diff --git a/.gitmodules b/.gitmodules
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..5bc4f061
--- /dev/null
+++ b/.gitmodules
@@ -0,0 +1,3 @@
+[submodule "deps/uthash"]
+	path = deps/uthash
+	url = https://github.com/troydhanson/uthash
diff --git a/CMakeLists.txt b/CMakeLists.txt
index 0b51c960..41804b96 100644
--- a/CMakeLists.txt
+++ b/CMakeLists.txt
@@ -8,6 +8,7 @@ set(CMAKE_LIBRARY_OUTPUT_DIRECTORY "${CMAKE_BINARY_DIR}/lib")
 
 include_directories(
     ${CMAKE_SOURCE_DIR}/src/
+    ${CMAKE_SOURCE_DIR}/deps/uthash/include/
 )
 
 # get sysrepo version
diff --git a/deps/uthash b/deps/uthash
new file mode 160000
index 00000000..44a66fe8
--- /dev/null
+++ b/deps/uthash
@@ -0,0 +1 @@
+Subproject commit 44a66fe8e008c0a7f1c5af96f4a4cdf304b8bc81
diff --git a/src/routing/rib/list.c b/src/routing/rib/list.c
index df2a696e..0220f7e5 100644
--- a/src/routing/rib/list.c
+++ b/src/routing/rib/list.c
@@ -9,67 +9,93 @@
 #include "rib.h"
 #include "rib/list.h"
 
-void rib_list_init(struct rib_list *ls)
+#include <utlist.h>
+
+static int rib_list_element_cmp(struct rib_list_element *e1, struct rib_list_element *e2);
+
+void rib_list_init(struct rib_list_element **head)
 {
-	ls->list = NULL;
-	ls->size = 0;
+	*head = NULL;
 }
 
-void rib_list_add(struct rib_list *ls, char *name, int af)
+void rib_list_add(struct rib_list_element **head, char *name, int af)
 {
-	struct rib *exists = rib_list_get(ls, name, af);
-	if (exists == NULL) {
-		struct rib *ptr = NULL;
-		ls->list = realloc(ls->list, sizeof(struct rib) * (unsigned) (ls->size + 1));
-		ptr = &ls->list[ls->size];
+	struct rib *found = NULL;
+	struct rib_list_element *new_rib = NULL;
+
+	found = rib_list_get(head, name, af);
+	if (!found) {
+		new_rib = xmalloc(sizeof(*new_rib));
+		new_rib->next = NULL;
 
-		rib_init(ptr);
-		rib_set_name(ptr, name);
-		rib_set_address_family(ptr, af);
+		rib_init(&new_rib->rib);
+		rib_set_name(&new_rib->rib, name);
+		rib_set_address_family(&new_rib->rib, af);
 
-		ls->size += 1;
+		LL_APPEND(*head, new_rib);
 	}
 }
 
-int rib_list_set_description(struct rib_list *ls, char *name, int af, const char *desc)
+int rib_list_set_description(struct rib_list_element **head, char *name, int af, const char *desc)
 {
-	struct rib *rib = rib_list_get(ls, name, af);
-	if (rib == NULL) {
-		return -1;
+	int error = 0;
+	struct rib *rib = NULL;
+
+	rib = rib_list_get(head, name, af);
+	if (rib) {
+		rib_set_description(rib, desc);
+	} else {
+		error = -1;
 	}
 
-	rib_set_description(rib, desc);
-	return 0;
+	return error;
 }
 
-int rib_list_set_default(struct rib_list *ls, char *name, int af, int def)
+int rib_list_set_default(struct rib_list_element **head, char *name, int af, int def)
 {
-	struct rib *rib = rib_list_get(ls, name, af);
-	if (rib == NULL) {
-		return -1;
+	int error = 0;
+	struct rib *rib = NULL;
+
+	rib = rib_list_get(head, name, af);
+	if (rib) {
+		rib_set_default(rib, def);
+	} else {
+		error = -1;
 	}
 
-	rib_set_default(rib, def);
-	return 0;
+	return error;
 }
 
-struct rib *rib_list_get(struct rib_list *ls, char *name, int af)
+struct rib *rib_list_get(struct rib_list_element **head, char *name, int af)
 {
-	for (size_t i = 0; i < ls->size; i++) {
-		struct rib *ptr = &ls->list[i];
-		if (strcmp(ptr->name, name) == 0 && ptr->address_family == af) {
-			return &ls->list[i];
-		}
+	struct rib_list_element *found = NULL;
+	struct rib_list_element find_element = {0};
+	struct rib *rib_ptr = NULL;
+
+	// setup find element
+	rib_set_name(&find_element.rib, name);
+
+	LL_SEARCH(*head, found, &find_element, rib_list_element_cmp);
+	if (found) {
+		rib_ptr = &found->rib;
 	}
-	return NULL;
+
+	return rib_ptr;
 }
 
