diff --git a/app/nvmf_tgt/conf.c b/app/nvmf_tgt/conf.c
index e5286f0b9..d36649ea8 100644
--- a/app/nvmf_tgt/conf.c
+++ b/app/nvmf_tgt/conf.c
@@ -437,10 +437,11 @@ spdk_nvmf_parse_subsystem(struct spdk_conf_section *sp)
 	int i, ret;
 	uint64_t mask;
 	int lcore = 0;
+	int num = spdk_conf_section_get_num(sp);
 
 	nqn = spdk_conf_section_get_val(sp, "NQN");
 	if (nqn == NULL) {
-		SPDK_ERRLOG("No NQN specified for Subsystem %d\n", sp->num);
+		SPDK_ERRLOG("No NQN specified for Subsystem %d\n", num);
 		return -1;
 	}
 
@@ -449,7 +450,7 @@ spdk_nvmf_parse_subsystem(struct spdk_conf_section *sp)
 	lcore = spdk_conf_section_get_intval(sp, "Core");
 	if (lcore < 0) {
 		lcore = 0;
-		for (i = 0; i < sp->num; i++) {
+		for (i = 0; i < num; i++) {
 			lcore = spdk_nvmf_allocate_lcore(mask, lcore);
 			lcore++;
 		}
@@ -458,7 +459,7 @@ spdk_nvmf_parse_subsystem(struct spdk_conf_section *sp)
 
 	mode_str = spdk_conf_section_get_val(sp, "Mode");
 	if (mode_str == NULL) {
-		SPDK_ERRLOG("No Mode specified for Subsystem %d\n", sp->num);
+		SPDK_ERRLOG("No Mode specified for Subsystem %d\n", num);
 		return -1;
 	}
 
@@ -531,7 +532,7 @@ spdk_nvmf_parse_subsystem(struct spdk_conf_section *sp)
 		/* Parse NVMe section */
 		bdf = spdk_conf_section_get_val(sp, "NVMe");
 		if (bdf == NULL) {
-			SPDK_ERRLOG("Subsystem %d: missing NVMe directive\n", sp->num);
+			SPDK_ERRLOG("Subsystem %d: missing NVMe directive\n", num);
 			return -1;
 		}
 
@@ -552,7 +553,7 @@ spdk_nvmf_parse_subsystem(struct spdk_conf_section *sp)
 		}
 
 		if (!ctx.found) {
-			SPDK_ERRLOG("Could not find NVMe controller for Subsystem%d\n", sp->num);
+			SPDK_ERRLOG("Could not find NVMe controller for Subsystem%d\n", num);
 			return -1;
 		}
 	} else {
@@ -561,7 +562,7 @@ spdk_nvmf_parse_subsystem(struct spdk_conf_section *sp)
 
 		sn = spdk_conf_section_get_val(sp, "SN");
 		if (sn == NULL) {
-			SPDK_ERRLOG("Subsystem %d: missing serial number\n", sp->num);
+			SPDK_ERRLOG("Subsystem %d: missing serial number\n", num);
 			return -1;
 		}
 		if (spdk_nvmf_validate_sn(sn) != 0) {
@@ -570,7 +571,7 @@ spdk_nvmf_parse_subsystem(struct spdk_conf_section *sp)
 
 		namespace = spdk_conf_section_get_val(sp, "Namespace");
 		if (namespace == NULL) {
-			SPDK_ERRLOG("Subsystem %d: missing Namespace directive\n", sp->num);
+			SPDK_ERRLOG("Subsystem %d: missing Namespace directive\n", num);
 			return -1;
 		}
 
diff --git a/include/spdk/conf.h b/include/spdk/conf.h
index 63beea2ca..284531629 100644
--- a/include/spdk/conf.h
+++ b/include/spdk/conf.h
@@ -75,6 +75,8 @@ struct spdk_conf_section *spdk_conf_first_section(struct spdk_conf *cp);
 struct spdk_conf_section *spdk_conf_next_section(struct spdk_conf_section *sp);
 
 bool spdk_conf_section_match_prefix(const struct spdk_conf_section *sp, const char *name_prefix);
+const char *spdk_conf_section_get_name(const struct spdk_conf_section *sp);
+int spdk_conf_section_get_num(const struct spdk_conf_section *sp);
 char *spdk_conf_section_get_nmval(struct spdk_conf_section *sp, const char *key,
 				  int idx1, int idx2);
 char *spdk_conf_section_get_nval(struct spdk_conf_section *sp, const char *key, int idx);
diff --git a/lib/conf/conf.c b/lib/conf/conf.c
index 0ed07891f..7af1a93c4 100644
--- a/lib/conf/conf.c
+++ b/lib/conf/conf.c
@@ -325,6 +325,18 @@ spdk_conf_section_match_prefix(const struct spdk_conf_section *sp, const char *n
 	return strncasecmp(sp->name, name_prefix, strlen(name_prefix)) == 0;
 }
 
