diff --git a/test/plot_perf.sh b/test/plot_perf.sh
index 2df88683..38aa89af 100755
--- a/test/plot_perf.sh
+++ b/test/plot_perf.sh
@@ -1,5 +1,5 @@
 #!/usr/bin/env bash
-# Performance of large lists. See large-lists.md
+# Performance of large lists. See doc/scaling/large-lists.md
 # The parameters are shown below (under Default values)
 # Examples
 # 1. run all measurements up to 10000 entris collect all results in /tmp/plots
@@ -8,6 +8,7 @@
 #    run=false plot=true resdir=/tmp/plots term=x11 ./plot_perf.sh
 # 3. Use existing data plot i686 and armv7l data as png
 #    archs="i686 armv7l" run=false plot=true resdir=/tmp/plots term=png ./plot_perf.sh 
+# Need gnuplot installed
 
 # Magic line must be first in script (see README.md)
 s="$_" ; . ./lib.sh || if [ "$s" = $0 ]; then exit 0; else return 0; fi
@@ -509,7 +510,6 @@ for a in $archs; do
 
 done
 
-
 gnuplot -persist <<EOF
 set title "Clixon delete single entry"
 set style data linespoint
diff --git a/test/test_perf.sh b/test/test_perf.sh
index c9408ff7..68084f9c 100755
--- a/test/test_perf.sh
+++ b/test/test_perf.sh
@@ -16,6 +16,12 @@ s="$_" ; . ./lib.sh || if [ "$s" = $0 ]; then exit 0; else return 0; fi
 # Number of requests made get/put
 : ${perfreq:=100}
 
+# time function (this is a mess to get right on freebsd/linux)
+# -f %e gives elapsed wall clock time but is not available on all systems
+# so we use time -p for POSIX compliance and awk to get wall clock time
+# Note sometimes time -p is used and sometimes $TIMEFN, cant get it to work same everywhere
+: ${TIMEFN:=time -p} # portability: 2>&1 | awk '/real/ {print $2}'
+
 APPNAME=example
 
 cfg=$dir/scaling-conf.xml
@@ -98,26 +104,32 @@ echo "</x></config></edit-config></rpc>]]>]]>" >> $fconfig
 
 # Now take large config file and write it via netconf to candidate
 new "netconf write large config"
-expecteof_file "time $clixon_netconf -qf $cfg" 0 "$fconfig" "^<rpc-reply><ok/></rpc-reply>]]>]]>$"
+expecteof_file "time -p $clixon_netconf -qf $cfg" 0 "$fconfig" "^<rpc-reply><ok/></rpc-reply>]]>]]>$" 2>&1 | awk '/real/ {print $2}'
 
 # Here, there are $perfnr entries in candidate
 new "netconf write large config again"
-expecteof_file "time $clixon_netconf -qf $cfg" 0 "$fconfig" "^<rpc-reply><ok/></rpc-reply>]]>]]>$"
+expecteof_file "time -p $clixon_netconf -qf $cfg" 0 "$fconfig" "^<rpc-reply><ok/></rpc-reply>]]>]]>$" 2>&1 | awk '/real/ {print $2}'
 
 # Now commit it from candidate to running 
 new "netconf commit large config"
-expecteof "time $clixon_netconf -qf $cfg" 0 "<rpc><commit/></rpc>]]>]]>" "^<rpc-reply><ok/></rpc-reply>]]>]]>$" 
+expecteof "time -p $clixon_netconf -qf $cfg" 0 "<rpc><commit/></rpc>]]>]]>" "^<rpc-reply><ok/></rpc-reply>]]>]]>$" 2>&1 | awk '/real/ {print $2}'
 
 # Now commit it again from candidate (validation takes time when
 # comparing to existing)
 new "netconf commit large config again"
-expecteof "time $clixon_netconf -qf $cfg" 0 "<rpc><commit/></rpc>]]>]]>" "^<rpc-reply><ok/></rpc-reply>]]>]]>$" 
-
+expecteof "time -p $clixon_netconf -qf $cfg" 0 "<rpc><commit/></rpc>]]>]]>" "^<rpc-reply><ok/></rpc-reply>]]>]]>$" 2>&1 | awk '/real/ {print $2}'
 # Having a large db, get and put single entries many times
 # Note same entries in the range alreay there, db has same size
 
