diff --git a/python/vyos/configdict.py b/python/vyos/configdict.py
index 983906923..e8e52b33d 100644
--- a/python/vyos/configdict.py
+++ b/python/vyos/configdict.py
@@ -1,221 +1,221 @@
 # Copyright 2019 VyOS maintainers and contributors <maintainers@vyos.io>
 #
 # This library is free software; you can redistribute it and/or
 # modify it under the terms of the GNU Lesser General Public
 # License as published by the Free Software Foundation; either
 # version 2.1 of the License, or (at your option) any later version.
 #
 # This library is distributed in the hope that it will be useful,
 # but WITHOUT ANY WARRANTY; without even the implied warranty of
 # MERCHANTABILITY or FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE.  See the GNU
 # Lesser General Public License for more details.
 #
 # You should have received a copy of the GNU Lesser General Public
 # License along with this library.  If not, see <http://www.gnu.org/licenses/>.
 
 """
 A library for retrieving value dicts from VyOS configs in a declarative fashion.
 
 """
 
 from vyos import ConfigError
 
 def retrieve_config(path_hash, base_path, config):
     """
     Retrieves a VyOS config as a dict according to a declarative description
 
     The description dict, passed in the first argument, must follow this format:
     ``field_name : <path, type, [inner_options_dict]>``.
 
     Supported types are: ``str`` (for normal nodes),
     ``list`` (returns a list of strings, for multi nodes),
     ``bool`` (returns True if valueless node exists),
     ``dict`` (for tag nodes, returns a dict indexed by node names,
     according to description in the third item of the tuple).
 
     Args:
         path_hash (dict): Declarative description of the config to retrieve
         base_path (list): A base path to prepend to all option paths
         config (vyos.config.Config): A VyOS config object
 
     Returns:
         dict: config dict
     """
     config_hash = {}
 
     for k in path_hash:
 
         if type(path_hash[k]) != tuple:
             raise ValueError("In field {0}: expected a tuple, got a value {1}".format(k, str(path_hash[k])))
         if len(path_hash[k]) < 2:
             raise ValueError("In field {0}: field description must be a tuple of at least two items, path (list) and type".format(k))
 
         path = path_hash[k][0]
         if type(path) != list:
             raise ValueError("In field {0}: path must be a list, not a {1}".format(k, type(path)))
 
         typ = path_hash[k][1]
         if type(typ) != type:
             raise ValueError("In field {0}: type must be a type, not a {1}".format(k, type(typ)))
 
         path = base_path + path
 
         path_str = " ".join(path)
 
         if typ == str:
             config_hash[k] = config.return_value(path_str)
         elif typ == list:
             config_hash[k] = config.return_values(path_str)
         elif typ == bool:
             config_hash[k] = config.exists(path_str)
         elif typ == dict:
             try:
                 inner_hash = path_hash[k][2]
             except IndexError:
                 raise ValueError("The type of the \'{0}\' field is dict, but inner options hash is missing from the tuple".format(k))
             config_hash[k] = {}
             nodes = config.list_nodes(path_str)
             for node in nodes:
                 config_hash[k][node] = retrieve_config(inner_hash, path + [node], config)
 
     return config_hash
 
 
 def list_diff(first, second):
     """
     Diff two dictionaries and return only unique items
     """
     second = set(second)
     return [item for item in first if item not in second]
 
 
 def get_ethertype(ethertype_val):
     if ethertype_val == '0x88A8':
         return '802.1ad'
     elif ethertype_val == '0x8100':
         return '802.1q'
     else:
         raise ConfigError('invalid ethertype "{}"'.format(ethertype_val))
 
 
 def vlan_to_dict(conf):
     """
     Common used function which will extract VLAN related information from config
     and represent the result as Python dictionary.
 