+const char *
+spdk_conf_section_get_name(const struct spdk_conf_section *sp)
+{
+	return sp->name;
+}
+
+int
+spdk_conf_section_get_num(const struct spdk_conf_section *sp)
+{
+	return sp->num;
+}
+
 char *
 spdk_conf_section_get_nmval(struct spdk_conf_section *sp, const char *key, int idx1, int idx2)
 {
diff --git a/lib/event/app.c b/lib/event/app.c
index 5c812bde9..47bae056a 100644
--- a/lib/event/app.c
+++ b/lib/event/app.c
@@ -254,7 +254,7 @@ spdk_app_init(struct spdk_app_opts *opts)
 			fprintf(stderr, "Could not read config file %s\n", opts->config_file);
 			exit(EXIT_FAILURE);
 		}
-		if (config->section == NULL) {
+		if (spdk_conf_first_section(config) == NULL) {
 			fprintf(stderr, "Invalid config file %s\n", opts->config_file);
 			exit(EXIT_FAILURE);
 		}
diff --git a/lib/iscsi/init_grp.c b/lib/iscsi/init_grp.c
index cc7a44d28..7f4f838f8 100644
--- a/lib/iscsi/init_grp.c
+++ b/lib/iscsi/init_grp.c
@@ -65,8 +65,9 @@ spdk_iscsi_init_grp_create_from_configfile(struct spdk_conf_section *sp)
 	int num_initiator_names;
 	int num_initiator_masks;
 	char **initiators = NULL, **netmasks = NULL;
+	int tag = spdk_conf_section_get_num(sp);
 
-	SPDK_TRACELOG(SPDK_TRACE_DEBUG, "add initiator group %d\n", sp->num);
+	SPDK_TRACELOG(SPDK_TRACE_DEBUG, "add initiator group %d\n", tag);
 
 	val = spdk_conf_section_get_val(sp, "Comment");
 	if (val != NULL) {
@@ -145,7 +146,7 @@ spdk_iscsi_init_grp_create_from_configfile(struct spdk_conf_section *sp)
 		}
 	}
 
-	rc = spdk_iscsi_init_grp_create_from_initiator_list(sp->num,
+	rc = spdk_iscsi_init_grp_create_from_initiator_list(tag,
 			num_initiator_names, initiators, num_initiator_masks, netmasks);
 	if (rc < 0) {
 		goto cleanup;
@@ -307,7 +308,7 @@ spdk_iscsi_init_grp_array_create(void)
 	sp = spdk_conf_first_section(NULL);
 	while (sp != NULL) {
 		if (spdk_conf_section_match_prefix(sp, "InitiatorGroup")) {
-			if (sp->num == 0) {
+			if (spdk_conf_section_get_num(sp) == 0) {
 				SPDK_ERRLOG("Group 0 is invalid\n");
 				return -1;
 			}
diff --git a/lib/iscsi/iscsi.c b/lib/iscsi/iscsi.c
index 9318508ef..f10fe3730 100644
--- a/lib/iscsi/iscsi.c
+++ b/lib/iscsi/iscsi.c
@@ -700,15 +700,17 @@ spdk_iscsi_chap_get_authinfo(struct iscsi_chap_auth *auth, const char *authfile,
 	}
 	//spdk_conf_print(config);
 
-	sp = config->section;
+	sp = spdk_conf_first_section(config);
 	while (sp != NULL) {
 		if (spdk_conf_section_match_prefix(sp, "AuthGroup")) {
-			if (sp->num == 0) {
+			int group = spdk_conf_section_get_num(sp);
+
+			if (group == 0) {
 				SPDK_ERRLOG("Group 0 is invalid\n");
 				spdk_conf_free(config);
 				return -1;
 			}
-			if (ag_tag != sp->num) {
+			if (ag_tag != group) {
 				goto skip_ag_tag;
 			}
 
