diff --git a/apps/restconf/restconf_main_native.c b/apps/restconf/restconf_main_native.c
index db55112b..888be1fe 100644
--- a/apps/restconf/restconf_main_native.c
+++ b/apps/restconf/restconf_main_native.c
@@ -951,6 +951,7 @@ restconf_native_terminate(clicon_handle h)
 
 /*! Query backend of config.
  * Loop to wait for backend starting, try again if not done 
+ * @param[in]  h         Clixon handle
  * @param[out] xrestconf XML restconf config, malloced (if retval = 1)
  * @retval     1         OK  (and xrestconf set)
  * @retval     0         Fail - no config
diff --git a/example/main/example_backend.c b/example/main/example_backend.c
index 4ad282d3..a78d97b1 100644
--- a/example/main/example_backend.c
+++ b/example/main/example_backend.c
@@ -42,7 +42,7 @@
   *  -i  read state file on init not by request for optimization (requires -sS <file>)
   *  -u  enable upgrade function - auto-upgrade testing
   *  -U  general-purpose upgrade
-  *  -t  enable transaction logging (cal syslog for every transaction)
+  *  -t  enable transaction logging (call syslog for every transaction)
   *  -v <xpath> Failing validate and commit if <xpath> is present (synthetic error)
  */
 #include <stdio.h>
@@ -67,7 +67,7 @@
 #include <clixon/clixon_backend.h> 
 
 /* Command line options to be passed to getopt(3) */
-#define BACKEND_EXAMPLE_OPTS "a:rsS:x:iuUt:v:"
+#define BACKEND_EXAMPLE_OPTS "a:rsS:x:iuUtv:"
 
 /*! Yang action
  * Start backend with -- -a <instance-id>
@@ -132,13 +132,6 @@ static int _general_upgrade = 0;
  */
 static int _transaction_log = 0;
 
-/*! Variable to control transaction logging (for debug)
- * If set, call syslog for every transaction callback 
- * Start backend with -- -v <xpath>
- */
-static char *_validate_fail_xpath = NULL;
-static int   _validate_fail_toggle = 0; /* fail at validate and commit */
-
 /* forward */
 static int example_stream_timer_setup(clicon_handle h);
 
@@ -158,14 +151,6 @@ main_validate(clicon_handle    h,
 {
     if (_transaction_log)
 	transaction_log(h, td, LOG_NOTICE, __FUNCTION__);
-    if (_validate_fail_xpath){
-	if (_validate_fail_toggle==0 &&
-	    xpath_first(transaction_target(td), NULL, "%s", _validate_fail_xpath)){
-	    _validate_fail_toggle = 1; /* toggle if triggered */
-	    clicon_err(OE_XML, 0, "User error");
-	    return -1; /* induce fail */
-	}
-    }
     return 0;
 }
 
@@ -193,15 +178,6 @@ main_commit(clicon_handle    h,
     if (_transaction_log)
 	transaction_log(h, td, LOG_NOTICE, __FUNCTION__);
 
-    if (_validate_fail_xpath){
-	if (_validate_fail_toggle==1 &&
-	    xpath_first(transaction_target(td), NULL, "%s", _validate_fail_xpath)){
-	    _validate_fail_toggle = 0; /* toggle if triggered */
-	    clicon_err(OE_XML, 0, "User error");
-	    return -1; /* induce fail */
-	}
-    }
-
     /* Create namespace context for xpath */
     if ((nsc = xml_nsctx_init(NULL, "urn:ietf:params:xml:ns:yang:ietf-interfaces")) == NULL)
 	goto done;
@@ -1333,9 +1309,6 @@ clixon_plugin_init(clicon_handle h)
 	case 't': /* transaction log */
 	    _transaction_log = 1;
 	    break;
-	case 'v': /* validate fail */
-	    _validate_fail_xpath = optarg;
-	    break;
 	}
 
     if (_state_file){
diff --git a/example/main/example_backend_nacm.c b/example/main/example_backend_nacm.c
index 9c3c71d1..b61c16d3 100644
--- a/example/main/example_backend_nacm.c
+++ b/example/main/example_backend_nacm.c
@@ -68,7 +68,7 @@
 static int _transaction_log = 0;
 
