diff --git a/examples/gnrc_networking/udp.c b/examples/gnrc_networking/udp.c
index ada54e569e..c22a26a202 100644
--- a/examples/gnrc_networking/udp.c
+++ b/examples/gnrc_networking/udp.c
@@ -39,6 +39,7 @@ static gnrc_netreg_entry_t server = GNRC_NETREG_ENTRY_INIT_PID(GNRC_NETREG_DEMUX
 static void send(char *addr_str, char *port_str, char *data, unsigned int num,
                  unsigned int delay)
 {
+    gnrc_netif_t *netif;
     int iface;
     uint16_t port;
     ipv6_addr_t addr;
@@ -46,7 +47,10 @@ static void send(char *addr_str, char *port_str, char *data, unsigned int num,
     /* get interface, if available */
     iface = ipv6_addr_split_iface(addr_str);
     if ((iface < 0) && (gnrc_netif_numof() == 1)) {
-        iface = gnrc_netif_iter(NULL)->pid;
+        netif = gnrc_netif_iter(NULL);
+    }
+    else {
+        netif = gnrc_netif_get_by_pid(iface);
     }
     /* parse destination address */
     if (ipv6_addr_from_str(&addr, addr_str) == NULL) {
@@ -86,11 +90,11 @@ static void send(char *addr_str, char *port_str, char *data, unsigned int num,
             return;
         }
         /* add netif header, if interface was given */
-        if (iface > 0) {
-            gnrc_pktsnip_t *netif = gnrc_netif_hdr_build(NULL, 0, NULL, 0);
+        if (netif != NULL) {
+            gnrc_pktsnip_t *netif_hdr = gnrc_netif_hdr_build(NULL, 0, NULL, 0);
 
-            ((gnrc_netif_hdr_t *)netif->data)->if_pid = (kernel_pid_t)iface;
-            LL_PREPEND(ip, netif);
+            gnrc_netif_hdr_set_netif(netif_hdr->data, netif);
+            LL_PREPEND(ip, netif_hdr);
         }
         /* send packet */
         if (!gnrc_netapi_dispatch_send(GNRC_NETTYPE_UDP, GNRC_NETREG_DEMUX_CTX_ALL, ip)) {
diff --git a/examples/gnrc_networking_mac/udp.c b/examples/gnrc_networking_mac/udp.c
index cb6d16835d..710ecfc5f9 100644
--- a/examples/gnrc_networking_mac/udp.c
+++ b/examples/gnrc_networking_mac/udp.c
@@ -38,6 +38,7 @@ static gnrc_netreg_entry_t server = GNRC_NETREG_ENTRY_INIT_PID(GNRC_NETREG_DEMUX
 static void send(char *addr_str, char *port_str, char *data, unsigned int num,
                  unsigned int delay)
 {
+    gnrc_netif_t *netif;
     int iface;
     uint16_t port;
     ipv6_addr_t addr;
@@ -45,7 +46,10 @@ static void send(char *addr_str, char *port_str, char *data, unsigned int num,
     /* get interface, if available */
     iface = ipv6_addr_split_iface(addr_str);
     if ((iface < 0) && (gnrc_netif_numof() == 1)) {
-        iface = gnrc_netif_iter(NULL)->pid;
+        netif = gnrc_netif_iter(NULL);
+    }
+    else {
+        netif = gnrc_netif_get_by_pid(iface);
     }
     /* parse destination address */
     if (ipv6_addr_from_str(&addr, addr_str) == NULL) {
@@ -85,11 +89,11 @@ static void send(char *addr_str, char *port_str, char *data, unsigned int num,
             return;
         }
         /* add netif header, if interface was given */
-        if (iface > 0) {
-            gnrc_pktsnip_t *netif = gnrc_netif_hdr_build(NULL, 0, NULL, 0);
+        if (netif != NULL) {
+            gnrc_pktsnip_t *netif_hdr = gnrc_netif_hdr_build(NULL, 0, NULL, 0);
 