-# NETCONF get
-new "netconf get $perfreq small config"
+# NETCONF get 1 key index
+new "netconf get $perfreq small config 1 key index"
+{ time -p for (( i=0; i<$perfreq; i++ )); do
+    rnd=$(( ( RANDOM % $perfnr ) ))
+    echo "<rpc><get-config><source><candidate/></source><filter type=\"xpath\" select=\"/ex:x/ex:y[ex:a=$rnd]\" xmlns:ex=\"urn:example:clixon\"/></get-config></rpc>]]>]]>"
+done | $clixon_netconf -qf $cfg > /dev/null; } 2>&1 | awk '/real/ {print $2}'
+
+# NETCONF get 1 key and one non-key index
+new "netconf get $perfreq small config 1 key + 1 non-key index"
 { time -p for (( i=0; i<$perfreq; i++ )); do
     rnd=$(( ( RANDOM % $perfnr ) ))
     echo "<rpc><get-config><source><candidate/></source><filter type=\"xpath\" select=\"/ex:x/ex:y[ex:a=$rnd][ex:b=$rnd]\" xmlns:ex=\"urn:example:clixon\"/></get-config></rpc>]]>]]>"
@@ -131,7 +143,7 @@ new "netconf add $perfreq small config"
 done | $clixon_netconf -qf $cfg > /dev/null; } 2>&1 | awk '/real/ {print $2}'
 
 # RESTCONF get
-new "restconf get $perfreq small config"
+new "restconf get $perfreq small config 1 key index"
 { time -p for (( i=0; i<$perfreq; i++ )); do
     rnd=$(( ( RANDOM % $perfnr ) ))
     curl -sG http://localhost/restconf/data/scaling:x/y=$rnd > /dev/null
@@ -147,8 +159,8 @@ new "restconf add $perfreq small config"
     curl -s -X PUT http://localhost/restconf/data/scaling:x/y=$rnd  -d '{"scaling:y":{"a":"'$rnd'","b":"'$rnd'"}}'
 done }  2>&1 | awk '/real/ {print $2}'
 
-# CLI get
-new "cli get $perfreq small config"
+# CLI get (XXX why does this take so much time?)
+new "cli get $perfreq small config 1 key index"
 { time -p for (( i=0; i<$perfreq; i++ )); do
     rnd=$(( ( RANDOM % $perfnr ) ))
     $clixon_cli -1 -f $cfg show conf xml x y $rnd > /dev/null
@@ -164,13 +176,14 @@ done } 2>&1 | awk '/real/ {print $2}'
 # Instead of many small entries, get one large in netconf and restconf
 # cli?
 new "netconf get large config"
-expecteof "time $clixon_netconf -qf $cfg" 0 "<rpc><get-config><source><candidate/></source></get-config></rpc>]]>]]>" '^<rpc-reply><data><x xmlns="urn:example:clixon"><y><a>0</a><b>0</b></y><y><a>1</a><b>1</b></y><y><a>2</a><b>2</b></y><y><a>3</a><b>3</b></y>'
+expecteof "time -p $clixon_netconf -qf $cfg" 0 "<rpc><get-config><source><candidate/></source></get-config></rpc>]]>]]>" '^<rpc-reply><data><x xmlns="urn:example:clixon"><y><a>0</a><b>0</b></y><y><a>1</a><b>1</b></y><y><a>2</a><b>2</b></y><y><a>3</a><b>3</b></y>' 2>&1 | awk '/real/ {print $2}'
 
 new "restconf get large config"
-time curl -sG http://localhost/restconf/data > /dev/null
+# XXX for some reason cannot expand $TIMEFN next two tests, need keep variable?
+$TIMEFN curl -sG http://localhost/restconf/data 2>&1 > /dev/null | awk '/real/ {print $2}'
 
 new "cli get large config"
-time $clixon_cli -1f $cfg show config xml> /dev/null
+$TIMEFN $clixon_cli -1f $cfg show config xml 2>&1 > /dev/null | awk '/real/ {print $2}'
 
 # Delete entries (last since entries are removed from db)
 # netconf
@@ -180,7 +193,7 @@ new "cli delete $perfreq small config"
     $clixon_cli -1 -f $cfg delete x y $rnd 
 done } 2>&1 | awk '/real/ {print $2}'
 
