diff --git a/src/context.c b/src/context.c
index 30b159913..0c410190b 100644
--- a/src/context.c
+++ b/src/context.c
@@ -251,9 +251,9 @@ ly_ctx_ht_leafref_links_equal_cb(void *val1_p, void *val2_p, ly_bool UNUSED(mod)
 }
 
 /**
- * @brief Callback for freeing leafref links hash table values.
+ * @brief Callback for freeing leafref links recorcd internal resources.
  *
- * @param[in] val_p Pointer to a pointer to a leafref links item to free with all the siblings.
+ * @param[in] val_p Pointer to leafref links record
  */
 static void
 ly_ctx_ht_leafref_links_rec_free(void *val_p)
diff --git a/src/context.h b/src/context.h
index 50476c86c..e516fef7b 100644
--- a/src/context.h
+++ b/src/context.h
@@ -200,8 +200,8 @@ struct ly_ctx;
 #define LY_CTX_LEAFREF_EXTENDED 0x0200 /**< By default, path attribute of leafref accepts only path as defined in RFC 7950.
                                         By using this option, the path attribute will also allow using XPath functions as deref() */
 #define LY_CTX_LEAFREF_LINKING 0x0400 /**< Link leafref nodes with its target during validation. It also enables usage of
-                                        [get_record](@ref lyd_get_term_nodes_ext_record) and
-                                        [link_tree](@ref lyd_link_leafref_node_tree) APIs. */
+                                        [lyd_leafref_get_links](@ref lyd_leafref_get_links) and
+                                        [lyd_leafref_link_node_tree](@ref lyd_leafref_link_node_tree) APIs. */
 
 /** @} contextoptions */
 
diff --git a/src/parser_data.h b/src/parser_data.h
index ccaa387dc..feedb1407 100644
--- a/src/parser_data.h
+++ b/src/parser_data.h
@@ -196,6 +196,7 @@ struct ly_in;
  * already a case and another one was added, the previous one is silently auto-deleted. Otherwise (if data from 2 or
  * more cases were created) a validation error is raised,
  * - default values are added.
+ *
  * @{
  */
 #define LYD_VALIDATE_NO_STATE   0x0001      /**< Consider state data not allowed and raise an error if they are found.
diff --git a/src/tree_data.c b/src/tree_data.c
index 1bf5d0f14..3042b8099 100644
--- a/src/tree_data.c
+++ b/src/tree_data.c
@@ -3273,16 +3273,7 @@ lyd_get_value(const struct lyd_node *node)
     return NULL;
 }
 
-/**
- * @brief Gets or creates the leafref links record.
- *
- * @param[in] node The term data node.
- * @param[out] record The leafref links record.
- * @param[in] create Whether to create record if not exists.
- * @return LY_SUCCESS on success.
- * @return LY_ERR value on error.
- */
-static LY_ERR
+LY_ERR
 lyd_get_or_create_leafref_links_record(const struct lyd_node_term *node, struct lyd_leafref_links_rec **record, ly_bool create)
 {
     struct ly_ht *ht;
@@ -3316,9 +3307,16 @@ lyd_get_or_create_leafref_links_record(const struct lyd_node_term *node, struct
 }
 
 LIBYANG_API_DEF LY_ERR
-lyd_get_leafref_links(const struct lyd_node_term *node, struct lyd_leafref_links_rec **record)
+lyd_leafref_get_links(const struct lyd_node_term *node, const struct lyd_leafref_links_rec **record)
 {
-    return lyd_get_or_create_leafref_links_record(node, record, 0);
+    struct lyd_leafref_links_rec *record2 = NULL;
+    LY_ERR ret;
+
+    assert(record);
+
+    ret = lyd_get_or_create_leafref_links_record(node, &record2, 0);
+    *record = record2;
+    return ret;
 }
 
 LY_ERR
@@ -3350,7 +3348,7 @@ lyd_link_leafref_node(const struct lyd_node_term *node, const struct lyd_node_te
 }
 
