diff --git a/src/include/netif/ppp/ppp.h b/src/include/netif/ppp/ppp.h
index 6422d5c9..76294c45 100644
--- a/src/include/netif/ppp/ppp.h
+++ b/src/include/netif/ppp/ppp.h
@@ -179,6 +179,9 @@ typedef unsigned char  u_char;
 #include "vj.h"
 #endif /* VJ_SUPPORT */
 
+/* Link status callback function prototype */
+typedef void (*ppp_link_status_cb_fn)(ppp_pcb *pcb, int err_code, void *ctx);
+
 #if PPPOE_SUPPORT
 #include "netif/ppp/pppoe.h"
 #endif /* PPPOE_SUPPORT */
@@ -504,9 +507,6 @@ struct ppp_pcb_s {
 #define PPPAUTHTYPE_EAP    0x08
 #define PPPAUTHTYPE_ANY    0xff
 
-/* Link status callback function prototype */
-typedef void (*ppp_link_status_cb_fn)(ppp_pcb *pcb, int err_code, void *ctx);
-
 #if PPPOS_SUPPORT
 /*
  * Create a new PPP connection using the given serial I/O device.
diff --git a/src/include/netif/ppp/ppp_impl.h b/src/include/netif/ppp/ppp_impl.h
index 95848715..70c4afff 100644
--- a/src/include/netif/ppp/ppp_impl.h
+++ b/src/include/netif/ppp/ppp_impl.h
@@ -362,8 +362,11 @@ struct pppd_stats {
 #endif /* PPP_STATS_SUPPORT */
 
 
-/* PPP flow functions
+/* PPP functions
  */
+/* Create a new PPP control block */
+ppp_pcb *ppp_new(struct netif *pppif, ppp_link_status_cb_fn link_status_cb, void *ctx_cb);
+
 /* initialize the PPP subsystem */
 int ppp_init(void);
 
diff --git a/src/include/netif/ppp/pppoe.h b/src/include/netif/ppp/pppoe.h
index eae032c3..26e1f49f 100644
--- a/src/include/netif/ppp/pppoe.h
+++ b/src/include/netif/ppp/pppoe.h
@@ -167,7 +167,10 @@ struct pppoe_softc {
 
 #define pppoe_init() /* compatibility define, no initialization needed */
 
-err_t pppoe_create(struct netif *ethif, ppp_pcb *pcb, void (*link_status_cb)(ppp_pcb *pcb, int up), struct pppoe_softc **scptr);
+ppp_pcb *pppoe_create(struct netif *pppif,
+                      void (*link_status_cb_ll)(ppp_pcb *pcb, int up),
+                      struct netif *ethif,
+                      ppp_link_status_cb_fn link_status_cb, void *ctx_cb);
 err_t pppoe_destroy(struct pppoe_softc *sc);
 
 int pppoe_connect(struct pppoe_softc *sc);
diff --git a/src/include/netif/ppp/pppol2tp.h b/src/include/netif/ppp/pppol2tp.h
index 5b869ae9..f086feed 100644
--- a/src/include/netif/ppp/pppol2tp.h
+++ b/src/include/netif/ppp/pppol2tp.h
@@ -197,9 +197,10 @@ struct pppol2tp_pcb_s {
 
 
 /* Create a new L2TP session. */
-err_t pppol2tp_create(ppp_pcb *ppp, void (*link_status_cb)(ppp_pcb *pcb, int status), pppol2tp_pcb **l2tpptr,
-                      struct netif *netif, ip_addr_t *ipaddr, u16_t port,
-                      u8_t *secret, u8_t secret_len);
+ppp_pcb *pppol2tp_create(struct netif *pppif,
+                      void (*link_status_cb_ll)(ppp_pcb *pcb, int status),
+                      struct netif *netif, ip_addr_t *ipaddr, u16_t port, u8_t *secret, u8_t secret_len,
+                      ppp_link_status_cb_fn link_status_cb, void *ctx_cb);
 
 /* Destroy a L2TP control block */
 err_t pppol2tp_destroy(pppol2tp_pcb *l2tp);
diff --git a/src/netif/ppp/ppp.c b/src/netif/ppp/ppp.c
index f2d5de1e..cbae6cad 100644
--- a/src/netif/ppp/ppp.c
+++ b/src/netif/ppp/ppp.c
@@ -183,7 +183,6 @@ const struct protent* const protocols[] = {
 };
 