 /*! Variable to control transaction logging (for debug)
- * If set, call syslog for every transaction callback 
+ * XPath to trigger validation error 
  * Start backend with -- -v <xpath>
  */
 static char *_validate_fail_xpath = NULL;
diff --git a/lib/clixon/clixon_yang.h b/lib/clixon/clixon_yang.h
index 78dae6ce..c51cd979 100644
--- a/lib/clixon/clixon_yang.h
+++ b/lib/clixon/clixon_yang.h
@@ -262,7 +262,6 @@ int        yang_spec_dump(yang_stmt *yspec, int debuglevel);
 int        if_feature(yang_stmt *yspec, char *module, char *feature);
 int        ys_populate(yang_stmt *ys, void *arg);
 int        ys_populate2(yang_stmt *ys, void *arg);
-int        yang_if_feature_parse(char *str, yang_stmt *ys, int linenum, int *enabled);
 int        yang_apply(yang_stmt *yn, enum rfc_6020 key, yang_applyfn_t fn, int from, void *arg);
 int        yang_datanode(yang_stmt *ys);
 int        yang_abs_schema_nodeid(yang_stmt *ys, char *schema_nodeid, yang_stmt **yres);
diff --git a/lib/src/Makefile.in b/lib/src/Makefile.in
index 10d32f3a..f300cf7b 100644
--- a/lib/src/Makefile.in
+++ b/lib/src/Makefile.in
@@ -76,7 +76,8 @@ SRC     = clixon_sig.c clixon_uid.c clixon_log.c clixon_err.c clixon_event.c \
 	  clixon_string.c clixon_regex.c clixon_handle.c clixon_file.c \
 	  clixon_xml.c clixon_xml_io.c clixon_xml_sort.c clixon_xml_map.c clixon_xml_vec.c \
 	  clixon_xml_bind.c clixon_json.c clixon_proc.c \
-	  clixon_yang.c clixon_yang_type.c clixon_yang_module.c clixon_yang_parse_lib.c \
+	  clixon_yang.c clixon_yang_type.c clixon_yang_module.c \
+	  clixon_yang_parse_lib.c clixon_yang_parse_sub.c \
           clixon_yang_cardinality.c clixon_xml_changelog.c clixon_xml_nsctx.c \
 	  clixon_path.c clixon_validate.c \
 	  clixon_hash.c clixon_options.c clixon_data.c clixon_plugin.c \
diff --git a/lib/src/clixon_if_feature_parse.y b/lib/src/clixon_if_feature_parse.y
index 3348b471..d04175a8 100644
--- a/lib/src/clixon_if_feature_parse.y
+++ b/lib/src/clixon_if_feature_parse.y
@@ -58,7 +58,7 @@
 %token <string> TOKEN
 %token SEP
 
-%type <number> iffactor ifexpr
+%type <number> if_feature_factor if_feature_expr
 
 %start top
 
@@ -167,38 +167,40 @@ if_feature_check(char      *str,
  
 %%
 
-top        : ifexpr MY_EOF
+/* See RFC 7950 Sec 14 if-feature-expr-str */
+top        : if_feature_expr MY_EOF
                     {
-			_PARSE_DEBUG("top->expr");
+			_PARSE_DEBUG("top->if-feature-expr");
 			_IF->if_enabled = $1;
 			YYACCEPT;
 		    }
            ;
 
