cmd = cmd };
+	struct genl_family *gf;
 	struct nl_writer nw;
 
+	gf = genl_family(family_id);
 	if (!nl_writer_group(&nw, NLMSG_SMALL, NETLINK_GENERIC, CTRL_GROUP_ID,
 	    0, false)) {
 		NL_LOG(LOG_DEBUG, "error allocating group writer");
@@ -306,6 +321,7 @@ nlctrl_notify(void *arg __unused, const struct genl_family *gf, int cmd)
 }
 
 static const struct nlhdr_parser *all_parsers[] = { &genl_parser };
+static eventhandler_tag family_event_tag;
 
 static void
 genl_load_all(void *u __unused)
@@ -338,30 +354,6 @@ SX_SYSINIT(genl_lock, &sx_lock, "genetlink lock");
 #define	GENL_ASSERT_LOCKED()	sx_assert(&sx_lock, SA_LOCKED)
 #define	GENL_ASSERT_XLOCKED()	sx_assert(&sx_lock, SA_XLOCKED)
 
-static struct genl_family *
-find_family(const char *family_name)
-{
-	GENL_ASSERT_LOCKED();
-	for (u_int i = 0; i < MAX_FAMILIES; i++)
-		if (families[i].family_name != NULL &&
-		    strcmp(families[i].family_name, family_name) == 0)
-			return (&families[i]);
-
-	return (NULL);
-}
-
-static struct genl_family *
-find_empty_family_id(const char *family_name)
-{
-	GENL_ASSERT_LOCKED();
-	/* Microoptimization: index 0 is reserved for the control family */
-	for (u_int i = 1; i < MAX_FAMILIES; i++)
-		if (families[i].family_name == NULL)
-			return (&families[i]);
-
-	return (NULL);
-}
-
 uint16_t
 genl_register_family(const char *family_name, size_t hdrsize,
     uint16_t family_version, uint16_t max_attr_idx)
@@ -369,13 +361,21 @@ genl_register_family(const char *family_name, size_t hdrsize,
 	struct genl_family *gf;
 	uint16_t family_id;
 
+	MPASS(family_name != NULL);
+
 	GENL_LOCK();
-	if (find_family(family_name) != NULL) {
-		GENL_UNLOCK();
-		return (0);
-	}
+	for (u_int i = 0; i < MAX_FAMILIES; i++)
+		if (families[i].family_name != NULL &&
+		    strcmp(families[i].family_name, family_name) == 0)
+			return (0);
 
-	gf = find_empty_family_id(family_name);
+	/* Microoptimization: index 0 is reserved for the control family. */
+	gf = NULL;
+	for (u_int i = 1; i < MAX_FAMILIES; i++)
+		if (families[i].family_name == NULL) {
+			gf = &families[i];
+			break;
+		}
 	KASSERT(gf, ("%s: maximum of %u generic netlink families allocated",
 	    __func__, MAX_FAMILIES));
 
@@ -385,30 +385,27 @@ genl_register_family(const char *family_name, size_t hdrsize,
 	    .family_hdrsize = hdrsize,
 	    .family_attr_max = max_attr_idx,
 	};
-	family_id = genl_get_family_id(gf);
+	family_id = genl_family_id(gf);
 	GENL_UNLOCK();
 
 	NL_LOG(LOG_DEBUG2, "Registered family %s id %d", gf->family_name,
 	    family_id);
-	EVENTHANDLER_INVOKE(genl_family_event, gf, CTRL_CMD_NEWFAMILY);
+	EVENTHANDLER_INVOKE(genl_family_event, gf->family_name, family_id,
+	    CTRL_CMD_NEWFAMILY);
 
 	return (family_id);
 }
 
-static void
-free_family(struct genl_family *gf)
+void
+genl_unregister_family(uint16_t family_id)
 {
-	if (gf->family_cmds != NULL)
-		free(gf->family_cmds, M_NETLINK);
-}
+	struct genl_family *gf;
 
