diff --git a/python/vyos/configtree.py b/python/vyos/configtree.py
index 9308bdde4..19b9838d4 100644
--- a/python/vyos/configtree.py
+++ b/python/vyos/configtree.py
@@ -1,425 +1,438 @@
 # configtree -- a standalone VyOS config file manipulation library (Python bindings)
 # Copyright (C) 2018-2022 VyOS maintainers and contributors
 #
 # 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, write to the Free Software Foundation, Inc., 59 Temple Place, Suite 330, Boston, MA 02111-1307 USA
 
 import os
 import re
 import json
 
 from ctypes import cdll, c_char_p, c_void_p, c_int, c_bool
 
 LIBPATH = '/usr/lib/libvyosconfig.so.0'
 
 def escape_backslash(string: str) -> str:
     """Escape single backslashes in string that are not in escape sequence"""
     p = re.compile(r'(?<!\\)[\\](?!b|f|n|r|t|\\[^bfnrt])')
     result = p.sub(r'\\\\', string)
     return result
 
 def extract_version(s):
     """ Extract the version string from the config string """
     t = re.split('(^//)', s, maxsplit=1, flags=re.MULTILINE)
     return (s, ''.join(t[1:]))
 
 def check_path(path):
     # Necessary type checking
     if not isinstance(path, list):
         raise TypeError("Expected a list, got a {}".format(type(path)))
     else:
         pass
 
 
 class ConfigTreeError(Exception):
     pass
 
 
 class ConfigTree(object):
     def __init__(self, config_string=None, address=None, libpath=LIBPATH):
         if config_string is None and address is None:
             raise TypeError("ConfigTree() requires one of 'config_string' or 'address'")
         self.__config = None
         self.__lib = cdll.LoadLibrary(libpath)
 
         # Import functions
         self.__from_string = self.__lib.from_string
         self.__from_string.argtypes = [c_char_p]
         self.__from_string.restype = c_void_p
 
         self.__get_error = self.__lib.get_error
         self.__get_error.argtypes = []
         self.__get_error.restype = c_char_p
 
         self.__to_string = self.__lib.to_string
         self.__to_string.argtypes = [c_void_p, c_bool]
         self.__to_string.restype = c_char_p
 
         self.__to_commands = self.__lib.to_commands
         self.__to_commands.argtypes = [c_void_p, c_char_p]
         self.__to_commands.restype = c_char_p
 
         self.__to_json = self.__lib.to_json
         self.__to_json.argtypes = [c_void_p]
         self.__to_json.restype = c_char_p
 
         self.__to_json_ast = self.__lib.to_json_ast
         self.__to_json_ast.argtypes = [c_void_p]
         self.__to_json_ast.restype = c_char_p
 
         self.__set_add_value = self.__lib.set_add_value
         self.__set_add_value.argtypes = [c_void_p, c_char_p, c_char_p]
         self.__set_add_value.restype = c_int
 
         self.__delete_value = self.__lib.delete_value
         self.__delete_value.argtypes = [c_void_p, c_char_p, c_char_p]
         self.__delete_value.restype = c_int
 
         self.__delete = self.__lib.delete_node
         self.__delete.argtypes = [c_void_p, c_char_p]
         self.__delete.restype = c_int
 
         self.__rename = self.__lib.rename_node
         self.__rename.argtypes = [c_void_p, c_char_p, c_char_p]
         self.__rename.restype = c_int
 
         self.__copy = self.__lib.copy_node
         self.__copy.argtypes = [c_void_p, c_char_p, c_char_p]
         self.__copy.restype = c_int
 
         self.__set_replace_value = self.__lib.set_replace_value
         self.__set_replace_value.argtypes = [c_void_p, c_char_p, c_char_p]
         self.__set_replace_value.restype = c_int
 
         self.__set_valueless = self.__lib.set_valueless
         self.__set_valueless.argtypes = [c_void_p, c_char_p]
         self.__set_valueless.restype = c_int
 
         self.__exists = self.__lib.exists
         self.__exists.argtypes = [c_void_p, c_char_p]
         self.__exists.restype = c_int
 
         self.__list_nodes = self.__lib.list_nodes
         self.__list_nodes.argtypes = [c_void_p, c_char_p]
         self.__list_nodes.restype = c_char_p
 
         self.__return_value = self.__lib.return_value
         self.__return_value.argtypes = [c_void_p, c_char_p]
         self.__return_value.restype = c_char_p
 
         self.__return_values = self.__lib.return_values
         self.__return_values.argtypes = [c_void_p, c_char_p]
         self.__return_values.restype = c_char_p
 
         self.__is_tag = self.__lib.is_tag
         self.__is_tag.argtypes = [c_void_p, c_char_p]
         self.__is_tag.restype = c_int
 
         self.__set_tag = self.__lib.set_tag
         self.__set_tag.argtypes = [c_void_p, c_char_p]
         self.__set_tag.restype = c_int
 
         self.__get_subtree = self.__lib.get_subtree
         self.__get_subtree.argtypes = [c_void_p, c_char_p]
         self.__get_subtree.restype = c_void_p
 