-ifexpr     : iffactor sep1 OR sep1 ifexpr
+if_feature_expr     : if_feature_factor sep1 OR sep1 if_feature_expr
                     {
-			_PARSE_DEBUG("expr->factor sep OR sep expr");
+			_PARSE_DEBUG("if-feature-expr->if-feature-factor sep OR sep expr");
 			$$ = $1 || $5;
 		    }
-           | iffactor sep1 AND sep1 ifexpr
+           | if_feature_factor sep1 AND sep1 if_feature_expr
 	            {
-			_PARSE_DEBUG("expr->factor sep AND sep expr");
+			_PARSE_DEBUG("if-feature-expr->if-feature-factor sep AND sep if-feature-expr");
 			$$ = $1 && $5;
 		    }
-           | iffactor
+           | if_feature_factor
 	            {
-			_PARSE_DEBUG("expr->factor");
+			_PARSE_DEBUG("if-feature-expr->if-feature-factor");
 			$$ = $1;
 		    }
            ;
 
-iffactor   : NOT sep1 iffactor     { _PARSE_DEBUG("factor-> NOT sep factor");
-		                     $$ = !$3; }
-           | '(' optsep ifexpr optsep ')'
-		                   { _PARSE_DEBUG("factor-> ( optsep expr optsep )");
+if_feature_factor   : NOT sep1 if_feature_factor
+                              { _PARSE_DEBUG("if-feature-factor-> NOT sep if-feature-factor");
+				  $$ = !$3; }
+           | '(' optsep if_feature_expr optsep ')'
+		                   { _PARSE_DEBUG("if-feature-factor-> ( optsep if-feature-expr optsep )");
 		                     $$ = $3; }
            | TOKEN                 {
-	       _PARSE_DEBUG("factor->TOKEN");
+	       _PARSE_DEBUG("if-feature-factor-> TOKEN");
 	       if (_IF->if_ys == NULL) $$ = 0;
 	       else if (($$ = if_feature_check($1, _IF->if_ys)) < 0) {
 		   free($1);
diff --git a/lib/src/clixon_yang.c b/lib/src/clixon_yang.c
index 8c926fc1..27f42374 100644
--- a/lib/src/clixon_yang.c
+++ b/lib/src/clixon_yang.c
@@ -59,7 +59,6 @@
 #include <sys/stat.h>
 #include <sys/param.h>
 #include <netinet/in.h>
-#include <libgen.h>
 
 /* cligen */
 #include <cligen/cligen.h>
@@ -80,8 +79,8 @@
 #include "clixon_plugin.h"
 #include "clixon_data.h"
 #include "clixon_options.h"
-#include "clixon_if_feature_parse.h"
 #include "clixon_yang_parse.h"
+#include "clixon_yang_parse_sub.h"
 #include "clixon_yang_parse_lib.h"
 #include "clixon_yang_cardinality.h"
 #include "clixon_yang_type.h"
@@ -2783,44 +2782,6 @@ ys_populate2(yang_stmt    *ys,
     return retval;
 }
 
