diff --git a/src/confd/src/core.c b/src/confd/src/core.c
index 04652ca2..23f00e35 100644
--- a/src/confd/src/core.c
+++ b/src/confd/src/core.c
@@ -83,6 +83,11 @@ int sr_plugin_init_cb(sr_session_ctx_t *session, void **priv)
 	if (rc)
 		goto err;
 
+	/* Used by, e.g., ietf-interfaces, to update interfaces types */
+	rc = sr_session_start(confd.conn, SR_DS_CANDIDATE, &confd.cand);
+	if (rc)
+		goto err;
+
 	confd.aug = aug_init(NULL, "", 0);
 	if (!confd.aug)
 		goto err;
diff --git a/src/confd/src/core.h b/src/confd/src/core.h
index f016a21f..c9ebe6b2 100644
--- a/src/confd/src/core.h
+++ b/src/confd/src/core.h
@@ -64,6 +64,7 @@ static inline void print_val(sr_val_t *val)
 struct confd {
 	sr_session_ctx_t       *session; /* running datastore */
 	sr_session_ctx_t       *startup; /* startup datastore */
+	sr_session_ctx_t       *cand;    /* candidate datastore */
 	sr_conn_ctx_t          *conn;
 	sr_subscription_ctx_t  *sub;
 
diff --git a/src/confd/src/ietf-interfaces.c b/src/confd/src/ietf-interfaces.c
index 97dc8c9b..8e9b19d9 100644
--- a/src/confd/src/ietf-interfaces.c
+++ b/src/confd/src/ietf-interfaces.c
@@ -517,12 +517,9 @@ int ietf_interfaces_init(struct confd *confd)
 		goto fail;
 
 	REGISTER_CHANGE(confd->session, "ietf-interfaces", "/ietf-interfaces:interfaces", 0, ifchange, confd, &confd->sub);
-
-	sr_session_switch_ds(confd->session, SR_DS_CANDIDATE);
-	REGISTER_CHANGE(confd->session, "ietf-interfaces", "/ietf-interfaces:interfaces",
+	REGISTER_CHANGE(confd->cand, "ietf-interfaces", "/ietf-interfaces:interfaces",
 			SR_SUBSCR_UPDATE, ifchange_cand, confd, &confd->sub);
 
-	sr_session_switch_ds(confd->session, SR_DS_RUNNING);
 	return SR_ERR_OK;
 fail:
 	ERROR("init failed: %s", sr_strerror(rc));