     Function call's itself recursively if a vif-s/vif-c pair is detected.
     """
     vlan = {
-        'id': conf.get_level().split()[-1], # get the '100' in 'interfaces bonding bond0 vif-s 100'
+        'id': conf.get_level()[-1], # get the '100' in 'interfaces bonding bond0 vif-s 100'
         'address': [],
         'address_remove': [],
         'description': '',
         'dhcp_client_id': '',
         'dhcp_hostname': '',
         'dhcp_vendor_class_id': '',
         'dhcpv6_prm_only': False,
         'dhcpv6_temporary': False,
         'disable': False,
         'disable_link_detect': 1,
         'egress_qos': '',
         'egress_qos_changed': False,
         'ingress_qos': '',
         'ingress_qos_changed': False,
         'mac': '',
         'mtu': 1500
     }
     # retrieve configured interface addresses
     if conf.exists('address'):
         vlan['address'] = conf.return_values('address')
 
     # Determine interface addresses (currently effective) - to determine which
     # address is no longer valid and needs to be removed from the bond
     eff_addr = conf.return_effective_values('address')
     act_addr = conf.return_values('address')
     vlan['address_remove'] = list_diff(eff_addr, act_addr)
 
     # retrieve interface description
     if conf.exists('description'):
         vlan['description'] = conf.return_value('description')
 
     # get DHCP client identifier
     if conf.exists('dhcp-options client-id'):
         vlan['dhcp_client_id'] = conf.return_value('dhcp-options client-id')
 
     # DHCP client host name (overrides the system host name)
     if conf.exists('dhcp-options host-name'):
         vlan['dhcp_hostname'] = conf.return_value('dhcp-options host-name')
 
     # DHCP client vendor identifier
     if conf.exists('dhcp-options vendor-class-id'):
         vlan['dhcp_vendor_class_id'] = conf.return_value('dhcp-options vendor-class-id')
 
     # DHCPv6 only acquire config parameters, no address
     if conf.exists('dhcpv6-options parameters-only'):
         vlan['dhcpv6_prm_only'] = True
 
     # DHCPv6 temporary IPv6 address
     if conf.exists('dhcpv6-options temporary'):
         vlan['dhcpv6_temporary'] = True
 
     # ignore link state changes
     if conf.exists('disable-link-detect'):
         vlan['disable_link_detect'] = 2
 
     # disable VLAN interface
     if conf.exists('disable'):
         vlan['disable'] = True
 
     # Media Access Control (MAC) address
     if conf.exists('mac'):
         vlan['mac'] = conf.return_value('mac')
 
     # Maximum Transmission Unit (MTU)
     if conf.exists('mtu'):
         vlan['mtu'] = int(conf.return_value('mtu'))
 
     # VLAN egress QoS
     if conf.exists('egress-qos'):
         vlan['egress_qos'] = conf.return_value('egress-qos')
 
     # egress changes QoS require VLAN interface recreation
     if vlan['egress_qos'] != conf.return_effective_value('egress-qos'):
         vlan['egress_qos_changed'] = True
 
     # VLAN ingress QoS
     if conf.exists('ingress-qos'):
         vlan['ingress_qos'] = conf.return_value('ingress-qos')
 
     # ingress changes QoS require VLAN interface recreation
     if vlan['ingress_qos'] != conf.return_effective_value('ingress-qos'):
         vlan['ingress_qos_changed'] = True
 
     # ethertype is mandatory on vif-s nodes and only exists here!
     # check if this is a vif-s node at all:
-    if conf.get_level().split()[-2] == 'vif-s':
+    if conf.get_level()[-2] == 'vif-s':
         vlan['vif_c'] = []
         vlan['vif_c_remove'] = []
 
         # ethertype uses a default of 0x88A8
         tmp = '0x88A8'
         if conf.exists('ethertype'):
              tmp = conf.return_value('ethertype')
         vlan['ethertype'] = get_ethertype(tmp)
 
         # get vif-c interfaces (currently effective) - to determine which vif-c
         # interface is no longer present and needs to be removed
         eff_intf = conf.list_effective_nodes('vif-c')
         act_intf = conf.list_nodes('vif-c')
         vlan['vif_c_remove'] = list_diff(eff_intf, act_intf)
 