-/*
- * unregister groups of a given family
- */
-static void
-unregister_groups(const struct genl_family *gf)
-{
+	GENL_LOCK();
+	gf = genl_family(family_id);
 
+	EVENTHANDLER_INVOKE(genl_family_event, gf->family_name,
+	    family_id, CTRL_CMD_DELFAMILY);
 	for (u_int i = 0; i < MAX_GROUPS; i++) {
 		struct genl_group *gg = &groups[i];
 		if (gg->group_family == gf && gg->group_name != NULL) {
@@ -416,44 +413,21 @@ unregister_groups(const struct genl_family *gf)
 			gg->group_name = NULL;
 		}
 	}
-}
-
-/*
- * Can sleep, I guess
- */
-bool
-genl_unregister_family(const char *family_name)
-{
-	bool found = false;
-
-	GENL_LOCK();
-	struct genl_family *gf = find_family(family_name);
-
-	if (gf != NULL) {
-		EVENTHANDLER_INVOKE(genl_family_event, gf, CTRL_CMD_DELFAMILY);
-		found = true;
-		unregister_groups(gf);
-		/* TODO: zero pointer first */
-		free_family(gf);
-		bzero(gf, sizeof(*gf));
-	}
+	if (gf->family_cmds != NULL)
+		free(gf->family_cmds, M_NETLINK);
+	bzero(gf, sizeof(*gf));
 	GENL_UNLOCK();
-
-	return (found);
 }
 
 bool
-genl_register_cmds(const char *family_name, const struct genl_cmd *cmds,
-    int count)
+genl_register_cmds(uint16_t family_id, const struct genl_cmd *cmds,
+    u_int count)
 {
 	struct genl_family *gf;
 	uint16_t cmd_size;
 
 	GENL_LOCK();
-	if ((gf = find_family(family_name)) == NULL) {
-		GENL_UNLOCK();
-		return (false);
-	}
+	gf = genl_family(family_id);
 
 	cmd_size = gf->family_cmd_size;
 
@@ -490,33 +464,23 @@ genl_register_cmds(const char *family_name, const struct genl_cmd *cmds,
 	return (true);
 }
 
-static struct genl_group *
-find_group(const struct genl_family *gf, const char *group_name)
-{
-	for (u_int i = 0; i < MAX_GROUPS; i++) {
-		struct genl_group *gg = &groups[i];
-		if (gg->group_family == gf &&
-		    !strcmp(gg->group_name, group_name))
-			return (gg);
-	}
-	return (NULL);
-}
-
 uint32_t
-genl_register_group(const char *family_name, const char *group_name)
+genl_register_group(uint16_t family_id, const char *group_name)
 {
 	struct genl_family *gf;
 	uint32_t group_id = 0;
 
-	MPASS(family_name != NULL);
 	MPASS(group_name != NULL);
 
 	GENL_LOCK();
-	if ((gf = find_family(family_name)) == NULL ||
-	    find_group(gf, group_name) != NULL) {
-		GENL_UNLOCK();
-		return (0);
-	}
+	gf = genl_family(family_id);
+
+	for (u_int i = 0; i < MAX_GROUPS; i++)
+		if (groups[i].group_family == gf &&
+		    strcmp(groups[i].group_name, group_name) == 0) {
+			GENL_UNLOCK();
+			return (0);
+		}
 
 	/* Microoptimization: index 0 is reserved for the control family */
 	for (u_int i = 1; i < MAX_GROUPS; i++) {
@@ -533,29 +497,3 @@ genl_register_group(const char *family_name, const char *group_name)
 
