diff --git a/apps/backend/backend_plugin.c b/apps/backend/backend_plugin.c
index a3c18d46..f9675a35 100644
--- a/apps/backend/backend_plugin.c
+++ b/apps/backend/backend_plugin.c
@@ -387,15 +387,9 @@ clixon_plugin_statedata_all(clicon_handle   h,
 	}
 	if (xml_sort_recurse(x) < 0)
 	    goto done;
-	/* Mark non-presence containers */
-	if (xml_apply(x, CX_ELMNT, xml_nopresence_default_mark, (void*)XML_FLAG_TRANSIENT) < 0)
+	/* Remove global defaults and empty non-presence containers */
+	if (xml_defaults_nopresence(x, 1) < 0)
 	    goto done;
-	/* Clear XML tree of defaults */
-	if (xml_tree_prune_flagged(x, XML_FLAG_TRANSIENT, 1) < 0)
-	    goto done;
-        /* clear mark and change */
-	xml_apply0(x, CX_ELMNT, (xml_applyfn_t*)xml_flag_reset,
-		   (void*)(0xffff));
 	if (xml_default_recurse(x, 1) < 0)
 	    goto done;
 	if ((ret = netconf_trymerge(x, yspec, xret)) < 0)
diff --git a/lib/clixon/clixon_xml_map.h b/lib/clixon/clixon_xml_map.h
index aa93d85d..cd60bd55 100644
--- a/lib/clixon/clixon_xml_map.h
+++ b/lib/clixon/clixon_xml_map.h
@@ -63,8 +63,7 @@ int xml_tree_prune_flags(cxobj *xt, int flags, int mask);
 int xml_namespace_change(cxobj *x, char *ns, char *prefix);
 int xml_default_recurse(cxobj *xn, int state);
 int xml_global_defaults(clicon_handle h, cxobj *xn, cvec *nsc, const char *xpath, yang_stmt *yspec, int state);
-int xml_nopresence_default(cxobj *xt);
-int xml_nopresence_default_mark(cxobj *x, void *arg);
+int xml_defaults_nopresence(cxobj *xn, int purge);
 int xml_sanity(cxobj *x, void  *arg);
 int xml_non_config_data(cxobj *xt, cxobj **xerr);
 int xml2xpath(cxobj *x, cvec *nsc, char **xpath);
diff --git a/lib/src/clixon_datastore_read.c b/lib/src/clixon_datastore_read.c
index 5e0c0ae8..72d8bbde 100644
--- a/lib/src/clixon_datastore_read.c
+++ b/lib/src/clixon_datastore_read.c
@@ -889,15 +889,8 @@ xmldb_get_cache(clicon_handle    h,
 	if (xml_apply(x1t, CX_ELMNT, (xml_applyfn_t*)xml_flag_reset, (void*)(XML_FLAG_MARK|XML_FLAG_CHANGE)) < 0)
 	    goto done;
     }
-    /* Remove global defaults from cache 
-     * Mark non-presence containers */
-    if (xml_apply(x0t, CX_ELMNT, xml_nopresence_default_mark, (void*)XML_FLAG_TRANSIENT) < 0)
-	goto done;
-    /* clear XML tree of defaults */
-    if (xml_tree_prune_flagged(x0t, XML_FLAG_DEFAULT, 1) < 0)
-	goto done;
-    /* Clear XML tree of defaults */
-    if (xml_tree_prune_flagged(x0t, XML_FLAG_TRANSIENT, 1) < 0)
+    /* Remove global defaults and empty non-presence containers */
+    if (xml_defaults_nopresence(x0t, 1) < 0)
 	goto done;
     if (yb != YB_NONE){
 	/* Add default global values */
@@ -1169,14 +1162,10 @@ xmldb_get0_clear(clicon_handle    h,
     
