diff --git a/ospf6d/ospf6_area.c b/ospf6d/ospf6_area.c
index 9fe077b544..713ce26ecb 100644
--- a/ospf6d/ospf6_area.c
+++ b/ospf6d/ospf6_area.c
@@ -379,22 +379,6 @@ void ospf6_area_show(struct vty *vty, struct ospf6_area *oa)
 		vty_out(vty, "SPF has not been run\n");
 }
 
-
-#define OSPF6_CMD_AREA_GET(str, oa)                                            \
-	{                                                                      \
-		char *ep;                                                      \
-		uint32_t area_id = htonl(strtoul(str, &ep, 10));               \
-		if (*ep && inet_pton(AF_INET, str, &area_id) != 1) {           \
-			vty_out(vty, "Malformed Area-ID: %s\n", str);          \
-			return CMD_SUCCESS;                                    \
-		}                                                              \
-		int format = !*ep ? OSPF6_AREA_FMT_DECIMAL                     \
-				  : OSPF6_AREA_FMT_DOTTEDQUAD;                 \
-		oa = ospf6_area_lookup(area_id, ospf6);                        \
-		if (oa == NULL)                                                \
-			oa = ospf6_area_create(area_id, ospf6, format);        \
-	}
-
 DEFUN (area_range,
        area_range_cmd,
        "area <A.B.C.D|(0-4294967295)> range X:X::X:X/M [<advertise|not-advertise|cost (0-16777215)>]",
diff --git a/ospf6d/ospf6_area.h b/ospf6d/ospf6_area.h
index 5648b1dfec..7ce6717fcc 100644
--- a/ospf6d/ospf6_area.h
+++ b/ospf6d/ospf6_area.h
@@ -117,6 +117,21 @@ struct ospf6_area {
 #define IS_AREA_TRANSIT(oa) (CHECK_FLAG ((oa)->flag, OSPF6_AREA_TRANSIT))
 #define IS_AREA_STUB(oa) (CHECK_FLAG ((oa)->flag, OSPF6_AREA_STUB))
 
+#define OSPF6_CMD_AREA_GET(str, oa)                                            \
+	{                                                                      \
+		char *ep;                                                      \
+		uint32_t area_id = htonl(strtoul(str, &ep, 10));               \
+		if (*ep && inet_pton(AF_INET, str, &area_id) != 1) {           \
+			vty_out(vty, "Malformed Area-ID: %s\n", str);          \
+			return CMD_SUCCESS;                                    \
+		}                                                              \
+		int format = !*ep ? OSPF6_AREA_FMT_DECIMAL                     \
+				  : OSPF6_AREA_FMT_DOTTEDQUAD;                 \
+		oa = ospf6_area_lookup(area_id, ospf6);                        \
+		if (oa == NULL)                                                \
+			oa = ospf6_area_create(area_id, ospf6, format);        \
+	}
+
 /* prototypes */
 extern int ospf6_area_cmp(void *va, void *vb);
 
diff --git a/ospf6d/ospf6_top.c b/ospf6d/ospf6_top.c
index dd672dd1c5..f49ea9add2 100644
--- a/ospf6d/ospf6_top.c
+++ b/ospf6d/ospf6_top.c
@@ -644,11 +644,12 @@ DEFUN (no_ospf6_distance_source,
 
 DEFUN (ospf6_interface_area,
        ospf6_interface_area_cmd,
-       "interface IFNAME area A.B.C.D",
+       "interface IFNAME area <A.B.C.D|(0-4294967295)>",
        "Enable routing on an IPv6 interface\n"
        IFNAME_STR
        "Specify the OSPF6 area ID\n"
        "OSPF6 area ID in IPv4 address notation\n"
+       "OSPF6 area ID in decimal notation\n"
       )
 {
 	VTY_DECLVAR_CONTEXT(ospf6, o);
@@ -657,7 +658,6 @@ DEFUN (ospf6_interface_area,
 	struct ospf6_area *oa;
 	struct ospf6_interface *oi;
 	struct interface *ifp;
-	uint32_t area_id;
 
 	/* find/create ospf6 interface */
 	ifp = if_get_by_name(argv[idx_ifname]->arg, VRF_DEFAULT);
@@ -671,15 +671,7 @@ DEFUN (ospf6_interface_area,
 	}
 
 	/* parse Area-ID */
-	if (inet_pton(AF_INET, argv[idx_ipv4]->arg, &area_id) != 1) {
-		vty_out(vty, "Invalid Area-ID: %s\n", argv[idx_ipv4]->arg);
-		return CMD_SUCCESS;
-	}
-
-	/* find/create ospf6 area */
-	oa = ospf6_area_lookup(area_id, o);
-	if (oa == NULL)
-		oa = ospf6_area_create(area_id, o, OSPF6_AREA_FMT_DOTTEDQUAD);
+	OSPF6_CMD_AREA_GET(argv[idx_ipv4]->arg, oa);
 
 	/* attach interface to area */
 	listnode_add(oa->if_list, oi); /* sort ?? */
@@ -703,12 +695,13 @@ DEFUN (ospf6_interface_area,
 
 DEFUN (no_ospf6_interface_area,
        no_ospf6_interface_area_cmd,
-       "no interface IFNAME area A.B.C.D",
+       "no interface IFNAME area <A.B.C.D|(0-4294967295)>",
        NO_STR
        "Disable routing on an IPv6 interface\n"
        IFNAME_STR
        "Specify the OSPF6 area ID\n"
        "OSPF6 area ID in IPv4 address notation\n"
+       "OSPF6 area ID in decimal notation\n"
        )
 {
 	int idx_ifname = 2;
@@ -731,10 +724,8 @@ DEFUN (no_ospf6_interface_area,
 	}
 
 	/* parse Area-ID */
-	if (inet_pton(AF_INET, argv[idx_ipv4]->arg, &area_id) != 1) {
-		vty_out(vty, "Invalid Area-ID: %s\n", argv[idx_ipv4]->arg);
-		return CMD_SUCCESS;
-	}
+	if (inet_pton(AF_INET, argv[idx_ipv4]->arg, &area_id) != 1)
+		area_id = htonl(strtoul(argv[idx_ipv4]->arg, NULL, 10));
 
 	/* Verify Area */
 	if (oi->area == NULL) {