diff --git a/CHANGELOG.md b/CHANGELOG.md
index 0f77e025..2a76fabb 100644
--- a/CHANGELOG.md
+++ b/CHANGELOG.md
@@ -48,6 +48,7 @@ Expected: April
 
 Developers may need to change their code
 
+* Removed `yspec_free()` - replace with `ys_free()`
 * Removed `endtag` parameter of `clixon_xml_parse_file()`
 * Restconf authentication callback (ca_auth) signature changed (again)
   * Minor modification to 5.0 change: userp removed.
diff --git a/apps/backend/backend_main.c b/apps/backend/backend_main.c
index 7b81e252..96a12b46 100644
--- a/apps/backend/backend_main.c
+++ b/apps/backend/backend_main.c
@@ -113,11 +113,11 @@ backend_terminate(clicon_handle h)
     if ((x = clicon_xml_changelog_get(h)) != NULL)
 	xml_free(x);
     if ((yspec = clicon_dbspec_yang(h)) != NULL)
-	yspec_free(yspec);
+	ys_free(yspec);
     if ((yspec = clicon_config_yang(h)) != NULL)
-	yspec_free(yspec);
+	ys_free(yspec);
     if ((yspec = clicon_nacm_ext_yang(h)) != NULL)
-	yspec_free(yspec);
+	ys_free(yspec);
     if ((nsctx = clicon_nsctx_global_get(h)) != NULL)
 	cvec_free(nsctx);
     if ((x = clicon_nacm_ext(h)) != NULL)
diff --git a/apps/cli/cli_main.c b/apps/cli/cli_main.c
index 8e153502..f347cca1 100644
--- a/apps/cli/cli_main.c
+++ b/apps/cli/cli_main.c
@@ -169,9 +169,9 @@ cli_terminate(clicon_handle h)
 
     clicon_rpc_close_session(h);
     if ((yspec = clicon_dbspec_yang(h)) != NULL)
-	yspec_free(yspec);
+	ys_free(yspec);
     if ((yspec = clicon_config_yang(h)) != NULL)
-	yspec_free(yspec);
+	ys_free(yspec);
     if ((nsctx = clicon_nsctx_global_get(h)) != NULL)
 	cvec_free(nsctx);
     if ((x = clicon_conf_xml(h)) != NULL)
diff --git a/apps/netconf/netconf_main.c b/apps/netconf/netconf_main.c
index cf692481..fca359df 100644
--- a/apps/netconf/netconf_main.c
+++ b/apps/netconf/netconf_main.c
@@ -588,9 +588,9 @@ netconf_terminate(clicon_handle h)
     rpc_callback_delete_all(h);
     clicon_rpc_close_session(h);
     if ((yspec = clicon_dbspec_yang(h)) != NULL)
-	yspec_free(yspec);
+	ys_free(yspec);
     if ((yspec = clicon_config_yang(h)) != NULL)
-	yspec_free(yspec);
+	ys_free(yspec);
     if ((nsctx = clicon_nsctx_global_get(h)) != NULL)
 	cvec_free(nsctx);
     if ((x = clicon_conf_xml(h)) != NULL)
diff --git a/apps/restconf/restconf_lib.c b/apps/restconf/restconf_lib.c
index feca2264..c1d2e835 100644
--- a/apps/restconf/restconf_lib.c
+++ b/apps/restconf/restconf_lib.c
@@ -246,9 +246,9 @@ restconf_terminate(clicon_handle h)
     rpc_callback_delete_all(h);
     clicon_rpc_close_session(h);
     if ((yspec = clicon_dbspec_yang(h)) != NULL)
-	yspec_free(yspec);
+	ys_free(yspec);
     if ((yspec = clicon_config_yang(h)) != NULL)
-	yspec_free(yspec);
+	ys_free(yspec);
     if ((nsctx = clicon_nsctx_global_get(h)) != NULL)
 	cvec_free(nsctx);
     if ((x = clicon_conf_xml(h)) != NULL)
diff --git a/lib/clixon/clixon_yang.h b/lib/clixon/clixon_yang.h
index fa4bef0b..956ef74e 100644
--- a/lib/clixon/clixon_yang.h
+++ b/lib/clixon/clixon_yang.h
@@ -212,7 +212,6 @@ yang_stmt *ys_new(enum rfc_6020 keyw);
 yang_stmt *ys_prune(yang_stmt *yp, int i);
 