 	return (group_id);
 }
-
-/* accessors */
-struct genl_family *
-genl_get_family(uint16_t family_id)
-{
-	return ((family_id < MAX_FAMILIES) ? &families[family_id] : NULL);
-}
-
-const char *
-genl_get_family_name(const struct genl_family *gf)
-{
-	return (gf->family_name);
-}
-
-uint16_t
-genl_get_family_id(const struct genl_family *gf)
-{
-	MPASS(gf >= &families[0] && gf < &families[MAX_FAMILIES]);
-	return ((uint16_t)(gf - &families[0]) + GENL_MIN_ID);
-}
-
-struct genl_group *
-genl_get_group(uint32_t group_id)
-{
-	return ((group_id < MAX_GROUPS) ? &groups[group_id] : NULL);
-}
diff --git a/sys/netlink/netlink_sysevent.c b/sys/netlink/netlink_sysevent.c
index c955ce2e8b45..09e7e50a7409 100644
--- a/sys/netlink/netlink_sysevent.c
+++ b/sys/netlink/netlink_sysevent.c
@@ -45,7 +45,7 @@ _DECLARE_DEBUG(LOG_INFO);
 
 MALLOC_DEFINE(M_NLSE, "nlsysevent", "Memory used for Netlink sysevent");
 #define	NLSE_FAMILY_NAME	"nlsysevent"
-static uint32_t ctrl_family_id;
+static uint16_t ctrl_family_id;
 
 #define MAX_SYSEVENT_GROUPS	64
 static struct sysevent_group {
@@ -118,7 +118,8 @@ sysevent_new_group(size_t index, const char *name)
 		return;
 	}
 	sysevent_groups[index].name = strdup(name, M_NLSE);
-	sysevent_groups[index].id = genl_register_group(NLSE_FAMILY_NAME, sysevent_groups[index].name);
+	sysevent_groups[index].id = genl_register_group(ctrl_family_id,
+	    sysevent_groups[index].name);
 }
 
 static struct sysevent_group *
@@ -171,7 +172,7 @@ static void
 nlsysevent_unload(void)
 {
 	devctl_unset_notify_hook();
-	genl_unregister_family(NLSE_FAMILY_NAME);
+	genl_unregister_family(ctrl_family_id);
 	for (size_t i = 0; i < MAX_SYSEVENT_GROUPS; i++) {
 		if (sysevent_groups[i].name == NULL)
 			break;
diff --git a/sys/netlink/netlink_var.h b/sys/netlink/netlink_var.h
index ce10a303f9f7..a59cb2efecd0 100644
--- a/sys/netlink/netlink_var.h
+++ b/sys/netlink/netlink_var.h
@@ -138,10 +138,6 @@ void nl_set_source_metadata(struct mbuf *m, int num_messages);
 struct nl_buf *nl_buf_alloc(size_t len, int mflag);
 void nl_buf_free(struct nl_buf *nb);
 
-/* netlink_generic.c */
-struct genl_family *genl_get_family(uint16_t family_id);
-struct genl_group *genl_get_group(uint32_t group_id);
-
 #define	MAX_FAMILIES	20
 #define	MAX_GROUPS	64
 
diff --git a/sys/netpfil/pf/pf_nl.c b/sys/netpfil/pf/pf_nl.c
index c0f722b1fd18..737e9cf8cab8 100644
--- a/sys/netpfil/pf/pf_nl.c
+++ b/sys/netpfil/pf/pf_nl.c
@@ -1858,7 +1858,7 @@ static const struct nlhdr_parser *all_parsers[] = {
 	&table_parser,
 };
 
-static int family_id;
+static uint16_t family_id;
 
 static const struct genl_cmd pf_cmds[] = {
 	{
@@ -2051,11 +2051,11 @@ pf_nl_register(void)
 	NL_VERIFY_PARSERS(all_parsers);
 
 	family_id = genl_register_family(PFNL_FAMILY_NAME, 0, 2, PFNL_CMD_MAX);
-	genl_register_cmds(PFNL_FAMILY_NAME, pf_cmds, nitems(pf_cmds));
+	genl_register_cmds(family_id, pf_cmds, nitems(pf_cmds));
 }
 
 void
 pf_nl_unregister(void)
 {
-	genl_unregister_family(PFNL_FAMILY_NAME);
+	genl_unregister_family(family_id);
 }
diff --git a/sys/netpfil/pf/pflow.c b/sys/netpfil/pf/pflow.c
index 8741d55b622c..ae9d162bb6bf 100644
--- a/sys/netpfil/pf/pflow.c
+++ b/sys/netpfil/pf/pflow.c
@@ -1783,11 +1783,11 @@ static const struct nlhdr_parser *all_parsers[] = {
 
 static unsigned		pflow_do_osd_jail_slot;
 