 LIBYANG_API_DEF LY_ERR
-lyd_link_leafref_node_tree(const struct lyd_node *tree)
+lyd_leafref_link_node_tree(const struct lyd_node *tree)
 {
     const struct lyd_node *sibling, *elem;
     struct lyd_node *target;
@@ -3402,7 +3400,7 @@ lyd_unlink_leafref_node(const struct lyd_node_term *node, const struct lyd_node_
         return LY_EDENIED;
     }
 
-    ret = lyd_get_leafref_links(node, &rec);
+    ret = lyd_get_or_create_leafref_links_record(node, &rec, 0);
     if (ret == LY_SUCCESS) {
         LY_ARRAY_REMOVE_VALUE(rec->leafref_nodes, leafref_node);
         if ((LY_ARRAY_COUNT(rec->leafref_nodes) == 0) && (rec->target_node == NULL)) {
@@ -3412,7 +3410,7 @@ lyd_unlink_leafref_node(const struct lyd_node_term *node, const struct lyd_node_
         return ret;
     }
 
-    ret = lyd_get_leafref_links(leafref_node, &rec);
+    ret = lyd_get_or_create_leafref_links_record(leafref_node, &rec, 0);
     if (ret == LY_SUCCESS) {
         rec->target_node = NULL;
         if ((LY_ARRAY_COUNT(rec->leafref_nodes) == 0) && (rec->target_node == NULL)) {
diff --git a/src/tree_data.h b/src/tree_data.h
index 1be2aff54..9277bbe89 100644
--- a/src/tree_data.h
+++ b/src/tree_data.h
@@ -1003,10 +1003,11 @@ struct lyd_node_opaq {
 struct lyd_leafref_links_rec {
     const struct lyd_node_term *node;           /** pointer to the data node itself */
     const struct lyd_node_term **leafref_nodes; /** list of the leafref pointing to this data node [sized array](@ref sizedarrays)),
-                                                    By default it is empty. It is filled automatically by validation
-                                                    function of leafref nodes. It can also be populated based on manual request
-                                                    using [link api](@ref lyd_link_leafref_node_tree). Freeing of the resources
-                                                    is automatic. */
+                                                    By default it is empty. It is filled automatically by validation function of
+                                                    leafref nodes, which are valid and are not using 'require-instance false'.
+                                                    It can also be populated based on manual request using
+                                                    [link api](@ref lyd_leafref_link_node_tree). Freeing of the resources is
+                                                    automatic. */
     const struct lyd_node_term *target_node;    /** pointer to leafref target data node, by default is NULL. The logic
                                                     is the same as for [leafref_nodes](@ref leafref_nodes) and is filled only
                                                     for leafrefs */
@@ -2727,7 +2728,7 @@ LIBYANG_API_DECL LY_ERR ly_time_ts2str(const struct timespec *ts, char **str);
  * @return LY_SUCCESS on success.
  * @return LY_ERR value on error.
  */
-LIBYANG_API_DECL LY_ERR lyd_get_leafref_links(const struct lyd_node_term *node, struct lyd_leafref_links_rec **record);
+LIBYANG_API_DECL LY_ERR lyd_leafref_get_links(const struct lyd_node_term *node, const struct lyd_leafref_links_rec **record);
 
 /**
  * @brief Traverse through data tree including root node siblings and adds leafrefs links to the given nodes
@@ -2738,7 +2739,7 @@ LIBYANG_API_DECL LY_ERR lyd_get_leafref_links(const struct lyd_node_term *node,
  * @return LY_SUCCESS on success.
  * @return LY_ERR value on error.
  */
-LIBYANG_API_DECL LY_ERR lyd_link_leafref_node_tree(const struct lyd_node *tree);
+LIBYANG_API_DECL LY_ERR lyd_leafref_link_node_tree(const struct lyd_node *tree);
 
 #ifdef __cplusplus
 }
diff --git a/src/tree_data_free.c b/src/tree_data_free.c
index 790022ff9..100cf4954 100644
--- a/src/tree_data_free.c
+++ b/src/tree_data_free.c
@@ -148,7 +148,7 @@ lyd_free_leafref_links_rec(struct lyd_leafref_links_rec *rec)
 