         # check if there is a Q-in-Q vlan customer interface
         # and call this function recursively
         if conf.exists('vif-c'):
             cfg_level = conf.get_level()
             # add new key (vif-c) to dictionary
             for vif in conf.list_nodes('vif-c'):
                 # set config level to vif interface
-                conf.set_level(cfg_level + ' vif-c ' + vif)
+                conf.set_level(cfg_level + ['vif-c', vif])
                 vlan['vif_c'].append(vlan_to_dict(conf))
 
     return vlan
diff --git a/src/conf_mode/interfaces-ethernet.py b/src/conf_mode/interfaces-ethernet.py
index cd40aff3e..a9ed6bfb6 100755
--- a/src/conf_mode/interfaces-ethernet.py
+++ b/src/conf_mode/interfaces-ethernet.py
@@ -1,452 +1,452 @@
 #!/usr/bin/env python3
 #
 # Copyright (C) 2019 VyOS maintainers and contributors
 #
 # This program is free software; you can redistribute it and/or modify
 # it under the terms of the GNU General Public License version 2 or later as
 # published by the Free Software Foundation.
 #
 # This program is distributed in the hope that it will be useful,
 # but WITHOUT ANY WARRANTY; without even the implied warranty of
 # MERCHANTABILITY or FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE. See the
 # GNU General Public License for more details.
 #
 # You should have received a copy of the GNU General Public License
 # along with this program.  If not, see <http://www.gnu.org/licenses/>.
 
 import os
 
 from copy import deepcopy
 from sys import exit
 
 from vyos.ifconfig import EthernetIf, VLANIf
 from vyos.configdict import list_diff, vlan_to_dict
 from vyos.config import Config
 from vyos import ConfigError
 
 default_config_data = {
     'address': [],
     'address_remove': [],
     'description': '',
     'deleted': False,
     'dhcp_client_id': '',
     'dhcp_hostname': '',
     'dhcp_vendor_class_id': '',
     'dhcpv6_prm_only': False,
     'dhcpv6_temporary': False,
     'disable': False,
     'disable_link_detect': 1,
     'duplex': 'auto',
     'flow_control': 'on',
     'hw_id': '',
     'ip_arp_cache_tmo': 30,
     'ip_proxy_arp': 0,
     'ip_proxy_arp_pvlan': 0,
     'intf': '',
     'mac': '',
     'mtu': 1500,
     'offload_gro': 'off',
     'offload_gso': 'off',
     'offload_sg': 'off',
     'offload_tso': 'off',
     'offload_ufo': 'off',
     'speed': 'auto',
     'vif_s': [],
     'vif_s_remove': [],
     'vif': [],
     'vif_remove': []
 }
 
 
 def apply_vlan_config(vlan, config):
     """
     Generic function to apply a VLAN configuration from a dictionary
     to a VLAN interface
     """
 
     if type(vlan) != type(VLANIf("lo")):
         raise TypeError()
 
     # get DHCP config dictionary and update values
     opt = vlan.get_dhcp_options()
 
     if config['dhcp_client_id']:
         opt['client_id'] = config['dhcp_client_id']
 
     if config['dhcp_hostname']:
         opt['hostname'] = config['dhcp_hostname']
 
     if config['dhcp_vendor_class_id']:
         opt['vendor_class_id'] = config['dhcp_vendor_class_id']
 
     # store DHCP config dictionary - used later on when addresses are aquired
     vlan.set_dhcp_options(opt)
 
     # get DHCPv6 config dictionary and update values
     opt = vlan.get_dhcpv6_options()
 
     if config['dhcpv6_prm_only']:
         opt['dhcpv6_prm_only'] = True
 
     if config['dhcpv6_temporary']:
         opt['dhcpv6_temporary'] = True
 
     # store DHCPv6 config dictionary - used later on when addresses are aquired
     vlan.set_dhcpv6_options(opt)
 
     # update interface description used e.g. within SNMP
     vlan.set_alias(config['description'])
     # ignore link state changes
     vlan.set_link_detect(config['disable_link_detect'])
     # Maximum Transmission Unit (MTU)
     vlan.set_mtu(config['mtu'])
     # Change VLAN interface MAC address
     if config['mac']:
         vlan.set_mac(config['mac'])
 
     # enable/disable VLAN interface
     if config['disable']:
         vlan.set_state('down')
     else:
         vlan.set_state('up')
 
     # Configure interface address(es)
     # - not longer required addresses get removed first
     # - newly addresses will be added second
     for addr in config['address_remove']:
         vlan.del_addr(addr)
     for addr in config['address']:
         vlan.add_addr(addr)
 
 
 def get_config():
     eth = deepcopy(default_config_data)
     conf = Config()
 