-new "netconf discard-changes"
+#new "netconf discard-changes"
 expecteof "$clixon_netconf -qf $cfg" 0 "<rpc><discard-changes/></rpc>]]>]]>" "^<rpc-reply><ok/></rpc-reply>]]>]]>$"
 
 new "netconf delete $perfreq small config"
@@ -189,7 +202,7 @@ new "netconf delete $perfreq small config"
     echo "<rpc><edit-config><target><candidate/></target><config><x xmlns=\"urn:example:clixon\" xmlns:nc=\"urn:ietf:params:xml:ns:netconf:base:1.0\"><y nc:operation=\"delete\"><a>$rnd</a></y></x></config></edit-config></rpc>]]>]]>"
 done | $clixon_netconf -qf $cfg  > /dev/null; }  2>&1 | awk '/real/ {print $2}'
 
-new "netconf discard-changes"
+#new "netconf discard-changes"
 expecteof "$clixon_netconf -qf $cfg" 0 "<rpc><discard-changes/></rpc>]]>]]>" "^<rpc-reply><ok/></rpc-reply>]]>]]>$"
 
 new "restconf delete $perfreq small config"
@@ -200,7 +213,7 @@ done > /dev/null; } 2>&1 | awk '/real/ {print $2}'
 
 # Now do leaf-lists istead of leafs
 
-new "generate large leaf-list config"
+#new "generate large leaf-list config"
 echo -n "<rpc><edit-config><target><candidate/></target><default-operation>replace</default-operation><config><x xmlns=\"urn:example:clixon\">" > $fconfig2
 for (( i=0; i<$perfnr; i++ )); do  
     echo -n "<c>$i</c>" >> $fconfig2
@@ -208,25 +221,25 @@ done
 echo "</x></config></edit-config></rpc>]]>]]>" >> $fconfig2
 
 new "netconf replace large list-leaf config"
-expecteof_file "time $clixon_netconf -qf $cfg" 0 "$fconfig2" "^<rpc-reply><ok/></rpc-reply>]]>]]>$" 
+expecteof_file "time -p $clixon_netconf -qf $cfg" 0 "$fconfig2" "^<rpc-reply><ok/></rpc-reply>]]>]]>$" 2>&1 | awk '/real/ {print $2}'
 
 new "netconf commit large leaf-list config"
-expecteof "time $clixon_netconf -qf $cfg" 0 "<rpc><commit/></rpc>]]>]]>" "^<rpc-reply><ok/></rpc-reply>]]>]]>$" 
+expecteof "time -p $clixon_netconf -qf $cfg" 0 "<rpc><commit/></rpc>]]>]]>" "^<rpc-reply><ok/></rpc-reply>]]>]]>$" 2>&1 | awk '/real/ {print $2}'
 
 new "netconf add $perfreq small leaf-list config"
-time -p for (( i=0; i<$perfreq; i++ )); do
+{ time -p for (( i=0; i<$perfreq; i++ )); do
     rnd=$(( ( RANDOM % $perfnr ) ))
     echo "<rpc><edit-config><target><candidate/></target><config><x xmlns=\"urn:example:clixon\"><c>$rnd</c></x></config></edit-config></rpc>]]>]]>"
-done | $clixon_netconf -qf $cfg > /dev/null
+done | $clixon_netconf -qf $cfg > /dev/null; } 2>&1 | awk '/real/ {print $2}'
 
 new "netconf add small leaf-list config"
-expecteof "time $clixon_netconf -qf $cfg" 0 '<rpc><edit-config><target><candidate/></target><config><x xmlns="urn:example:clixon"><c>x</c></x></config></edit-config></rpc>]]>]]>' "^<rpc-reply><ok/></rpc-reply>]]>]]>$" 
+expecteof "time -p $clixon_netconf -qf $cfg" 0 '<rpc><edit-config><target><candidate/></target><config><x xmlns="urn:example:clixon"><c>x</c></x></config></edit-config></rpc>]]>]]>' "^<rpc-reply><ok/></rpc-reply>]]>]]>$" 2>&1 | awk '/real/ {print $2}'
 
 new "netconf commit small leaf-list config"
-expecteof "time $clixon_netconf -qf $cfg" 0 "<rpc><commit/></rpc>]]>]]>" "^<rpc-reply><ok/></rpc-reply>]]>]]>$" 
+expecteof "time -p $clixon_netconf -qf $cfg" 0 "<rpc><commit/></rpc>]]>]]>" "^<rpc-reply><ok/></rpc-reply>]]>]]>$" 2>&1 | awk '/real/ {print $2}'
 