-            ((gnrc_netif_hdr_t *)netif->data)->if_pid = (kernel_pid_t)iface;
-            LL_PREPEND(ip, netif);
+            gnrc_netif_hdr_set_netif(netif_hdr->data, netif);
+            LL_PREPEND(ip, netif_hdr);
         }
         /* send packet */
         if (!gnrc_netapi_dispatch_send(GNRC_NETTYPE_UDP, GNRC_NETREG_DEMUX_CTX_ALL, ip)) {
diff --git a/tests/gnrc_ipv6_fwd_w_sub/main.c b/tests/gnrc_ipv6_fwd_w_sub/main.c
index 12583fc9ba..36ccd81fb9 100644
--- a/tests/gnrc_ipv6_fwd_w_sub/main.c
+++ b/tests/gnrc_ipv6_fwd_w_sub/main.c
@@ -131,12 +131,10 @@ static gnrc_pktsnip_t *_build_recvd_pkt(void)
 {
     gnrc_pktsnip_t *netif;
     gnrc_pktsnip_t *pkt;
-    gnrc_netif_hdr_t *netif_hdr;
 
     netif = gnrc_netif_hdr_build(NULL, 0, NULL, 0);
     assert(netif);
-    netif_hdr = netif->data;
-    netif_hdr->if_pid = _mock_netif->pid;
+    gnrc_netif_hdr_set_netif(netif->data, _mock_netif);
     pkt = gnrc_pktbuf_add(netif, _l2_payload, sizeof(_l2_payload),
                           GNRC_NETTYPE_IPV6);
     assert(pkt);
diff --git a/tests/gnrc_sixlowpan/main.c b/tests/gnrc_sixlowpan/main.c
index 6a327333a8..4ab6e29a85 100644
--- a/tests/gnrc_sixlowpan/main.c
+++ b/tests/gnrc_sixlowpan/main.c
@@ -141,7 +141,7 @@ static void _send_packet(void)
 
     gnrc_netif_hdr_init(&(netif_hdr.netif_hdr), 8, 8);
 
-    netif_hdr.netif_hdr.if_pid = netif->pid;
+    gnrc_netif_hdr_set_netif(&netif_hdr.netif_hdr, netif);
 
     uint8_t data1[] = {
         /* 6LoWPAN Header */
diff --git a/tests/gnrc_udp/udp.c b/tests/gnrc_udp/udp.c
index 2cad2a6497..1689ddbe87 100644
--- a/tests/gnrc_udp/udp.c
+++ b/tests/gnrc_udp/udp.c
@@ -82,6 +82,7 @@ static void *_eventloop(void *arg)
 static void send(char *addr_str, char *port_str, char *data_len_str, unsigned int num,
                  unsigned int delay)
 {
+    gnrc_netif_t *netif;
     int iface;
     char *conversion_end;
     uint16_t port;
@@ -91,7 +92,10 @@ static void send(char *addr_str, char *port_str, char *data_len_str, unsigned in
     /* get interface, if available */
     iface = ipv6_addr_split_iface(addr_str);
     if ((iface < 0) && (gnrc_netif_numof() == 1)) {
-        iface = gnrc_netif_iter(NULL)->pid;
+        netif = gnrc_netif_iter(NULL);
+    }
+    else {
+        netif = gnrc_netif_get_by_pid(iface);
     }
     /* parse destination address */
     if (ipv6_addr_from_str(&addr, addr_str) == NULL) {
@@ -135,16 +139,16 @@ static void send(char *addr_str, char *port_str, char *data_len_str, unsigned in
             return;
         }
         /* add netif header, if interface was given */
-        if (iface > 0) {
-            gnrc_pktsnip_t *netif = gnrc_netif_hdr_build(NULL, 0, NULL, 0);
+        if (netif != NULL) {
+            gnrc_pktsnip_t *netif_hdr = gnrc_netif_hdr_build(NULL, 0, NULL, 0);
 
             if(netif == NULL) {
                 puts("Error: unable to allocate NETIF header");
                 gnrc_pktbuf_release(ip);
                 return;
             }
-            ((gnrc_netif_hdr_t *)netif->data)->if_pid = (kernel_pid_t)iface;
-            LL_PREPEND(ip, netif);
+            gnrc_netif_hdr_set_netif(netif_hdr->data, netif);
+            LL_PREPEND(ip, netif_hdr);
         }
         /* send packet */
         if (!gnrc_netapi_dispatch_send(GNRC_NETTYPE_UDP, GNRC_NETREG_DEMUX_CTX_ALL, ip)) {