     # determine tagNode instance
     try:
         eth['intf'] = os.environ['VYOS_TAGNODE_VALUE']
     except KeyError as E:
         print("Interface not specified")
 
     # check if ethernet interface has been removed
-    cfg_base = 'interfaces ethernet ' + eth['intf']
+    cfg_base = ['interfaces', 'ethernet', eth['intf']]
     if not conf.exists(cfg_base):
         eth['deleted'] = True
         # we can not bail out early as ethernet interface can not be removed
         # Kernel will complain with: RTNETLINK answers: Operation not supported.
         # Thus we need to remove individual settings
         return eth
 
     # set new configuration level
     conf.set_level(cfg_base)
 
     # retrieve configured interface addresses
     if conf.exists('address'):
         eth['address'] = conf.return_values('address')
 
     # get interface addresses (currently effective) - to determine which
     # address is no longer valid and needs to be removed
     eff_addr = conf.return_effective_values('address')
     eth['address_remove'] = list_diff(eff_addr, eth['address'])
 
     # retrieve interface description
     if conf.exists('description'):
         eth['description'] = conf.return_value('description')
 
     # get DHCP client identifier
     if conf.exists('dhcp-options client-id'):
         eth['dhcp_client_id'] = conf.return_value('dhcp-options client-id')
 
     # DHCP client host name (overrides the system host name)
     if conf.exists('dhcp-options host-name'):
         eth['dhcp_hostname'] = conf.return_value('dhcp-options host-name')
 
     # DHCP client vendor identifier
     if conf.exists('dhcp-options vendor-class-id'):
         eth['dhcp_vendor_class_id'] = conf.return_value('dhcp-options vendor-class-id')
 
     # DHCPv6 only acquire config parameters, no address
     if conf.exists('dhcpv6-options parameters-only'):
         eth['dhcpv6_prm_only'] = True
 
     # DHCPv6 temporary IPv6 address
     if conf.exists('dhcpv6-options temporary'):
         eth['dhcpv6_temporary'] = True
 
     # ignore link state changes
     if conf.exists('disable-link-detect'):
         eth['disable_link_detect'] = 2
 
     # disable ethernet flow control (pause frames)
     if conf.exists('disable-flow-control'):
         eth['flow_control'] = 'off'
 
     # retrieve real hardware address
     if conf.exists('hw-id'):
         eth['hw_id'] = conf.return_value('hw-id')
 
     # disable interface
     if conf.exists('disable'):
         eth['disable'] = True
 
     # interface duplex
     if conf.exists('duplex'):
         eth['duplex'] = conf.return_value('duplex')
 
     # ARP cache entry timeout in seconds
     if conf.exists('ip arp-cache-timeout'):
         eth['ip_arp_cache_tmo'] = int(conf.return_value('ip arp-cache-timeout'))
 
     # Enable proxy-arp on this interface
     if conf.exists('ip enable-proxy-arp'):
         eth['ip_proxy_arp'] = 1
 
     # Enable private VLAN proxy ARP on this interface
     if conf.exists('ip proxy-arp-pvlan'):
         eth['ip_proxy_arp_pvlan'] = 1
 
     # Media Access Control (MAC) address
     if conf.exists('mac'):
         eth['mac'] = conf.return_value('mac')
 
     # Maximum Transmission Unit (MTU)
     if conf.exists('mtu'):
         eth['mtu'] = int(conf.return_value('mtu'))
 
     # GRO (generic receive offload)
     if conf.exists('offload-options generic-receive'):
         eth['offload_gro'] = conf.return_value('offload-options generic-receive')
 
     # GSO (generic segmentation offload)
     if conf.exists('offload-options generic-segmentation'):
         eth['offload_gso'] = conf.return_value('offload-options generic-segmentation')
 
     # scatter-gather option
     if conf.exists('offload-options scatter-gather'):
         eth['offload_sg'] = conf.return_value('offload-options scatter-gather')
 
     # TSO (TCP segmentation offloading)
     if conf.exists('offload-options tcp-segmentation'):
         eth['offload_tso'] = conf.return_value('offload-options tcp-segmentation')
 