     /* remove stored leafref nodes */
     LY_ARRAY_FOR(rec->leafref_nodes, u) {
-        if (lyd_get_leafref_links(rec->leafref_nodes[u], &leafref_rec) == LY_SUCCESS) {
+        if (lyd_get_or_create_leafref_links_record(rec->leafref_nodes[u], &leafref_rec, 0) == LY_SUCCESS) {
             leafref_rec->target_node = NULL;
             if ((LY_ARRAY_COUNT(leafref_rec->leafref_nodes) == 0) && (leafref_rec->target_node == NULL)) {
                 lyd_free_leafref_nodes(rec->leafref_nodes[u]);
@@ -172,7 +172,7 @@ lyd_free_leafref_nodes(const struct lyd_node_term *node)
 
     assert(node);
 
-    if (lyd_get_leafref_links(node, &rec) != LY_SUCCESS) {
+    if (lyd_get_or_create_leafref_links_record(node, &rec, 0) != LY_SUCCESS) {
         return;
     }
 
diff --git a/src/tree_data_internal.h b/src/tree_data_internal.h
index 244c6f835..d63959122 100644
--- a/src/tree_data_internal.h
+++ b/src/tree_data_internal.h
@@ -605,6 +605,17 @@ void lyd_free_leafref_links_rec(struct lyd_leafref_links_rec *rec);
  */
 void lyd_free_leafref_nodes(const struct lyd_node_term *node);
 
+/**
+ * @brief Gets or creates the leafref links record.
+ *
+ * @param[in] node The term data node.
+ * @param[out] record The leafref links record.
+ * @param[in] create Whether to create record if not exists.
+ * @return LY_SUCCESS on success.
+ * @return LY_ERR value on error.
+ */
+LY_ERR lyd_get_or_create_leafref_links_record(const struct lyd_node_term *node, struct lyd_leafref_links_rec **record, ly_bool create);
+
 /**
  * @brief Adds links between leafref adn data node.
  *
diff --git a/src/tree_edit.h b/src/tree_edit.h
index e9eb2cf1b..049bc026e 100644
--- a/src/tree_edit.h
+++ b/src/tree_edit.h
@@ -247,6 +247,7 @@ void *ly_realloc(void *ptr, size_t size);
                     memmove(&(ARRAY[index__]), &(ARRAY[LY_ARRAY_COUNT(ARRAY) - 1]), sizeof *(ARRAY)); \
                 } \
                 remove__ = 1; \
+                break; \
             } \
         } \
         if (remove__) { \
diff --git a/tests/utests/data/test_tree_data.c b/tests/utests/data/test_tree_data.c
index f451571fa..f022e3cff 100644
--- a/tests/utests/data/test_tree_data.c
+++ b/tests/utests/data/test_tree_data.c
@@ -598,7 +598,7 @@ test_data_leafref_nodes(void **state)
 {
     struct lyd_node *tree, *iter;
     struct lyd_node_term *target_node, *leafref_node;
-    struct lyd_leafref_links_rec *rec;
+    const struct lyd_leafref_links_rec *rec;
     const char *schema, *data, *value;
 
     ly_ctx_set_options(UTEST_LYCTX, LY_CTX_LEAFREF_LINKING);
@@ -649,36 +649,36 @@ test_data_leafref_nodes(void **state)
     }
 