-/*! Invoke yang if-feature sub-parser on string
- *
- * @param[in]  str      If-feature-expr string
- * @param[in]  ys       Yang if-feature statement
- * @param[in]  linenum  Line number context
- * @param[out] enabled  0: Disabled, 1: Enabled
- * @retval     0        OK
- * @retval    -1        Error
- */
-int
-yang_if_feature_parse(char      *str,
-		      yang_stmt *ys,
-		      int        linenum,
-		      int       *enabled)
-{
-    int                    retval = -1;
-    clixon_if_feature_yacc ife = {0,};
-
-    clicon_debug(2, "%s %s", __FUNCTION__, str);
-    ife.if_parse_string = str;
-    ife.if_linenum = linenum;
-    ife.if_ys = ys;
-    if (clixon_if_feature_parsel_init(&ife) < 0)
-	goto done;
-    if (clixon_if_feature_parseparse(&ife) != 0) { /* yacc returns 1 on error */
-	clicon_log(LOG_NOTICE, "If-feature error: line %d", ife.if_linenum);
-	if (clicon_errno == 0)
-	    clicon_err(OE_JSON, 0, "If-feature parser error with no error code (should not happen)");
-	goto done;
-    }
-    if (enabled)
-	*enabled = ife.if_enabled;
-    retval = 0;
- done:
-    clixon_if_feature_parsel_exit(&ife);
-    return retval;
-}
-
 /*! Find feature and if-feature nodes, check features and remove disabled nodes
  * @param[in] h   Clixon handle
  * @param[in] yt  Yang statement
@@ -2829,7 +2790,7 @@ yang_if_feature_parse(char      *str,
  * @retval    1   OK
  * @note On return 1 the over-lying function need to remove yt from its parent
  * @note cannot use yang_apply here since child-list is modified (destructive) 
- * @note if-feature syntax is restricted to single, and, or, syntax, such as "a or b"
+ * @note if-features is parsed in full context here, previous restricted pass in ys_parse_sub
  */
 int
 yang_features(clicon_handle h,
@@ -2845,7 +2806,7 @@ yang_features(clicon_handle h,
     while (i<yt->ys_len){
 	ys = yt->ys_stmt[i];
 	if (ys->ys_keyword == Y_IF_FEATURE){
-	    /* Parse the if-feature-expr string */
+	    /* Parse the if-feature-expr string using yang sub-parser */
 	    ret = 0;
 	    if (yang_if_feature_parse(yang_argument_get(ys), ys, 1, &ret) < 0)
 		goto done;
diff --git a/lib/src/clixon_yang_parse.y b/lib/src/clixon_yang_parse.y
index 3a387b07..e778479e 100644
--- a/lib/src/clixon_yang_parse.y
+++ b/lib/src/clixon_yang_parse.y
@@ -69,6 +69,7 @@
 %type <string>    string
 %type <string>    integer_value_str
 %type <string>    identifier_ref
+%type <string>    if_feature_expr_str
 %type <string>    abs_schema_nodeid
 %type <string>    desc_schema_nodeid_strs
 %type <string>    desc_schema_nodeid_str
@@ -688,9 +689,18 @@ feature_substmt : if_feature_stmt    { _PARSE_DEBUG("feature-substmt -> if-featu
               ;
 
 /* if-feature-stmt = if-feature-keyword sep if-feature-expr-str */
-if_feature_stmt : K_IF_FEATURE string stmtend 
+if_feature_stmt : K_IF_FEATURE if_feature_expr_str stmtend 
 		{ if (ysp_add(_yy, Y_IF_FEATURE, $2, NULL) == NULL) _YYERROR("if_feature_stmt"); 
-                            _PARSE_DEBUG("if-feature-stmt -> IF-FEATURE identifier-ref-arg-str"); }
+                            _PARSE_DEBUG("if-feature-stmt -> IF-FEATURE if-feature-expr-str"); }
+              ;
+
+/* a string that matches the rule if-feature-expr
+ * @see yang_if_feature_parse
+ */
+if_feature_expr_str : string
+                  { $$=$1;
+		  _PARSE_DEBUG("if-feature-expr-str -> string that matches the rule if-feature-expr");
+		  }
               ;
 
 /* Typedef */
diff --git a/lib/src/clixon_yang_parse_lib.c b/lib/src/clixon_yang_parse_lib.c
index a456a930..255972f9 100644
--- a/lib/src/clixon_yang_parse_lib.c
+++ b/lib/src/clixon_yang_parse_lib.c
@@ -66,8 +66,6 @@
 #include <sys/types.h>
 #include <fcntl.h>
 #include <syslog.h>
-#include <assert.h>
-#include <libgen.h>
 #include <sys/stat.h>
 #include <sys/param.h>
 #include <netinet/in.h>
@@ -99,6 +97,7 @@
 #include "clixon_yang_cardinality.h"
 #include "clixon_plugin.h"
 #include "clixon_yang_internal.h"
+#include "clixon_yang_parse_sub.h"
 #include "clixon_yang_parse_lib.h"
 