     # UDP fragmentation offloading
     if conf.exists('offload-options udp-fragmentation'):
         eth['offload_ufo'] = conf.return_value('offload-options udp-fragmentation')
 
     # interface speed
     if conf.exists('speed'):
         eth['speed'] = conf.return_value('speed')
 
     # re-set configuration level to parse new nodes
     conf.set_level(cfg_base)
     # get vif-s interfaces (currently effective) - to determine which vif-s
     # interface is no longer present and needs to be removed
     eff_intf = conf.list_effective_nodes('vif-s')
     act_intf = conf.list_nodes('vif-s')
     eth['vif_s_remove'] = list_diff(eff_intf, act_intf)
 
     if conf.exists('vif-s'):
         for vif_s in conf.list_nodes('vif-s'):
             # set config level to vif-s interface
-            conf.set_level(cfg_base + ' vif-s ' + vif_s)
+            conf.set_level(cfg_base + ['vif-s', vif_s])
             eth['vif_s'].append(vlan_to_dict(conf))
 
     # re-set configuration level to parse new nodes
     conf.set_level(cfg_base)
     # Determine vif interfaces (currently effective) - to determine which
     # vif interface is no longer present and needs to be removed
     eff_intf = conf.list_effective_nodes('vif')
     act_intf = conf.list_nodes('vif')
     eth['vif_remove'] = list_diff(eff_intf, act_intf)
 
     if conf.exists('vif'):
         for vif in conf.list_nodes('vif'):
             # set config level to vif interface
-            conf.set_level(cfg_base + ' vif ' + vif)
+            conf.set_level(cfg_base + ['vif', vif])
             eth['vif'].append(vlan_to_dict(conf))
 
     return eth
 
 
 def verify(eth):
     if eth['deleted']:
         return None
 
     if eth['speed'] == 'auto':
         if eth['duplex'] != 'auto':
             raise ConfigError('If speed is hardcoded, duplex must be hardcoded, too')
 
     if eth['duplex'] == 'auto':
         if eth['speed'] != 'auto':
             raise ConfigError('If duplex is hardcoded, speed must be hardcoded, too')
 
     if eth['dhcpv6_prm_only'] and eth['dhcpv6_temporary']:
         raise ConfigError('DHCPv6 temporary and parameters-only options are mutually exclusive!')
 
     conf = Config()
     # some options can not be changed when interface is enslaved to a bond
     for bond in conf.list_nodes('interfaces bonding'):
         if conf.exists('interfaces bonding ' + bond + ' member interface'):
             bond_member = conf.return_values('interfaces bonding ' + bond + ' member interface')
             if eth['intf'] in bond_member:
                 if eth['address']:
                     raise ConfigError('Can not assign address to interface {} which is a member of {}').format(eth['intf'], bond)
 
     # DHCPv6 parameters-only and temporary address are mutually exclusive
     for vif_s in eth['vif_s']:
         if vif_s['dhcpv6_prm_only'] and vif_s['dhcpv6_temporary']:
             raise ConfigError('DHCPv6 temporary and parameters-only options are mutually exclusive!')
 
         for vif_c in vif_s['vif_c']:
             if vif_c['dhcpv6_prm_only'] and vif_c['dhcpv6_temporary']:
                 raise ConfigError('DHCPv6 temporary and parameters-only options are mutually exclusive!')
 
     for vif in eth['vif']:
         if vif['dhcpv6_prm_only'] and vif['dhcpv6_temporary']:
             raise ConfigError('DHCPv6 temporary and parameters-only options are mutually exclusive!')
 
     return None
 
 def generate(eth):
     return None
 
 def apply(eth):
     e = EthernetIf(eth['intf'])
     if eth['deleted']:
         # delete interface
         e.remove()
     else:
         # update interface description used e.g. within SNMP
         e.set_alias(eth['description'])
 
         # get DHCP config dictionary and update values
         opt = e.get_dhcp_options()
 
         if eth['dhcp_client_id']:
             opt['client_id'] = eth['dhcp_client_id']
 
         if eth['dhcp_hostname']:
             opt['hostname'] = eth['dhcp_hostname']
 
         if eth['dhcp_vendor_class_id']:
             opt['vendor_class_id'] = eth['dhcp_vendor_class_id']
 
