diff --git a/orchagent/vnetorch.cpp b/orchagent/vnetorch.cpp
index 8fe1731d2153..5795b0aae2f0 100644
--- a/orchagent/vnetorch.cpp
+++ b/orchagent/vnetorch.cpp
@@ -163,6 +163,55 @@ bool VNetVrfObject::addRoute(IpPrefix& ipPrefix, tunnelEndpoint& endp)
     return true;
 }
 
+void VNetVrfObject::increaseNextHopRefCount(const nextHop& nh)
+{
+    /* Return when there is no next hop (dropped) */
+    if (nh.ips.getSize() == 0)
+    {
+        return;
+    }
+    else if (nh.ips.getSize() == 1)
+    {
+        NextHopKey nexthop(nh.ips.to_string(), nh.ifname);
+        if (nexthop.ip_address.isZero())
+        {
+            gIntfsOrch->increaseRouterIntfsRefCount(nexthop.alias);
+        }
+        else
+        {
+            gNeighOrch->increaseNextHopRefCount(nexthop);
+        }
+    }
+    else
+    {
+        /* Handle ECMP routes */
+    }
+}
+void VNetVrfObject::decreaseNextHopRefCount(const nextHop& nh)
+{
+    /* Return when there is no next hop (dropped) */
+    if (nh.ips.getSize() == 0)
+    {
+        return;
+    }
+    else if (nh.ips.getSize() == 1)
+    {
+        NextHopKey nexthop(nh.ips.to_string(), nh.ifname);
+        if (nexthop.ip_address.isZero())
+        {
+            gIntfsOrch->decreaseRouterIntfsRefCount(nexthop.alias);
+        }
+        else
+        {
+            gNeighOrch->decreaseNextHopRefCount(nexthop);
+        }
+    }
+    else
+    {
+        /* Handle ECMP routes */
+    }
+}
+
 bool VNetVrfObject::addRoute(IpPrefix& ipPrefix, nextHop& nh)
 {
     if (hasRoute(ipPrefix))
@@ -171,6 +220,7 @@ bool VNetVrfObject::addRoute(IpPrefix& ipPrefix, nextHop& nh)
         return false;
     }
 
+    increaseNextHopRefCount(nh);
     routes_[ipPrefix] = nh;
     return true;
 }
@@ -194,6 +244,8 @@ bool VNetVrfObject::removeRoute(IpPrefix& ipPrefix)
     }
     else
     {
+        nextHop nh = routes_[ipPrefix];
+        decreaseNextHopRefCount(nh);
         routes_.erase(ipPrefix);
     }
     return true;
diff --git a/orchagent/vnetorch.h b/orchagent/vnetorch.h
index a58fae41ed0d..6d24bb5201bd 100644
--- a/orchagent/vnetorch.h
+++ b/orchagent/vnetorch.h
@@ -175,6 +175,8 @@ class VNetVrfObject : public VNetObject
 
     sai_object_id_t getTunnelNextHop(tunnelEndpoint& endp);
     bool removeTunnelNextHop(tunnelEndpoint& endp);
+    void increaseNextHopRefCount(const nextHop&);
+    void decreaseNextHopRefCount(const nextHop&);
 
     ~VNetVrfObject();