 /* Prototypes for procedures local to this file. */
-static ppp_pcb *ppp_new(struct netif *pppif, ppp_link_status_cb_fn link_status_cb, void *ctx_cb);
 static void ppp_clear(ppp_pcb *pcb);
 static void ppp_do_open(void *arg);
 static void ppp_start(ppp_pcb *pcb);	/** Initiate LCP open request */
@@ -257,22 +256,9 @@ static void ppp_over_ethernet_link_status_cb(ppp_pcb *pcb, int state);
 
 ppp_pcb *ppp_over_ethernet_create(struct netif *pppif, struct netif *ethif, const char *service_name, const char *concentrator_name,
                         ppp_link_status_cb_fn link_status_cb, void *ctx_cb) {
-  ppp_pcb *pcb;
-
   LWIP_UNUSED_ARG(service_name);
   LWIP_UNUSED_ARG(concentrator_name);
-
-  pcb = ppp_new(pppif, link_status_cb, ctx_cb);
-  if (pppif == NULL) {
-    return NULL;
-  }
-
-  if (pppoe_create(ethif, pcb, ppp_over_ethernet_link_status_cb, &pcb->pppoe_sc) != ERR_OK) {
-    ppp_free(pcb);
-    return NULL;
-  }
-
-  return pcb;
+  return pppoe_create(pppif, ppp_over_ethernet_link_status_cb, ethif, link_status_cb, ctx_cb);
 }
 #endif /* PPPOE_SUPPORT */
 
@@ -282,19 +268,7 @@ static void ppp_over_l2tp_link_status_cb(ppp_pcb *pcb, int state);
 ppp_pcb *ppp_over_l2tp_create(struct netif *pppif, struct netif *netif, ip_addr_t *ipaddr, u16_t port,
 		u8_t *secret, u8_t secret_len,
 		ppp_link_status_cb_fn link_status_cb, void *ctx_cb) {
-  ppp_pcb *pcb;
-
-  pcb = ppp_new(pppif, link_status_cb, ctx_cb);
-  if (pppif == NULL) {
-    return NULL;
-  }
-
-  if (pppol2tp_create(pcb, ppp_over_l2tp_link_status_cb, &pcb->l2tp_pcb, netif, ipaddr, port, secret, secret_len) != ERR_OK) {
-    ppp_free(pcb);
-    return NULL;
-  }
-
-  return pcb;
+  return pppol2tp_create(pppif, ppp_over_l2tp_link_status_cb, netif, ipaddr, port, secret, secret_len, link_status_cb, ctx_cb);
 }
 #endif /* PPPOL2TP_SUPPORT */
 
@@ -497,7 +471,7 @@ int ppp_init(void) {
 }
 
 /*
- * Create a new PPP session.
+ * Create a new PPP control block.
  *
  * This initializes the PPP control block but does not
  * attempt to negotiate the LCP session.
@@ -505,7 +479,7 @@ int ppp_init(void) {
  * Return a new PPP connection control block pointer
  * on success or a null pointer on failure.
  */
-static ppp_pcb *ppp_new(struct netif *pppif, ppp_link_status_cb_fn link_status_cb, void *ctx_cb) {
+ppp_pcb *ppp_new(struct netif *pppif, ppp_link_status_cb_fn link_status_cb, void *ctx_cb) {
   ppp_pcb *pcb;
 
   /* PPP is single-threaded: without a callback,
diff --git a/src/netif/ppp/pppoe.c b/src/netif/ppp/pppoe.c
index 2aa819c3..9a27f809 100644
--- a/src/netif/ppp/pppoe.c
+++ b/src/netif/ppp/pppoe.c
@@ -136,32 +136,40 @@ static struct pppoe_softc* pppoe_find_softc_by_hunique(u8_t *token, size_t len,
 /** linked list of created pppoe interfaces */
 static struct pppoe_softc *pppoe_softc_list;
 
-err_t
-pppoe_create(struct netif *ethif, ppp_pcb *pcb, void (*link_status_cb)(ppp_pcb *pcb, int up), struct pppoe_softc **scptr)
+ppp_pcb*
+pppoe_create(struct netif *pppif,
+             void (*link_status_cb_ll)(ppp_pcb *pcb, int up),
+             struct netif *ethif,
+             ppp_link_status_cb_fn link_status_cb, void *ctx_cb)
 {
+  ppp_pcb *ppp;
   struct pppoe_softc *sc;
 