 /* Size of json read buffer when reading from file*/
@@ -1961,6 +1960,7 @@ ys_parse_sub(yang_stmt *ys,
     case Y_IF_FEATURE:
 	/* Invoke next level parser on if-feature-expr string. Note do not send ys since 
 	 * pass 1 is not yet resolved, only check syntax, actual feature check made in next pass
+	 * @see yang_features
 	 */
 	if (yang_if_feature_parse(yang_argument_get(ys), NULL, yang_linenum_get(ys), NULL) < 0)
 	    goto done;
diff --git a/lib/src/clixon_yang_parse_sub.c b/lib/src/clixon_yang_parse_sub.c
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..bf164930
--- /dev/null
+++ b/lib/src/clixon_yang_parse_sub.c
@@ -0,0 +1,95 @@
+/*
+ *
+  ***** BEGIN LICENSE BLOCK *****
+ 
+  Copyright (C) 2009-2019 Olof Hagsand
+  Copyright (C) 2020-2022 Olof Hagsand and Rubicon Communications, LLC(Netgate)
+
+  This file is part of CLIXON.
+
+  Licensed under the Apache License, Version 2.0 (the "License");
+  you may not use this file except in compliance with the License.
+  You may obtain a copy of the License at
+
+    http://www.apache.org/licenses/LICENSE-2.0
+
+  Unless required by applicable law or agreed to in writing, software
+  distributed under the License is distributed on an "AS IS" BASIS,
+  WITHOUT WARRANTIES OR CONDITIONS OF ANY KIND, either express or implied.
+  See the License for the specific language governing permissions and
+  limitations under the License.
+
+  Alternatively, the contents of this file may be used under the terms of
+  the GNU General Public License Version 3 or later (the "GPL"),
+  in which case the provisions of the GPL are applicable instead
+  of those above. If you wish to allow use of your version of this file only
+  under the terms of the GPL, and not to allow others to
+  use your version of this file under the terms of Apache License version 2, 
+  indicate your decision by deleting the provisions above and replace them with
+  the  notice and other provisions required by the GPL. If you do not delete
+  the provisions above, a recipient may use your version of this file under
+  the terms of any one of the Apache License version 2 or the GPL.
+
+  ***** END LICENSE BLOCK *****
+
+ * Sub-parsers to upper-level YANG parser: everything that is "stringified"
+  */
+
+#ifdef HAVE_CONFIG_H
+#include "clixon_config.h" /* generated by config & autoconf */
+#endif
+
+#include <stdio.h>
+#include <stdlib.h>
+#include <errno.h>
+#include <syslog.h>
+
+/* cligen */
+#include <cligen/cligen.h>
+
+/* clicon */
+#include "clixon_log.h"
+#include "clixon_err.h"
+#include "clixon_queue.h"
+#include "clixon_hash.h"
+#include "clixon_handle.h"
+#include "clixon_yang.h"
+#include "clixon_if_feature_parse.h"
+
+/*! Invoke yang if-feature sub-parser on string
+ *
+ * @param[in]  str      If-feature-expr string
+ * @param[in]  ys       Yang if-feature statement
+ * @param[in]  linenum  Line number context
+ * @param[out] enabled  0: Disabled, 1: Enabled
+ * @retval     0        OK
+ * @retval    -1        Error
+ */
+int
+yang_if_feature_parse(char      *str,
+		      yang_stmt *ys,
+		      int        linenum,
+		      int       *enabled)
+{
+    int                    retval = -1;
+    clixon_if_feature_yacc ife = {0,};
+
+    clicon_debug(2, "%s %s", __FUNCTION__, str);
+    ife.if_parse_string = str;
+    ife.if_linenum = linenum;
+    ife.if_ys = ys;
+    if (clixon_if_feature_parsel_init(&ife) < 0)
+	goto done;
+    if (clixon_if_feature_parseparse(&ife) != 0) { /* yacc returns 1 on error */
+	clicon_log(LOG_NOTICE, "If-feature error: line %d str:%s", ife.if_linenum, str);
+	if (clicon_errno == 0)
+	    clicon_err(OE_YANG, 0, "If-feature parser error with no error code (should not happen)");
+	goto done;
+    }
+    if (enabled)
+	*enabled = ife.if_enabled;
+    retval = 0;
+ done:
+    clixon_if_feature_parsel_exit(&ife);
+    return retval;
+}
diff --git a/lib/src/clixon_yang_parse_sub.h b/lib/src/clixon_yang_parse_sub.h
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..4e906635
--- /dev/null
+++ b/lib/src/clixon_yang_parse_sub.h
@@ -0,0 +1,44 @@
+/*
+  ***** BEGIN LICENSE BLOCK *****
+ 
+  Copyright (C) 2009-2019 Olof Hagsand
+  Copyright (C) 2020-2022 Olof Hagsand and Rubicon Communications, LLC(Netgate)
+
+  This file is part of CLIXON.
+
+  Licensed under the Apache License, Version 2.0 (the "License");
+  you may not use this file except in compliance with the License.
+  You may obtain a copy of the License at
+
+    http://www.apache.org/licenses/LICENSE-2.0
+
+  Unless required by applicable law or agreed to in writing, software
+  distributed under the License is distributed on an "AS IS" BASIS,
+  WITHOUT WARRANTIES OR CONDITIONS OF ANY KIND, either express or implied.
+  See the License for the specific language governing permissions and
+  limitations under the License.
+
+  Alternatively, the contents of this file may be used under the terms of
+  the GNU General Public License Version 3 or later (the "GPL"),
+  in which case the provisions of the GPL are applicable instead
+  of those above. If you wish to allow use of your version of this file only
+  under the terms of the GPL, and not to allow others to
+  use your version of this file under the terms of Apache License version 2, 
+  indicate your decision by deleting the provisions above and replace them with
+  the  notice and other provisions required by the GPL. If you do not delete
+  the provisions above, a recipient may use your version of this file under
+  the terms of any one of the Apache License version 2 or the GPL.
+
+  ***** END LICENSE BLOCK *****
+
+ * Sub-parsers to upper-level YANG parser: everything that is "stringified"
+ */
+#ifndef _CLIXON_YANG_PARSE_SUB_H_
+#define _CLIXON_YANG_PARSE_SUB_H_
+
+/*
+ * Prototypes
+ */
+int  yang_if_feature_parse(char *str, yang_stmt *ys, int linenum, int *enabled);
+
+#endif	/* _CLIXON_YANG_PARSER_SUB_H_ */
diff --git a/test/test_autocli_spec.sh b/test/test_autocli_spec.sh
index daedf830..63547c86 100755
--- a/test/test_autocli_spec.sh
+++ b/test/test_autocli_spec.sh
@@ -9,7 +9,7 @@ APPNAME=example
 # include err() and new() functions and creates $dir
 