+static uint16_t family_id;
 static int
 pflow_init(void)
 {
 	bool ret;
-	int family_id __diagused;
 
 	NL_VERIFY_PARSERS(all_parsers);
 
@@ -1796,10 +1796,10 @@ pflow_init(void)
 	};
 	pflow_do_osd_jail_slot = osd_jail_register(NULL, methods);
 
-	family_id = genl_register_family(PFLOWNL_FAMILY_NAME, 0, 2, PFLOWNL_CMD_MAX);
+	family_id = genl_register_family(PFLOWNL_FAMILY_NAME, 0, 2,
+	    PFLOWNL_CMD_MAX);
 	MPASS(family_id != 0);
-	ret = genl_register_cmds(PFLOWNL_FAMILY_NAME, pflow_cmds,
-	    nitems(pflow_cmds));
+	ret = genl_register_cmds(family_id, pflow_cmds, nitems(pflow_cmds));
 
 	return (ret ? 0 : ENODEV);
 }
@@ -1808,7 +1808,7 @@ static void
 pflow_uninit(void)
 {
 	osd_jail_deregister(pflow_do_osd_jail_slot);
-	genl_unregister_family(PFLOWNL_FAMILY_NAME);
+	genl_unregister_family(family_id);
 }
 
 static int
diff --git a/sys/rpc/clnt_nl.c b/sys/rpc/clnt_nl.c
index 177566232cb5..90d159907d3c 100644
--- a/sys/rpc/clnt_nl.c
+++ b/sys/rpc/clnt_nl.c
@@ -167,8 +167,7 @@ rpcnl_init(void)
 
 	rpcnl_family_id = genl_register_family(rpcnl_family_name, 0, 1, 1);
 	MPASS(rpcnl_family_id != 0);
-	rv = genl_register_cmds(rpcnl_family_name, clnt_cmds,
-	   nitems(clnt_cmds));
+	rv = genl_register_cmds(rpcnl_family_id, clnt_cmds, nitems(clnt_cmds));
 	MPASS(rv);
 	rw_init(&rpcnl_global_lock, rpcnl_family_name);
 }
@@ -185,7 +184,7 @@ client_nl_create(const char *name, const rpcprog_t program,
 	uint32_t group;
 	bool rv __diagused;
 
-	if ((group = genl_register_group(rpcnl_family_name, name)) == 0)
+	if ((group = genl_register_group(rpcnl_family_id, name)) == 0)
 		return (NULL);
 
 	nl = malloc(sizeof(*nl), M_RPC, M_WAITOK);
diff --git a/sys/tests/ktest.c b/sys/tests/ktest.c
index 694e1f4229b5..640710f2b89e 100644
--- a/sys/tests/ktest.c
+++ b/sys/tests/ktest.c
@@ -360,18 +360,17 @@ static const struct genl_cmd ktest_cmds[] = {
 	},
 };
 
+static int family_id;
 static void
 ktest_nl_register(void)
 {
 	bool ret __diagused;
-	int family_id __diagused;
 
 	NL_VERIFY_PARSERS(all_parsers);
 	family_id = genl_register_family(KTEST_FAMILY_NAME, 0, 1, KTEST_CMD_MAX);
 	MPASS(family_id != 0);
 
-	ret = genl_register_cmds(KTEST_FAMILY_NAME, ktest_cmds,
-	    nitems(ktest_cmds));
+	ret = genl_register_cmds(family_id, ktest_cmds, nitems(ktest_cmds));
 	MPASS(ret);
 }
 
@@ -380,7 +379,7 @@ ktest_nl_unregister(void)
 {
 	MPASS(TAILQ_EMPTY(&module_list));
 
-	genl_unregister_family(KTEST_FAMILY_NAME);
+	genl_unregister_family(family_id);
 }
 
 static int