+  ppp = ppp_new(pppif, link_status_cb, ctx_cb);
+  if (ppp == NULL) {
+    return NULL;
+  }
+
   sc = (struct pppoe_softc *)memp_malloc(MEMP_PPPOE_IF);
   if (sc == NULL) {
-    *scptr = NULL;
-    return ERR_MEM;
+    ppp_free(ppp);
+    return NULL;
   }
   memset(sc, 0, sizeof(struct pppoe_softc));
 
   /* changed to real address later */
   MEMCPY(&sc->sc_dest, ethbroadcast.addr, sizeof(sc->sc_dest));
 
-  sc->pcb = pcb;
-  sc->sc_link_status_cb = link_status_cb;
+  sc->pcb = ppp;
+  sc->sc_link_status_cb = link_status_cb_ll;
   sc->sc_ethif = ethif;
 
   /* put the new interface at the head of the list */
   sc->next = pppoe_softc_list;
   pppoe_softc_list = sc;
 
-  *scptr = sc;
-
-  return ERR_OK;
+  ppp->pppoe_sc = sc;
+  return ppp;
 }
 
 err_t
diff --git a/src/netif/ppp/pppol2tp.c b/src/netif/ppp/pppol2tp.c
index b526410a..297ebdc2 100644
--- a/src/netif/ppp/pppol2tp.c
+++ b/src/netif/ppp/pppol2tp.c
@@ -87,23 +87,30 @@ static err_t pppol2tp_send_stopccn(pppol2tp_pcb *l2tp, u16_t ns);
 
 
 /* Create a new L2TP session. */
-err_t pppol2tp_create(ppp_pcb *ppp, void (*link_status_cb)(ppp_pcb *pcb, int status), pppol2tp_pcb **l2tpptr,
-                      struct netif *netif, ip_addr_t *ipaddr, u16_t port,
-                      u8_t *secret, u8_t secret_len) {
+ppp_pcb *pppol2tp_create(struct netif *pppif,
+                      void (*link_status_cb_ll)(ppp_pcb *pcb, int status),
+                      struct netif *netif, ip_addr_t *ipaddr, u16_t port, u8_t *secret, u8_t secret_len,
+                      ppp_link_status_cb_fn link_status_cb, void *ctx_cb) {
+  ppp_pcb *ppp;
   pppol2tp_pcb *l2tp;
   struct udp_pcb *udp;
 
+  ppp = ppp_new(pppif, link_status_cb, ctx_cb);
+  if (ppp == NULL) {
+    return NULL;
+  }
+
   l2tp = (pppol2tp_pcb *)memp_malloc(MEMP_PPPOL2TP_PCB);
   if (l2tp == NULL) {
-    *l2tpptr = NULL;
-    return ERR_MEM;
+    ppp_free(ppp);
+    return NULL;
   }
 
   udp = udp_new();
   if (udp == NULL) {
     memp_free(MEMP_PPPOL2TP_PCB, l2tp);
-    *l2tpptr = NULL;
-    return ERR_MEM;
+    ppp_free(ppp);
+    return NULL;
   }
   udp_recv(udp, pppol2tp_input, l2tp);
 
@@ -111,7 +118,7 @@ err_t pppol2tp_create(ppp_pcb *ppp, void (*link_status_cb)(ppp_pcb *pcb, int sta
   l2tp->phase = PPPOL2TP_STATE_INITIAL;
   l2tp->ppp = ppp;
   l2tp->udp = udp;
-  l2tp->link_status_cb = link_status_cb;
+  l2tp->link_status_cb = link_status_cb_ll;
   l2tp->netif = netif;
   ip_addr_set(&l2tp->remote_ip, ipaddr);
   l2tp->remote_port = port;
@@ -120,8 +127,8 @@ err_t pppol2tp_create(ppp_pcb *ppp, void (*link_status_cb)(ppp_pcb *pcb, int sta
   l2tp->secret_len = secret_len;
 #endif /* PPPOL2TP_AUTH_SUPPORT */
 
-  *l2tpptr = l2tp;
-  return ERR_OK;
+  ppp->l2tp_pcb = l2tp;
+  return ppp;
 }
 
 /* Destroy a L2TP control block */