 cfg=$dir/conf_yang.xml
-fspec=$dir/automode.cli
+clispec=$dir/automode.cli
 fin=$dir/in
 fstate=$dir/state.xml
 fyang=$dir/clixon-example.yang
@@ -65,7 +65,7 @@ module clixon-example2 {
 }
 EOF
 
-cat <<EOF > $fspec
+cat <<EOF > $clispec
 CLICON_MODE="example";
 CLICON_PROMPT="%U@%H %W> ";
 CLICON_PLUGIN="example_cli";
diff --git a/test/test_transaction.sh b/test/test_transaction.sh
index e12dea40..69c19fa0 100755
--- a/test/test_transaction.sh
+++ b/test/test_transaction.sh
@@ -98,7 +98,7 @@ function checklog(){
     if [ -z "$t" ]; then
 	echo -e "\e[31m\nError in Test$testnr [$testname]:"
 	if [ $# -gt 0 ]; then 
-	    echo "Not found in log"
+	    echo "Not found \"$s\" on line $l0"
 	    echo
 	fi
 	echo -e "\e[0m"
@@ -126,7 +126,7 @@ if [ $BE -ne 0 ]; then
 	err
     fi
     new "start backend  -s init -f $cfg -l f$flog -- -t -v /x/y[a=$errnr]"
-    start_backend -s init -f $cfg -l f$flog -- -t -v /x/y[a=$errnr] # -t means transaction logging
+    start_backend -s init -f $cfg -l f$flog -- -t -v "/x/y[a='$errnr']" # -t means transaction logging
 fi
 
 new "wait backend"