diff --git a/vslib/vpp/SwitchVpp.h b/vslib/vpp/SwitchVpp.h
index 9f41724d..b0687b35 100644
--- a/vslib/vpp/SwitchVpp.h
+++ b/vslib/vpp/SwitchVpp.h
@@ -425,7 +425,10 @@ namespace saivs
 
             std::map<sai_object_id_t, std::shared_ptr<IpVrfInfo>> vrf_objMap;
             bool nbr_env_read = false;
-            bool nbr_active = false;
+            // nbr_active is true by default, can be set to false by env var NO_LINUX_NL = n.
+            // If false, it will rely on linux_nl_plugin to sync ip to VPP.
+            // no neighbor entries will be added to vpp from SAI
+            bool nbr_active = true;
             std::map<std::string, std::string> m_intf_prefix_map;
             std::unordered_map<std::string, uint32_t> lpbInstMap;
             std::unordered_map<std::string, std::string> lpbIpToHostIfMap;
diff --git a/vslib/vpp/SwitchVppNbr.cpp b/vslib/vpp/SwitchVppNbr.cpp
index 1a320f4e..8bf84cb9 100644
--- a/vslib/vpp/SwitchVppNbr.cpp
+++ b/vslib/vpp/SwitchVppNbr.cpp
@@ -140,8 +140,8 @@ bool SwitchVpp::is_ip_nbr_active()
         const char *val;
 
         val = getenv("NO_LINUX_NL");
-        if (val && (*val == 'y' || *val == 'Y')) {
-            nbr_active = true;
+        if (val && (*val == 'n' || *val == 'N')) {
+            nbr_active = false;
         }
         nbr_env_read = true;
     }