         # store DHCP config dictionary - used later on when addresses are aquired
         e.set_dhcp_options(opt)
 
         # get DHCPv6 config dictionary and update values
         opt = e.get_dhcpv6_options()
 
         if eth['dhcpv6_prm_only']:
             opt['dhcpv6_prm_only'] = True
 
         if eth['dhcpv6_temporary']:
             opt['dhcpv6_temporary'] = True
 
         # store DHCPv6 config dictionary - used later on when addresses are aquired
         e.set_dhcpv6_options(opt)
 
         # ignore link state changes
         e.set_link_detect(eth['disable_link_detect'])
         # disable ethernet flow control (pause frames)
         e.set_flow_control(eth['flow_control'])
         # configure ARP cache timeout in milliseconds
         e.set_arp_cache_tmo(eth['ip_arp_cache_tmo'])
         # Enable proxy-arp on this interface
         e.set_proxy_arp(eth['ip_proxy_arp'])
         # Enable private VLAN proxy ARP on this interface
         e.set_proxy_arp_pvlan(eth['ip_proxy_arp_pvlan'])
 
         # Change interface MAC address - re-set to real hardware address (hw-id)
         # if custom mac is removed
         if eth['mac']:
             e.set_mac(eth['mac'])
         else:
             e.set_mac(eth['hw_id'])
 
         # Maximum Transmission Unit (MTU)
         e.set_mtu(eth['mtu'])
 
         # GRO (generic receive offload)
         e.set_gro(eth['offload_gro'])
 
         # GSO (generic segmentation offload)
         e.set_gso(eth['offload_gso'])
 
         # scatter-gather option
         e.set_sg(eth['offload_sg'])
 
         # TSO (TCP segmentation offloading)
         e.set_tso(eth['offload_tso'])
 
         # UDP fragmentation offloading
         e.set_ufo(eth['offload_ufo'])
 
         # Set physical interface speed and duplex
         e.set_speed_duplex(eth['speed'], eth['duplex'])
 
         # Enable/Disable interface
         if eth['disable']:
             e.set_state('down')
         else:
             e.set_state('up')
 
         # Configure interface address(es)
         # - not longer required addresses get removed first
         # - newly addresses will be added second
         for addr in eth['address_remove']:
             e.del_addr(addr)
         for addr in eth['address']:
             e.add_addr(addr)
 
         # remove no longer required service VLAN interfaces (vif-s)
         for vif_s in eth['vif_s_remove']:
             e.del_vlan(vif_s)
 
         # create service VLAN interfaces (vif-s)
         for vif_s in eth['vif_s']:
             s_vlan = e.add_vlan(vif_s['id'], ethertype=vif_s['ethertype'])
             apply_vlan_config(s_vlan, vif_s)
 
             # remove no longer required client VLAN interfaces (vif-c)
             # on lower service VLAN interface
             for vif_c in vif_s['vif_c_remove']:
                 s_vlan.del_vlan(vif_c)
 
             # create client VLAN interfaces (vif-c)
             # on lower service VLAN interface
             for vif_c in vif_s['vif_c']:
                 c_vlan = s_vlan.add_vlan(vif_c['id'])
                 apply_vlan_config(c_vlan, vif_c)
 
         # remove no longer required VLAN interfaces (vif)
         for vif in eth['vif_remove']:
             e.del_vlan(vif)
 
         # create VLAN interfaces (vif)
         for vif in eth['vif']:
             # QoS priority mapping can only be set during interface creation
             # so we delete the interface first if required.
             if vif['egress_qos_changed'] or vif['ingress_qos_changed']:
                 try:
                     # on system bootup the above condition is true but the interface
                     # does not exists, which throws an exception, but that's legal
                     e.del_vlan(vif['id'])
                 except:
                     pass
 
             vlan = e.add_vlan(vif['id'], ingress_qos=vif['ingress_qos'], egress_qos=vif['egress_qos'])
             apply_vlan_config(vlan, vif)
 
     return None
 
 if __name__ == '__main__':
     try:
         c = get_config()
         verify(c)
         generate(c)
         apply(c)
     except ConfigError as e:
         print(e)
         exit(1)