         self.__destroy = self.__lib.destroy
         self.__destroy.argtypes = [c_void_p]
 
         if address is None:
             config_section, version_section = extract_version(config_string)
             config_section = escape_backslash(config_section)
             config = self.__from_string(config_section.encode())
             if config is None:
                 msg = self.__get_error().decode()
                 raise ValueError("Failed to parse config: {0}".format(msg))
             else:
                 self.__config = config
                 self.__version = version_section
         else:
             self.__config = address
             self.__version = ''
 
         self.__migration = os.environ.get('VYOS_MIGRATION')
 
     def __del__(self):
         if self.__config is not None:
             self.__destroy(self.__config)
 
     def __str__(self):
         return self.to_string()
 
     def _get_config(self):
         return self.__config
 
     def to_string(self, ordered_values=False):
         config_string = self.__to_string(self.__config, ordered_values).decode()
         config_string = "{0}\n{1}".format(config_string, self.__version)
         return config_string
 
     def to_commands(self, op="set"):
         return self.__to_commands(self.__config, op.encode()).decode()
 
     def to_json(self):
         return self.__to_json(self.__config).decode()
 
     def to_json_ast(self):
         return self.__to_json_ast(self.__config).decode()
 
     def set(self, path, value=None, replace=True):
         """Set new entry in VyOS configuration.
         path: configuration path e.g. 'system dns forwarding listen-address'
         value: value to be added to node, e.g. '172.18.254.201'
         replace: True: current occurance will be replaced
                  False: new value will be appended to current occurances - use
                  this for adding values to a multi node
         """
 
         check_path(path)
         path_str = " ".join(map(str, path)).encode()
 
         if value is None:
             self.__set_valueless(self.__config, path_str)
         else:
             if replace:
                 self.__set_replace_value(self.__config, path_str, str(value).encode())
             else:
                 self.__set_add_value(self.__config, path_str, str(value).encode())
 
         if self.__migration:
             print(f"- op: set path: {path} value: {value} replace: {replace}")
 
     def delete(self, path):
         check_path(path)
         path_str = " ".join(map(str, path)).encode()
 
         self.__delete(self.__config, path_str)
 
         if self.__migration:
             print(f"- op: delete path: {path}")
 
     def delete_value(self, path, value):
         check_path(path)
         path_str = " ".join(map(str, path)).encode()
 
         self.__delete_value(self.__config, path_str, value.encode())
 
         if self.__migration:
             print(f"- op: delete_value path: {path} value: {value}")
 
     def rename(self, path, new_name):
         check_path(path)
         path_str = " ".join(map(str, path)).encode()
         newname_str = new_name.encode()
 
         # Check if a node with intended new name already exists
         new_path = path[:-1] + [new_name]
         if self.exists(new_path):
             raise ConfigTreeError()
         res = self.__rename(self.__config, path_str, newname_str)
         if (res != 0):
             raise ConfigTreeError("Path [{}] doesn't exist".format(path))
 
         if self.__migration:
             print(f"- op: rename old_path: {path} new_path: {new_path}")
 
     def copy(self, old_path, new_path):
         check_path(old_path)
         check_path(new_path)
         oldpath_str = " ".join(map(str, old_path)).encode()
         newpath_str = " ".join(map(str, new_path)).encode()
 
         # Check if a node with intended new name already exists
         if self.exists(new_path):
             raise ConfigTreeError()
         res = self.__copy(self.__config, oldpath_str, newpath_str)
         if (res != 0):
             msg = self.__get_error().decode()
             raise ConfigTreeError(msg)
 
         if self.__migration:
             print(f"- op: copy old_path: {old_path} new_path: {new_path}")
 
     def exists(self, path):
         check_path(path)
         path_str = " ".join(map(str, path)).encode()
 
         res = self.__exists(self.__config, path_str)
         if (res == 0):
             return False
         else:
             return True
 
     def list_nodes(self, path):
         check_path(path)
         path_str = " ".join(map(str, path)).encode()
 
         res_json = self.__list_nodes(self.__config, path_str).decode()
         res = json.loads(res_json)
 
         if res is None:
             raise ConfigTreeError("Path [{}] doesn't exist".format(path_str))
         else:
             return res
 
     def return_value(self, path):
         check_path(path)
         path_str = " ".join(map(str, path)).encode()
 
         res_json = self.__return_value(self.__config, path_str).decode()
         res = json.loads(res_json)
 
         if res is None:
             raise ConfigTreeError("Path [{}] doesn't exist".format(path_str))
         else:
             return res
 
     def return_values(self, path):
         check_path(path)
         path_str = " ".join(map(str, path)).encode()
 
         res_json = self.__return_values(self.__config, path_str).decode()
         res = json.loads(res_json)
 
         if res is None:
             raise ConfigTreeError("Path [{}] doesn't exist".format(path_str))
         else:
             return res
 
     def is_tag(self, path):
         check_path(path)
         path_str = " ".join(map(str, path)).encode()
 
         res = self.__is_tag(self.__config, path_str)
         if (res >= 1):
             return True
         else:
             return False
 
