diff --git a/src/confd/src/ietf-system.c b/src/confd/src/ietf-system.c
index 2630f5f2..364e0390 100644
--- a/src/confd/src/ietf-system.c
+++ b/src/confd/src/ietf-system.c
@@ -309,38 +309,6 @@ fail:
 	return rc;
 }
 
-int sr_get_bool(sr_session_ctx_t *session, const char *fmt, ...)
-{
-	sr_val_t *val = NULL;
-	char *xpath;
-	va_list ap;
-	int rc = 0;
-	int len;
-
-	va_start(ap, fmt);
-	len = vsnprintf(NULL, 0, fmt, ap) + 1;
-	va_end(ap);
-
-	xpath = alloca(len);
-	if (!xpath)
-		goto fail;
-
-	va_start(ap, fmt);
-	vsnprintf(xpath, len, fmt, ap);
-	va_end(ap);
-
-	if (sr_get_item(session, xpath, 0, &val))
-		goto fail;
-	if (!val || val->type != SR_BOOL_T)
-		goto fail;
-
-	rc = val->data.bool_val;
-fail:
-	if (val)
-		sr_free_val(val);
-	return rc;
-}
-
 #define TIMEZONE_CONF "/etc/timezone"
 #define TIMEZONE_PREV TIMEZONE_CONF "-"
 #define TIMEZONE_NEXT TIMEZONE_CONF "+"
@@ -436,7 +404,7 @@ static int change_ntp(sr_session_ctx_t *session, uint32_t sub_id, const char *mo
 		remove(CHRONY_PREV);
 		rename(CHRONY_CONF, CHRONY_PREV);
 		rename(CHRONY_NEXT, CHRONY_CONF);
-		if (!sr_get_bool(session, "/ietf-system:system/ntp/enabled")) {
+		if (srx_get_bool(session, "/ietf-system:system/ntp/enabled") == 0) {
 			systemf("initctl -nbq disable chronyd");
 			return SR_ERR_OK;
 		}
@@ -495,9 +463,9 @@ static int change_ntp(sr_session_ctx_t *session, uint32_t sub_id, const char *mo
 		}
 
 		if (server) {
-			if (sr_get_bool(session, "%s/iburst", xpath))
+			if (srx_get_bool(session, "%s/iburst", xpath) > 0)
 				fprintf(fp, " iburst");
-			if (sr_get_bool(session, "%s/prefer", xpath))
+			if (srx_get_bool(session, "%s/prefer", xpath) > 0)
 				fprintf(fp, " prefer");
 
 			fprintf(fp, "\n");
diff --git a/src/confd/src/srx_val.c b/src/confd/src/srx_val.c
index 00091d9f..48515949 100644
--- a/src/confd/src/srx_val.c
+++ b/src/confd/src/srx_val.c
@@ -1,37 +1,68 @@
 /* SPDX-License-Identifier: BSD-3-Clause */
 
+#include <stdarg.h>
 #include "core.h"
 
-char *srx_get_str(sr_session_ctx_t *session, const char *fmt, ...)
+static int srx_vaget(sr_session_ctx_t *session, const char *fmt, va_list ap, sr_val_t **val, sr_val_type_t type)
 {
-	char *str = NULL;
-	sr_val_t *val;
+	va_list apdup;
 	char *xpath;
-	va_list ap;
 	int len;
 
-	va_start(ap, fmt);
-	len = vsnprintf(NULL, 0, fmt, ap) + 1;
-	va_end(ap);
+	va_copy(apdup, ap);
+	len = vsnprintf(NULL, 0, fmt, apdup) + 1;
+	va_end(apdup);
 
 	xpath = alloca(len);
 	if (!xpath)
-		return NULL;
+		return -1;
+
+	va_copy(apdup, ap);
+	vsnprintf(xpath, len, fmt, apdup);
+	va_end(apdup);
+
+	if (sr_get_item(session, xpath, 0, val)) {
+		ERROR("Failed reading xpath %s", xpath);
+		return -1;
+	}
+
+	if (type != SR_UNKNOWN_T && (*val)->type != type)
+		return -1;
+
+	return 0;
+}
+
+int srx_get_bool(sr_session_ctx_t *session, const char *fmt, ...)
+{
+	sr_val_t *val = NULL;
+	int result = -1;
+	va_list ap;
 
 	va_start(ap, fmt);
-	vsnprintf(xpath, len, fmt, ap);
-	va_end(ap);
-
-	if (sr_get_item(session, xpath, 0, &val)) {
-		ERROR("Failed reading string value from xpath %s", xpath);
-		goto fail;
-	}
-	if (!val || val->type != SR_STRING_T)
+	if (srx_vaget(session, fmt, ap, &val, SR_BOOL_T))
 		goto fail;
 
-	str = strdup(val->data.string_val);
+	result = val->data.bool_val;
+	sr_free_val(val);
 fail:
-	if (val)
-		sr_free_val(val);
+	va_end(ap);
+	return result;
+}
+
+
+char *srx_get_str(sr_session_ctx_t *session, const char *fmt, ...)
+{
+	sr_val_t *val = NULL;
+	char *str = NULL;
+	va_list ap;
+
+	va_start(ap, fmt);
+	if (srx_vaget(session, fmt, ap, &val, SR_STRING_T))
+		goto fail;
+
+	str = sr_val_to_str(val);
+	sr_free_val(val);
+fail:
+	va_end(ap);
 	return str;
 }
diff --git a/src/confd/src/srx_val.h b/src/confd/src/srx_val.h
index ae57aea1..da72b4f2 100644
--- a/src/confd/src/srx_val.h
+++ b/src/confd/src/srx_val.h
@@ -6,6 +6,7 @@
 
 #include "core.h"
 
-char *srx_get_str(sr_session_ctx_t *session, const char *fmt, ...);
+char *srx_get_str  (sr_session_ctx_t *session, const char *fmt, ...);
+int   srx_get_bool (sr_session_ctx_t *session, const char *fmt, ...);
 
 #endif /* CONFD_SRX_VAL_H_ */