diff --git a/src/vpp-api/vom/interface.cpp b/src/vpp-api/vom/interface.cpp
index 1c9f20d..1c90a31 100644
--- a/src/vpp-api/vom/interface.cpp
+++ b/src/vpp-api/vom/interface.cpp
@@ -125,6 +125,12 @@
 const handle_t&
 interface::handle() const
 {
+  return (singular()->handle_i());
+}
+
+const handle_t&
+interface::handle_i() const
+{
   return (m_hdl.data());
 }
 
diff --git a/src/vpp-api/vom/interface.hpp b/src/vpp-api/vom/interface.hpp
index f11e359..181e76d 100644
--- a/src/vpp-api/vom/interface.hpp
+++ b/src/vpp-api/vom/interface.hpp
@@ -518,6 +518,11 @@
   void update(const interface& obj);
 
   /*
+   * return the interface's handle in the singular instance
+   */
+  const handle_t& handle_i() const;
+
+  /*
    * It's the OM class that calls singular()
    */
   friend class OM;