     if (x == NULL)
 	goto ok;
-    /* Mark non-presence containers */
-    if (xml_apply(x, CX_ELMNT, xml_nopresence_default_mark, (void*)XML_FLAG_TRANSIENT) < 0)
+    /* Remove global defaults and empty non-presence containers */
+    if (xml_defaults_nopresence(x, 1) < 0)
 	goto done;
-    /* Clear XML tree of defaults */
-    if (xml_tree_prune_flagged(x, XML_FLAG_TRANSIENT, 1) < 0)
-	goto done;
-
-    /* clear mark and change */
+    /* clear flags: mark and change */
     xml_apply0(x, CX_ELMNT, (xml_applyfn_t*)xml_flag_reset,
 	       (void*)(XML_FLAG_MARK|XML_FLAG_ADD|XML_FLAG_CHANGE));
  ok:
diff --git a/lib/src/clixon_datastore_write.c b/lib/src/clixon_datastore_write.c
index ac07dd8c..e05ea2fc 100644
--- a/lib/src/clixon_datastore_write.c
+++ b/lib/src/clixon_datastore_write.c
@@ -535,7 +535,7 @@ text_modify(clicon_handle       h,
 	goto fail;
     if (createstr != NULL &&
 	(op == OP_REPLACE || op == OP_MERGE || op == OP_CREATE)){
-	if (x0 == NULL || xml_nopresence_default(x0)){ /* does not exist or is default */
+	if (x0 == NULL || xml_defaults_nopresence(x0, 0)){ /* does not exist or is default */
 	    if (strcmp(createstr, "false")==0){
 		/* RFC 8040 4.6 PATCH:
 		 * If the target resource instance does not exist, the server MUST NOT create it. 
@@ -784,7 +784,7 @@ text_modify(clicon_handle       h,
 	switch(op){ 
 	case OP_CREATE:
 	    if (x0){
-		if (xml_nopresence_default(x0) == 0){
+		if (xml_defaults_nopresence(x0, 0) == 0){
 		    if (netconf_data_exists(cbret, "Data already exists; cannot create new resource") < 0)
 			goto done;
 		    goto fail;
@@ -1257,11 +1257,8 @@ xmldb_put(clicon_handle       h,
     if (xml_apply(x0, CX_ELMNT, (xml_applyfn_t*)xml_flag_reset, 
 		  (void*)(XML_FLAG_NONE|XML_FLAG_MARK)) < 0)
 	goto done;
-    /* Mark non-presence containers */
-    if (xml_apply(x0, CX_ELMNT, xml_nopresence_default_mark, (void*)XML_FLAG_TRANSIENT) < 0)
-	goto done;
-    /* Clear XML tree of defaults */
-    if (xml_tree_prune_flagged(x0, XML_FLAG_TRANSIENT, 1) < 0)
+    /* Remove global defaults and empty non-presence containers */
+    if (xml_defaults_nopresence(x0, 1) < 0)
 	goto done;
 #if 0 /* debug */
     if (xml_apply0(x0, -1, xml_sort_verify, NULL) < 0)
diff --git a/lib/src/clixon_xml_map.c b/lib/src/clixon_xml_map.c
index d7778194..b271715d 100644
--- a/lib/src/clixon_xml_map.c
+++ b/lib/src/clixon_xml_map.c
@@ -1092,55 +1092,55 @@ xml_global_defaults(clicon_handle h,
     return retval;
 }
 
-/*! This node is a default set value or (recursively) a non-presence container
- * @retval 1  xt is a nopresence/default node (ie "virtual")
- * @retval 0  xt is not such a node
+/*! Recursively find empty nopresence containers and default leaves, optionally purge
+ *
+ * @param[in] xn       XML tree
+ * @param[in] purge    Remove sub-nodes that is empty non-presence container or default leaf
+ * @retval    1        Node is an (recursive) empty non-presence container or default leaf
+ * @retval    0        Other node
+ * @retval   -1        Error
+ * @note xn is not itself removed if purge
  */
 int
-xml_nopresence_default(cxobj *xt)
+xml_defaults_nopresence(cxobj *xn,
+			int    purge)
 {
-    cxobj     *xc;
-    yang_stmt *yt;
-
-    if ((yt = xml_spec(xt)) == NULL)
-	return 0;
-    switch (yang_keyword_get(yt)){
-    case Y_CONTAINER:
-	if (yang_find(yt, Y_PRESENCE, NULL))
-	    return 0;
-	break;
-    case Y_LEAF:
-	return xml_flag(xt, XML_FLAG_DEFAULT)?1:0;
-	break;
-    default:
-	return 0;
+    int           retval = -1;
+    cxobj        *x;
+    cxobj        *xprev;
+    yang_stmt    *yn;
+    int           rmx = 0; /* If set, remove this xn */
+    int           ret;
+    enum rfc_6020 keyw;
+    
+    if ((yn = xml_spec(xn)) != NULL){
+	keyw = yang_keyword_get(yn);
+	if (keyw == Y_CONTAINER &&
+	    yang_find(yn, Y_PRESENCE, NULL) == NULL)
+	    rmx = 1;
+	else if (keyw == Y_LEAF &&
+		 xml_flag(xn, XML_FLAG_DEFAULT))
+	    rmx = 1;
     }
-    xc = NULL;
-    while ((xc = xml_child_each(xt, xc, CX_ELMNT)) != NULL) {
-	if (xml_nopresence_default(xc) == 0)
-	    return 0;
+    /* Loop thru children */
+    x = NULL;
+    xprev = NULL;
+    while ((x = xml_child_each(xn, x, CX_ELMNT)) != NULL) {
+	if ((ret = xml_defaults_nopresence(x, purge)) < 0)
+	    goto done;
+	if (ret == 1){
+	    if (purge){
+		if (xml_purge(x) < 0)
+		    goto done;
+		x = xprev;
+	    }
+	}
+	else if (rmx)
+	    rmx = 0;
     }
-    return 1;
-}
-
-/*! Remove xml container if it is non-presence and only contains default leafs
- * Called from xml_apply. Reason for marking is to delete it afterwords.
- * @param[in] x
- * @param[in] arg  (flag value)
- * @code
- *    if (xml_apply(xt, CX_ELMNT, xml_nopresence_default_mark, (void*)XML_FLAG_TRANSIENT) < 0)
- *	err;
- *    if (xml_tree_prune_flagged(xt, XML_FLAG_TRANSIENT, 1) < 0)
- *	goto done;
- * @endcode
- */
-int
-xml_nopresence_default_mark(cxobj *x,
-			    void  *arg)
-{
-    if (xml_nopresence_default(x))
-	xml_flag_set(x, (intptr_t)arg);
-    return 0;
+    retval = rmx;
+ done:
+    return retval;
 }
 
 /*! Sanitize an xml tree: xml node has matching yang_stmt pointer