bgp;
 	struct peer *peer = NULL;
@@ -3746,7 +3750,7 @@ int bgp_lookup_by_as_name_type(struct bgp **bgp_val, as_t *as,
 
 	/* Multiple instance check. */
 	if (name)
-		bgp = bgp_lookup_by_name(name);
+		bgp = bgp_lookup_by_name_filter(name, !force_config);
 	else
 		bgp = bgp_get_default();
 
@@ -3756,7 +3760,7 @@ int bgp_lookup_by_as_name_type(struct bgp **bgp_val, as_t *as,
 		/* Handle AS number change */
 		if (bgp->as != *as) {
 			if (hidden || CHECK_FLAG(bgp->vrf_flags, BGP_VRF_AUTO)) {
-				if (hidden) {
+				if (force_config == false && hidden) {
 					bgp_create(as, name, inst_type,
 						   as_pretty, asnotation, bgp,
 						   hidden);
@@ -3764,7 +3768,8 @@ int bgp_lookup_by_as_name_type(struct bgp **bgp_val, as_t *as,
 						   BGP_FLAG_INSTANCE_HIDDEN);
 				} else {
 					bgp->as = *as;
-					UNSET_FLAG(bgp->vrf_flags, BGP_VRF_AUTO);
+					if (force_config == false)
+						UNSET_FLAG(bgp->vrf_flags, BGP_VRF_AUTO);
 				}
 
 				/* Set all peer's local AS with this ASN */
@@ -3801,8 +3806,7 @@ int bgp_get(struct bgp **bgp_val, as_t *as, const char *name,
 	struct vrf *vrf = NULL;
 	int ret = 0;
 
-	ret = bgp_lookup_by_as_name_type(bgp_val, as, as_pretty, asnotation,
-					 name, inst_type);
+	ret = bgp_lookup_by_as_name_type(bgp_val, as, as_pretty, asnotation, name, inst_type, false);
 	if (ret || *bgp_val)
 		return ret;
 
diff --git a/bgpd/bgpd.h b/bgpd/bgpd.h
index c72072852d1b..9a1ac6cc786f 100644
--- a/bgpd/bgpd.h
+++ b/bgpd/bgpd.h
@@ -2859,11 +2859,9 @@ extern struct peer *peer_new(struct bgp *bgp);
 
 extern struct peer *peer_lookup_in_view(struct vty *vty, struct bgp *bgp,
 					const char *ip_str, bool use_json);
-extern int bgp_lookup_by_as_name_type(struct bgp **bgp_val, as_t *as,
-				      const char *as_pretty,
-				      enum asnotation_mode asnotation,
-				      const char *name,
-				      enum bgp_instance_type inst_type);
+extern int bgp_lookup_by_as_name_type(struct bgp **bgp_val, as_t *as, const char *as_pretty,
+				      enum asnotation_mode asnotation, const char *name,
+				      enum bgp_instance_type inst_type, bool force_config);
 
 /* Hooks */
 DECLARE_HOOK(bgp_vrf_status_changed, (struct bgp *bgp, struct interface *ifp),