     def set_tag(self, path):
         check_path(path)
         path_str = " ".join(map(str, path)).encode()
 
         res = self.__set_tag(self.__config, path_str)
         if (res == 0):
             return True
         else:
             raise ConfigTreeError("Path [{}] doesn't exist".format(path_str))
 
     def get_subtree(self, path, with_node=False):
         check_path(path)
         path_str = " ".join(map(str, path)).encode()
 
         res = self.__get_subtree(self.__config, path_str, with_node)
         subt = ConfigTree(address=res)
         return subt
 
 def show_diff(left, right, path=[], commands=False, libpath=LIBPATH):
     if left is None:
         left = ConfigTree(config_string='\n')
     if right is None:
         right = ConfigTree(config_string='\n')
     if not (isinstance(left, ConfigTree) and isinstance(right, ConfigTree)):
         raise TypeError("Arguments must be instances of ConfigTree")
     if path:
         if (not left.exists(path)) and (not right.exists(path)):
             raise ConfigTreeError(f"Path {path} doesn't exist")
 
     check_path(path)
     path_str = " ".join(map(str, path)).encode()
 
     __lib = cdll.LoadLibrary(libpath)
     __show_diff = __lib.show_diff
     __show_diff.argtypes = [c_bool, c_char_p, c_void_p, c_void_p]
     __show_diff.restype = c_char_p
     __get_error = __lib.get_error
     __get_error.argtypes = []
     __get_error.restype = c_char_p
 
     res = __show_diff(commands, path_str, left._get_config(), right._get_config())
     res = res.decode()
     if res == "#1@":
         msg = __get_error().decode()
         raise ConfigTreeError(msg)
 
     return res
 
 def union(left, right, libpath=LIBPATH):
     if left is None:
         left = ConfigTree(config_string='\n')
     if right is None:
         right = ConfigTree(config_string='\n')
     if not (isinstance(left, ConfigTree) and isinstance(right, ConfigTree)):
         raise TypeError("Arguments must be instances of ConfigTree")
 
     __lib = cdll.LoadLibrary(libpath)
     __tree_union = __lib.tree_union
     __tree_union.argtypes = [c_void_p, c_void_p]
     __tree_union.restype = c_void_p
     __get_error = __lib.get_error
     __get_error.argtypes = []
     __get_error.restype = c_char_p
 
     res = __tree_union( left._get_config(), right._get_config())
     tree = ConfigTree(address=res)
 
     return tree
 
+def reference_tree_to_json(from_dir, to_file, libpath=LIBPATH):
+    __lib = cdll.LoadLibrary(libpath)
+    __reference_tree_to_json = __lib.reference_tree_to_json
+    __reference_tree_to_json.argtypes = [c_char_p, c_char_p]
+    __get_error = __lib.get_error
+    __get_error.argtypes = []
+    __get_error.restype = c_char_p
+
+    res = __reference_tree_to_json(from_dir.encode(), to_file.encode())
+    if res == 1:
+        msg = __get_error().decode()
+        raise ConfigTreeError(msg)
+
 class DiffTree:
     def __init__(self, left, right, path=[], libpath=LIBPATH):
         if left is None:
             left = ConfigTree(config_string='\n')
         if right is None:
             right = ConfigTree(config_string='\n')
         if not (isinstance(left, ConfigTree) and isinstance(right, ConfigTree)):
             raise TypeError("Arguments must be instances of ConfigTree")
         if path:
             if not left.exists(path):
                 raise ConfigTreeError(f"Path {path} doesn't exist in lhs tree")
             if not right.exists(path):
                 raise ConfigTreeError(f"Path {path} doesn't exist in rhs tree")
 
         self.left = left
         self.right = right
 
         self.__lib = cdll.LoadLibrary(libpath)
 
         self.__diff_tree = self.__lib.diff_tree
         self.__diff_tree.argtypes = [c_char_p, c_void_p, c_void_p]
         self.__diff_tree.restype = c_void_p
 
         self.__trim_tree = self.__lib.trim_tree
         self.__trim_tree.argtypes = [c_void_p, c_void_p]
         self.__trim_tree.restype = c_void_p
 
         check_path(path)
         path_str = " ".join(map(str, path)).encode()
 
         res = self.__diff_tree(path_str, left._get_config(), right._get_config())
 
         # full diff config_tree and python dict representation
         self.full = ConfigTree(address=res)
         self.dict = json.loads(self.full.to_json())
 
         # config_tree sub-trees
         self.add = self.full.get_subtree(['add'])
         self.sub = self.full.get_subtree(['sub'])
         self.inter = self.full.get_subtree(['inter'])
 
         # trim sub(-tract) tree to get delete tree for commands
         ref = self.right.get_subtree(path, with_node=True) if path else self.right
         res = self.__trim_tree(self.sub._get_config(), ref._get_config())
         self.delete = ConfigTree(address=res)
 
     def to_commands(self):
         add = self.add.to_commands()
         delete = self.delete.to_commands(op="delete")
         return delete + "\n" + add