 int        ys_free(yang_stmt *ys);
-int        yspec_free(yang_stmt *yspec);
 int        ys_cp(yang_stmt *nw, yang_stmt *old);
 yang_stmt *ys_dup(yang_stmt *old);
 int        yn_insert(yang_stmt *ys_parent, yang_stmt *ys_child);
diff --git a/lib/src/clixon_yang.c b/lib/src/clixon_yang.c
index 46346e6b..7ff8e867 100644
--- a/lib/src/clixon_yang.c
+++ b/lib/src/clixon_yang.c
@@ -401,7 +401,7 @@ yang_when_nsc_set(yang_stmt *ys,
 /* End access functions */
 
 /*! Create new yang specification
- * @retval  yspec    Free with yspec_free() 
+ * @retval  yspec    Free with ys_free() 
  * @retval  NULL     Error
  */
 yang_stmt *
@@ -532,24 +532,6 @@ ys_free(yang_stmt *ys)
     return 0;
 }
 
-/*! Free a yang specification recursively 
- */
-int 
-yspec_free(yang_stmt *yspec)
-{
-    int i;
-    yang_stmt *ys;
-
-    for (i=0; i<yspec->ys_len; i++){
-	if ((ys = yspec->ys_stmt[i]) != NULL)
-	    ys_free(ys);
-    }
-    if (yspec->ys_stmt)
-	free(yspec->ys_stmt);
-    free(yspec);
-    return 0;
-}
-
 /*! Allocate larger yang statement vector adding empty field last */
 static int 
 yn_realloc(yang_stmt *yn)
diff --git a/util/clixon_util_datastore.c b/util/clixon_util_datastore.c
index 7d792031..65e611f2 100644
--- a/util/clixon_util_datastore.c
+++ b/util/clixon_util_datastore.c
@@ -345,7 +345,7 @@ main(int argc, char **argv)
     if (h)
 	clicon_handle_exit(h);
     if (yspec)
-	yspec_free(yspec);
+	ys_free(yspec);
     return retval;
 }
 
diff --git a/util/clixon_util_json.c b/util/clixon_util_json.c
index 4d31d7b7..389b27ca 100644
--- a/util/clixon_util_json.c
+++ b/util/clixon_util_json.c
@@ -155,7 +155,7 @@ main(int    argc,
     retval = 0;
  done:
     if (yspec)
-	yspec_free(yspec);
+	ys_free(yspec);
     if (xt)
 	xml_free(xt);
     if (cb)
diff --git a/util/clixon_util_path.c b/util/clixon_util_path.c
index d07f6bdb..f75a36da 100644
--- a/util/clixon_util_path.c
+++ b/util/clixon_util_path.c
@@ -286,7 +286,7 @@ main(int    argc,
     retval = 0;
  done:
     if (yspec != NULL)
-	yspec_free(yspec);
+	ys_free(yspec);
     if (cb)
 	cbuf_free(cb);
     if (xvec)
diff --git a/util/clixon_util_xml_mod.c b/util/clixon_util_xml_mod.c
index 074d6e4d..7347842c 100644
--- a/util/clixon_util_xml_mod.c
+++ b/util/clixon_util_xml_mod.c
@@ -298,7 +298,7 @@ main(int argc, char **argv)
     if (reason)
 	free(reason);
     if (yspec)
-	yspec_free(yspec);
+	ys_free(yspec);
     if (fd > 0)
 	close(fd);
     return retval;
diff --git a/util/clixon_util_yang.c b/util/clixon_util_yang.c
index 0236898c..7f7ea051 100644
--- a/util/clixon_util_yang.c
+++ b/util/clixon_util_yang.c
@@ -114,7 +114,7 @@ main(int argc, char **argv)
     yang_print(stdout, yspec);
  done:
     if (yspec)
-	yspec_free(yspec);
+	ys_free(yspec);
      return 0;
 }