-void rib_list_free(struct rib_list *ls)
+void rib_list_free(struct rib_list_element **head)
 {
-	if (ls->list) {
-		for (size_t i = 0; i < ls->size; i++) {
-			rib_free(&ls->list[i]);
-		}
-		FREE_SAFE(ls->list);
+	struct rib_list_element *iter = NULL, *tmp = NULL;
+
+	LL_FOREACH_SAFE(*head, iter, tmp)
+	{
+		LL_DELETE(*head, iter);
+		rib_free(&iter->rib);
 	}
 }
+
+static int rib_list_element_cmp(struct rib_list_element *e1, struct rib_list_element *e2)
+{
+	// return only eq/neq
+	return strcmp(e1->rib.name, e2->rib.name) == 0 && e1->rib.address_family == e2->rib.address_family;
+}
\ No newline at end of file
diff --git a/src/routing/rib/list.h b/src/routing/rib/list.h
index 78a32521..e645e273 100644
--- a/src/routing/rib/list.h
+++ b/src/routing/rib/list.h
@@ -3,16 +3,16 @@
 
 #include "rib.h"
 
-struct rib_list {
-	struct rib *list;
-	size_t size;
+struct rib_list_element {
+	struct rib rib;
+	struct rib_list_element *next;
 };
 
-void rib_list_init(struct rib_list *ls);
-void rib_list_add(struct rib_list *ls, char *name, int af);
-int rib_list_set_description(struct rib_list *ls, char *name, int af, const char *desc);
-int rib_list_set_default(struct rib_list *ls, char *name, int af, int def);
-struct rib *rib_list_get(struct rib_list *ls, char *name, int af);
-void rib_list_free(struct rib_list *ls);
+void rib_list_init(struct rib_list_element **head);
+void rib_list_add(struct rib_list_element **head, char *name, int af);
+int rib_list_set_description(struct rib_list_element **head, char *name, int af, const char *desc);
+int rib_list_set_default(struct rib_list_element **head, char *name, int af, int def);
+struct rib *rib_list_get(struct rib_list_element **head, char *name, int af);
+void rib_list_free(struct rib_list_element **head);
 
 #endif // ROUTING_RIB_LIST_H
diff --git a/src/routing/routing.c b/src/routing/routing.c
index a2d5f72f..5e06b5b9 100644
--- a/src/routing/routing.c
+++ b/src/routing/routing.c
@@ -19,6 +19,8 @@
 #include <sysrepo.h>
 #include <sysrepo/xpath.h>
 
+#include <utlist.h>
+
 #include "route/next_hop.h"
 #include "routing.h"
 #include "rib.h"
@@ -79,10 +81,10 @@ static int routing_rpc_active_route_cb(sr_session_ctx_t *session, uint32_t subsc
 // initial loading into the datastore
 static int routing_load_data(sr_session_ctx_t *session);
 static int routing_load_ribs(sr_session_ctx_t *session, struct lyd_node *routing_container_node);
-static int routing_collect_ribs(struct nl_cache *routes_cache, struct rib_list *ribs);
-static int routing_collect_routes(struct nl_cache *routes_cache, struct nl_cache *link_cache, struct rib_list *ribs);
+static int routing_collect_ribs(struct nl_cache *routes_cache, struct rib_list_element **ribs_head);
+static int routing_collect_routes(struct nl_cache *routes_cache, struct nl_cache *link_cache, struct rib_list_element **ribs_head);
 static int routing_load_control_plane_protocols(sr_session_ctx_t *session, struct lyd_node *routing_container_node);
-static int routing_build_rib_descriptions(struct rib_list *ribs);
+static int routing_build_rib_descriptions(struct rib_list_element **ribs_head);
 static inline int routing_is_rib_known(int table);
 static int routing_build_protos_map(struct control_plane_protocol map[ROUTING_PROTOS_COUNT]);
 static inline int routing_is_proto_type_known(int type);
@@ -877,7 +879,10 @@ static int routing_oper_get_rib_routes_cb(sr_session_ctx_t *session, uint32_t su
 	struct nl_sock *socket = NULL;
 	struct nl_cache *cache = NULL;
 	struct nl_cache *link_cache = NULL;
-	struct rib_list ribs = {0};
+	struct rib_list_element *ribs_head = NULL, *ribs_iter = NULL;
+
+	// not needed -> set to NULL already
+	// rib_list_init(&ribs_head);
 