 new "netconf get large leaf-list config"
-expecteof "time $clixon_netconf -qf $cfg" 0 "<rpc><get-config><source><candidate/></source></get-config></rpc>]]>]]>" '^<rpc-reply><data><x xmlns="urn:example:clixon"><c>0</c><c>1</c>'
+expecteof "time -p $clixon_netconf -qf $cfg" 0 "<rpc><get-config><source><candidate/></source></get-config></rpc>]]>]]>" '^<rpc-reply><data><x xmlns="urn:example:clixon"><c>0</c><c>1</c>' 2>&1 | awk '/real/ {print $2}'
 
 new "Kill restconf daemon"
 stop_restconf 
diff --git a/test/test_perf_state.sh b/test/test_perf_state.sh
index 31e1f4de..f01fbc57 100755
--- a/test/test_perf_state.sh
+++ b/test/test_perf_state.sh
@@ -16,6 +16,9 @@ s="$_" ; . ./lib.sh || if [ "$s" = $0 ]; then exit 0; else return 0; fi
 # Number of requests made get/put
 : ${perfreq:=100}
 
+# time function (this is a mess to get right on freebsd/linux)
+: ${TIMEFN:=time -p} # portability: 2>&1 | awk '/real/ {print $2}'
+
 APPNAME=example
 
 cfg=$dir/config.xml
@@ -76,11 +79,11 @@ echo "</interfaces></config></edit-config></rpc>]]>]]>" >> $fconfig
 
 # Now take large config file and write it via netconf to candidate
 new "netconf write large config"
-expecteof_file "time $clixon_netconf -qf $cfg" 0 "$fconfig" "^<rpc-reply><ok/></rpc-reply>]]>]]>$"
+expecteof_file "time -p $clixon_netconf -qf $cfg" 0 "$fconfig" "^<rpc-reply><ok/></rpc-reply>]]>]]>$" 2>&1 | awk '/real/ {print $2}'
 
 # Now commit it from candidate to running 
 new "netconf commit large config"
-expecteof "time $clixon_netconf -qf $cfg" 0 "<rpc><commit/></rpc>]]>]]>" "^<rpc-reply><ok/></rpc-reply>]]>]]>$" 
+expecteof "time -p $clixon_netconf -qf $cfg" 0 "<rpc><commit/></rpc>]]>]]>" "^<rpc-reply><ok/></rpc-reply>]]>]]>$" 2>&1 | awk '/real/ {print $2}'
 
 # START actual tests
 # Having a large db, get single entries many times
@@ -128,13 +131,13 @@ done } 2>&1 | awk '/real/ {print $2}'
 
 # Get config in one large get
 new "netconf get large config"
-time echo "<rpc><get> <filter type=\"xpath\" select=\"/if:interfaces\" xmlns:if=\"urn:ietf:params:xml:ns:yang:ietf-interfaces\"/></get></rpc>]]>]]>" | $clixon_netconf -qf $cfg > /tmp/netconf
+{ time -p echo "<rpc><get> <filter type=\"xpath\" select=\"/if:interfaces\" xmlns:if=\"urn:ietf:params:xml:ns:yang:ietf-interfaces\"/></get></rpc>]]>]]>" | $clixon_netconf -qf $cfg  > /tmp/netconf; } 2>&1 | awk '/real/ {print $2}'
 
 new "restconf get large config"
-time curl -sG http://localhost/restconf/data/ietf-interfaces:interfaces | wc
+$TIMEFN curl -sG http://localhost/restconf/data/ietf-interfaces:interfaces 2>&1 | awk '/real/ {print $2}'
 
 new "cli get large config"
-time $clixon_cli -1f $cfg show state xml interfaces | wc
+$TIMEFN $clixon_cli -1f $cfg show state xml interfaces 2>&1 | awk '/real/ {print $2}'
 
 new "Kill restconf daemon"
 stop_restconf 
diff --git a/test/test_perf_xml.sh b/test/test_perf_xml.sh
index 216af1ef..8843c0fc 100755
--- a/test/test_perf_xml.sh
+++ b/test/test_perf_xml.sh
@@ -22,7 +22,7 @@ echo "]]></stdout></rpc-reply>" >> $fxml
 #0.37user 1.94system 0:02.47elapsed 93%CPU (0avgtext+0avgdata 9336maxresident)k
 #256inputs+0outputs (2major+2049minor)pagefaults 0swa
 new "xml parse long CDATA"
-expecteof_file "time $clixon_util_xml" 0 "$fxml"
+expecteof_file "time -p $clixon_util_xml" 0 "$fxml" 2>&1 | awk '/real/ {print $2}'
 
 rm -rf $dir