diff --git a/src/vnet/devices/tap/tap.c b/src/vnet/devices/tap/tap.c
index c090bed..974a417 100644
--- a/src/vnet/devices/tap/tap.c
+++ b/src/vnet/devices/tap/tap.c
@@ -514,7 +514,7 @@
   virtio_if_t *vif;
   vnet_hw_interface_t *hw;
 
-  hw = vnet_get_sup_hw_interface (vnm, sw_if_index);
+  hw = vnet_get_sup_hw_interface_api_visible_or_null (vnm, sw_if_index);
   if (hw == NULL || virtio_device_class.index != hw->dev_class_index)
     return VNET_API_ERROR_INVALID_SW_IF_INDEX;
 
@@ -565,9 +565,11 @@
   vnet_main_t *vnm = vnet_get_main ();
   virtio_main_t *mm = &virtio_main;
   virtio_if_t *vif;
-  vnet_hw_interface_t *hw = vnet_get_sup_hw_interface (vnm, sw_if_index);
+  vnet_hw_interface_t *hw;
   clib_error_t *err = 0;
 
+  hw = vnet_get_sup_hw_interface_api_visible_or_null (vnm, sw_if_index);
+
   if (hw == NULL || virtio_device_class.index != hw->dev_class_index)
     return VNET_API_ERROR_INVALID_SW_IF_INDEX;
 
diff --git a/src/vnet/devices/virtio/cli.c b/src/vnet/devices/virtio/cli.c
index 10b545e..86639e4 100644
--- a/src/vnet/devices/virtio/cli.c
+++ b/src/vnet/devices/virtio/cli.c
@@ -96,7 +96,7 @@
     return clib_error_return (0,
 			      "please specify interface name or sw_if_index");
 
-  hw = vnet_get_sup_hw_interface (vnm, sw_if_index);
+  hw = vnet_get_sup_hw_interface_api_visible_or_null (vnm, sw_if_index);
   if (hw == NULL || virtio_device_class.index != hw->dev_class_index)
     return clib_error_return (0, "not a virtio interface");
 
diff --git a/src/vnet/devices/virtio/vhost_user.c b/src/vnet/devices/virtio/vhost_user.c
index 5c552f9..e26cfdf 100644
--- a/src/vnet/devices/virtio/vhost_user.c
+++ b/src/vnet/devices/virtio/vhost_user.c
@@ -1250,8 +1250,10 @@
   vnet_hw_interface_t *hwif;
   u16 qid;
 
-  if (!(hwif = vnet_get_sup_hw_interface (vnm, sw_if_index)) ||
-      hwif->dev_class_index != vhost_user_device_class.index)
+  if (!
+      (hwif =
+       vnet_get_sup_hw_interface_api_visible_or_null (vnm, sw_if_index))
+      || hwif->dev_class_index != vhost_user_device_class.index)
     return VNET_API_ERROR_INVALID_SW_IF_INDEX;
 
   vui = pool_elt_at_index (vum->vhost_user_interfaces, hwif->dev_instance);
@@ -1534,8 +1536,10 @@
   vnet_hw_interface_t *hwif;
   uword *if_index;
 
-  if (!(hwif = vnet_get_sup_hw_interface (vnm, sw_if_index)) ||
-      hwif->dev_class_index != vhost_user_device_class.index)
+  if (!
+      (hwif =
+       vnet_get_sup_hw_interface_api_visible_or_null (vnm, sw_if_index))
+      || hwif->dev_class_index != vhost_user_device_class.index)
     return VNET_API_ERROR_INVALID_SW_IF_INDEX;
 
   if (sock_filename == NULL || !(strlen (sock_filename) > 0))
@@ -1658,7 +1662,7 @@
 		&sw_if_index))
 	{
 	  vnet_hw_interface_t *hwif =
-	    vnet_get_sup_hw_interface (vnm, sw_if_index);
+	    vnet_get_sup_hw_interface_api_visible_or_null (vnm, sw_if_index);
 	  if (hwif == NULL ||
 	      vhost_user_device_class.index != hwif->dev_class_index)
 	    {
diff --git a/src/vnet/devices/virtio/virtio_api.c b/src/vnet/devices/virtio/virtio_api.c
index d73e6f8..e354958 100644
--- a/src/vnet/devices/virtio/virtio_api.c
+++ b/src/vnet/devices/virtio/virtio_api.c
@@ -99,10 +99,12 @@
   vl_api_virtio_pci_delete_reply_t *rmp;
   vl_api_registration_t *reg;
 
-  hw = vnet_get_sup_hw_interface (vnm, htonl (mp->sw_if_index));
+  hw =
+    vnet_get_sup_hw_interface_api_visible_or_null (vnm,
+						   htonl (mp->sw_if_index));
   if (hw == NULL || virtio_device_class.index != hw->dev_class_index)
     {
-      rv = VNET_API_ERROR_INVALID_INTERFACE;
+      rv = VNET_API_ERROR_INVALID_SW_IF_INDEX;
       goto reply;
     }