     /* verify state after leafref plugin validation */
-    assert_int_equal(LY_SUCCESS, lyd_get_leafref_links(target_node, &rec));
+    assert_int_equal(LY_SUCCESS, lyd_leafref_get_links(target_node, &rec));
     assert_int_equal(1, LY_ARRAY_COUNT(rec->leafref_nodes));
-    assert_int_equal(LY_SUCCESS, lyd_get_leafref_links(leafref_node, &rec));
+    assert_int_equal(LY_SUCCESS, lyd_leafref_get_links(leafref_node, &rec));
     assert_ptr_equal(rec->target_node, target_node);
     /* value modification of target */
     assert_int_equal(LY_SUCCESS, lyd_change_term((struct lyd_node *)target_node, "ASD"));
-    assert_int_equal(LY_ENOTFOUND, lyd_get_leafref_links(target_node, &rec));
-    assert_int_equal(LY_ENOTFOUND, lyd_get_leafref_links(leafref_node, &rec));
+    assert_int_equal(LY_ENOTFOUND, lyd_leafref_get_links(target_node, &rec));
+    assert_int_equal(LY_ENOTFOUND, lyd_leafref_get_links(leafref_node, &rec));
     /* change back to original value */
     assert_int_equal(LY_SUCCESS, lyd_change_term((struct lyd_node *)target_node, "asd"));
-    assert_int_equal(LY_ENOTFOUND, lyd_get_leafref_links(target_node, &rec));
-    assert_int_equal(LY_ENOTFOUND, lyd_get_leafref_links(leafref_node, &rec));
+    assert_int_equal(LY_ENOTFOUND, lyd_leafref_get_links(target_node, &rec));
+    assert_int_equal(LY_ENOTFOUND, lyd_leafref_get_links(leafref_node, &rec));
     /* linking the whole tree again */
-    assert_int_equal(LY_SUCCESS, lyd_link_leafref_node_tree(tree));
-    assert_int_equal(LY_SUCCESS, lyd_get_leafref_links(target_node, &rec));
+    assert_int_equal(LY_SUCCESS, lyd_leafref_link_node_tree(tree));
+    assert_int_equal(LY_SUCCESS, lyd_leafref_get_links(target_node, &rec));
     assert_int_equal(1, LY_ARRAY_COUNT(rec->leafref_nodes));
-    assert_int_equal(LY_SUCCESS, lyd_get_leafref_links(leafref_node, &rec));
+    assert_int_equal(LY_SUCCESS, lyd_leafref_get_links(leafref_node, &rec));
     assert_ptr_equal(rec->target_node, target_node);
     /* value modification of leafref */
     assert_int_equal(LY_SUCCESS, lyd_change_term((struct lyd_node *)leafref_node, "qwe"));
-    assert_int_equal(LY_ENOTFOUND, lyd_get_leafref_links(target_node, &rec));
-    assert_int_equal(LY_ENOTFOUND, lyd_get_leafref_links(leafref_node, &rec));
+    assert_int_equal(LY_ENOTFOUND, lyd_leafref_get_links(target_node, &rec));
+    assert_int_equal(LY_ENOTFOUND, lyd_leafref_get_links(leafref_node, &rec));
     assert_int_equal(LY_SUCCESS, lyd_change_term((struct lyd_node *)leafref_node, "asd"));
-    assert_int_equal(LY_ENOTFOUND, lyd_get_leafref_links(target_node, &rec));
-    assert_int_equal(LY_ENOTFOUND, lyd_get_leafref_links(leafref_node, &rec));
+    assert_int_equal(LY_ENOTFOUND, lyd_leafref_get_links(target_node, &rec));
+    assert_int_equal(LY_ENOTFOUND, lyd_leafref_get_links(leafref_node, &rec));
     /* linking the whole tree again */
-    assert_int_equal(LY_SUCCESS, lyd_link_leafref_node_tree(tree));
-    assert_int_equal(LY_SUCCESS, lyd_get_leafref_links(target_node, &rec));
+    assert_int_equal(LY_SUCCESS, lyd_leafref_link_node_tree(tree));
+    assert_int_equal(LY_SUCCESS, lyd_leafref_get_links(target_node, &rec));
     assert_int_equal(1, LY_ARRAY_COUNT(rec->leafref_nodes));
-    assert_int_equal(LY_SUCCESS, lyd_get_leafref_links(leafref_node, &rec));
+    assert_int_equal(LY_SUCCESS, lyd_leafref_get_links(leafref_node, &rec));
     assert_ptr_equal(rec->target_node, target_node);
     /* freeing whole tree */
     lyd_free_all(tree);