 	// temp buffers
 	char routes_buffer[PATH_MAX];
@@ -927,16 +932,17 @@ static int routing_oper_get_rib_routes_cb(sr_session_ctx_t *session, uint32_t su
 		goto error_out;
 	}
 
-	error = routing_collect_routes(cache, link_cache, &ribs);
+	error = routing_collect_routes(cache, link_cache, &ribs_head);
 	if (error != 0) {
 		goto error_out;
 	}
 
-	for (size_t hash_iter = 0; hash_iter < ribs.size; hash_iter++) {
+	LL_FOREACH(ribs_head, ribs_iter)
+	{
 		// create new routes container for every table
-		const struct route_list_hash *ROUTES_HASH = &ribs.list[hash_iter].routes;
-		const int ADDR_FAMILY = ribs.list[hash_iter].address_family;
-		const char *TABLE_NAME = ribs.list[hash_iter].name;
+		const struct route_list_hash *ROUTES_HASH = &ribs_iter->rib.routes;
+		const int ADDR_FAMILY = ribs_iter->rib.address_family;
+		const char *TABLE_NAME = ribs_iter->rib.name;
 		snprintf(routes_buffer, sizeof(routes_buffer), "%s[name='%s-%s']/routes", ROUTING_RIB_LIST_YANG_PATH, ADDR_FAMILY == AF_INET ? "ipv4" : "ipv6", TABLE_NAME);
 		ly_err = lyd_new_path(*parent, ly_ctx, routes_buffer, NULL, LYD_NEW_PATH_UPDATE, &routes_node);
 		if (ly_err != LY_SUCCESS) {
@@ -1135,7 +1141,7 @@ static int routing_oper_get_rib_routes_cb(sr_session_ctx_t *session, uint32_t su
 	error = SR_ERR_CALLBACK_FAILED;
 
 out:
-	rib_list_free(&ribs);
+	rib_list_free(&ribs_head);
 	nl_socket_free(socket);
 	nl_cache_free(cache);
 	nl_cache_free(link_cache);
@@ -1217,7 +1223,7 @@ static int routing_load_ribs(sr_session_ctx_t *session, struct lyd_node *routing
 	// libnl
 	struct nl_sock *socket = NULL;
 	struct nl_cache *cache = NULL;
-	struct rib_list ribs = {0};
+	struct rib_list_element *ribs_head = NULL, *ribs_iter = NULL;
 
 	// temp buffers
 	char list_buffer[PATH_MAX] = {0};
@@ -1229,7 +1235,7 @@ static int routing_load_ribs(sr_session_ctx_t *session, struct lyd_node *routing
 		goto error_out;
 	}
 
-	rib_list_init(&ribs);
+	// rib_list_init(&ribs_head);
 
 	socket = nl_socket_alloc();
 	if (socket == NULL) {
@@ -1261,7 +1267,7 @@ static int routing_load_ribs(sr_session_ctx_t *session, struct lyd_node *routing
 		goto error_out;
 	}
 
-	error = routing_collect_ribs(cache, &ribs);
+	error = routing_collect_ribs(cache, &ribs_head);
 	if (error != 0) {
 		goto error_out;
 	}
@@ -1274,8 +1280,9 @@ static int routing_load_ribs(sr_session_ctx_t *session, struct lyd_node *routing
 
 	// all RIBs loaded - add them to the initial config
 	struct rib *iter = NULL;
-	for (size_t i = 0; i < ribs.size; i++) {
-		iter = &ribs.list[i];
+	LL_FOREACH(ribs_head, ribs_iter)
+	{
+		iter = &ribs_iter->rib;
 		SRPLG_LOG_DBG(PLUGIN_NAME, "adding table %s to the list", iter->name);
 
 		// write the current adding table into the buffer
@@ -1309,14 +1316,14 @@ static int routing_load_ribs(sr_session_ctx_t *session, struct lyd_node *routing
 	error = -1;
 
 out:
-	rib_list_free(&ribs);
+	rib_list_free(&ribs_head);
 	nl_socket_free(socket);
 	nl_cache_free(cache);
 
 	return error;
 }
 
-static int routing_collect_ribs(struct nl_cache *routes_cache, struct rib_list *ribs)
+static int routing_collect_ribs(struct nl_cache *routes_cache, struct rib_list_element **ribs_head)
 {
 	int error = 0;
 	struct rtnl_route *route = NULL;
@@ -1333,18 +1340,18 @@ static int routing_collect_ribs(struct nl_cache *routes_cache, struct rib_list *
 		snprintf(name_buffer, sizeof(name_buffer), "%s-%s", af == AF_INET ? "ipv4" : "ipv6", table_buffer);
 
 		// add the table to the list and set properties
-		rib_list_add(ribs, table_buffer, af);
+		rib_list_add(ribs_head, table_buffer, af);
 
 		// default table is main (same as iproute2) - for both ipv4 and ipv6 addresses
 		if (strncmp(table_buffer, "main", sizeof("main") - 1) == 0) {
-			rib_list_set_default(ribs, table_buffer, af, 1);
+			rib_list_set_default(ribs_head, table_buffer, af, 1);
 		}
 
 		route = (struct rtnl_route *) nl_cache_get_next((struct nl_object *) route);
 	}
 
 	// after the list is finished -> build descriptions for all ribs
-	error = routing_build_rib_descriptions(ribs);
+	error = routing_build_rib_descriptions(ribs_head);
 	if (error != 0) {
 		goto error_out;
 	}
@@ -1358,7 +1365,7 @@ static int routing_collect_ribs(struct nl_cache *routes_cache, struct rib_list *
 	return error;
 }
 
-static int routing_collect_routes(struct nl_cache *routes_cache, struct nl_cache *link_cache, struct rib_list *ribs)
+static int routing_collect_routes(struct nl_cache *routes_cache, struct nl_cache *link_cache, struct rib_list_element **ribs_head)
 {
 	int error = 0;
 	struct rtnl_route *route = NULL;
@@ -1368,8 +1375,9 @@ static int routing_collect_routes(struct nl_cache *routes_cache, struct nl_cache
 	struct rtnl_link *iface = NULL;
 	int ifindex = 0;
 	char *if_name = NULL;
+	struct rib_list_element *ribs_iter = NULL;
 
-	error = routing_collect_ribs(routes_cache, ribs);
+	error = routing_collect_ribs(routes_cache, ribs_head);
 	if (error != 0) {
 		goto error_out;
 	}
@@ -1384,7 +1392,7 @@ static int routing_collect_routes(struct nl_cache *routes_cache, struct nl_cache
 		rtnl_route_table2str(table_id, table_buffer, sizeof(table_buffer));
 
 		// get the current RIB of the route
-		tmp_rib = rib_list_get(ribs, table_buffer, af);
+		tmp_rib = rib_list_get(ribs_head, table_buffer, af);
 		if (tmp_rib == NULL) {
 			error = -1;
 			goto error_out;
@@ -1440,8 +1448,9 @@ static int routing_collect_routes(struct nl_cache *routes_cache, struct nl_cache
 		route = (struct rtnl_route *) nl_cache_get_next((struct nl_object *) route);
 	}
 
-	for (size_t i = 0; i < ribs->size; i++) {
-		const struct route_list_hash *routes_hash = &ribs->list[i].routes;
+	LL_FOREACH(*ribs_head, ribs_iter)
+	{
+		const struct route_list_hash *routes_hash = &ribs_iter->rib.routes;
 		if (routes_hash->size) {
 			// iterate every "hash" and set the active value for the preferred route
 			for (size_t j = 0; j < routes_hash->size; j++) {
@@ -1777,11 +1786,12 @@ static int routing_load_control_plane_protocols(sr_session_ctx_t *session, struc
 	return error;
 }
 
-static int routing_build_rib_descriptions(struct rib_list *ribs)
+static int routing_build_rib_descriptions(struct rib_list_element **ribs_head)
 {
 	int error = 0;
 
 	char name_buffer[32 + 5] = {0};
+	struct rib_list_element *ribs_iter = NULL;
 
 	struct rib_description_pair default_descriptions[] = {
 		{"ipv4-main", "main routing table - normal routing table containing all non-policy routes (ipv4 only)"},
@@ -1793,8 +1803,9 @@ static int routing_build_rib_descriptions(struct rib_list *ribs)
 	};
 
 	// now iterate over each rib and set its description
-	for (size_t i = 0; i < ribs->size; i++) {
-		const struct rib *RIB = &ribs->list[i];
+	LL_FOREACH(*ribs_head, ribs_iter)
+	{
+		const struct rib *RIB = &ribs_iter->rib;
 		const int TABLE_ID = rtnl_route_str2table(RIB->name);
 
 		// for default, local and main add prefixes, for other use given names