@@ -742,7 +744,7 @@ spdk_iscsi_chap_get_authinfo(struct iscsi_chap_auth *auth, const char *authfile,
 			}
 		}
 skip_ag_tag:
-		sp = sp->next;
+		sp = spdk_conf_next_section(sp);
 	}
 
 	spdk_conf_free(config);
diff --git a/lib/iscsi/portal_grp.c b/lib/iscsi/portal_grp.c
index e5f3be3a8..249664a78 100644
--- a/lib/iscsi/portal_grp.c
+++ b/lib/iscsi/portal_grp.c
@@ -366,9 +366,10 @@ spdk_iscsi_portal_grp_create_from_configfile(struct spdk_conf_section *sp)
 	const char *val;
 	char *label, *portal;
 	int portals = 0, i = 0, rc = 0;
+	int tag = spdk_conf_section_get_num(sp);
 
 	SPDK_TRACELOG(SPDK_TRACE_DEBUG, "add portal group (from config file) %d\n",
-		      sp->num);
+		      tag);
 
 	val = spdk_conf_section_get_val(sp, "Comment");
 	if (val != NULL) {
@@ -399,9 +400,9 @@ spdk_iscsi_portal_grp_create_from_configfile(struct spdk_conf_section *sp)
 		goto error_out;
 	}
 
-	pg = spdk_iscsi_portal_grp_create(sp->num);
+	pg = spdk_iscsi_portal_grp_create(spdk_conf_section_get_num(sp));
 	if (!pg) {
-		SPDK_ERRLOG("portal group malloc error (%s)\n", sp->name);
+		SPDK_ERRLOG("portal group malloc error (%s)\n", spdk_conf_section_get_name(sp));
 		goto error_out;
 	}
 
@@ -423,7 +424,7 @@ spdk_iscsi_portal_grp_create_from_configfile(struct spdk_conf_section *sp)
 
 		SPDK_TRACELOG(SPDK_TRACE_DEBUG,
 			      "RIndex=%d, Host=%s, Port=%s, Tag=%d\n",
-			      i, p->host, p->port, sp->num);
+			      i, p->host, p->port, tag);
 
 		spdk_iscsi_portal_grp_add_portal(pg, p);
 	}
@@ -472,7 +473,7 @@ spdk_iscsi_portal_grp_array_create(void)
 	sp = spdk_conf_first_section(NULL);
 	while (sp != NULL) {
 		if (spdk_conf_section_match_prefix(sp, "PortalGroup")) {
-			if (sp->num == 0) {
+			if (spdk_conf_section_get_num(sp) == 0) {
 				SPDK_ERRLOG("Group 0 is invalid\n");
 				return -1;
 			}
diff --git a/lib/iscsi/tgt_node.c b/lib/iscsi/tgt_node.c
index b945c4ef1..6ee24187e 100644
--- a/lib/iscsi/tgt_node.c
+++ b/lib/iscsi/tgt_node.c
@@ -793,13 +793,13 @@ spdk_cf_add_iscsi_tgt_node(struct spdk_conf_section *sp)
 	char *lun_name_list[SPDK_SCSI_DEV_MAX_LUN];
 	int num_luns, queue_depth;
 
-	SPDK_TRACELOG(SPDK_TRACE_DEBUG, "add unit %d\n", sp->num);
+	target_num = spdk_conf_section_get_num(sp);
+
+	SPDK_TRACELOG(SPDK_TRACE_DEBUG, "add unit %d\n", target_num);
 
 	data_digest = 0;
 	header_digest = 0;
 
-	target_num = sp->num;
-
 	name = spdk_conf_section_get_val(sp, "TargetName");
 
 	if (name == NULL) {
@@ -997,8 +997,10 @@ int spdk_iscsi_init_tgt_nodes(void)
 	sp = spdk_conf_first_section(NULL);
 	while (sp != NULL) {
 		if (spdk_conf_section_match_prefix(sp, "TargetNode")) {
-			if (sp->num > SPDK_TN_TAG_MAX) {
-				SPDK_ERRLOG("tag %d is invalid\n", sp->num);
+			int tag = spdk_conf_section_get_num(sp);
+
+			if (tag > SPDK_TN_TAG_MAX) {
+				SPDK_ERRLOG("tag %d is invalid\n", tag);
 				return -1;
 			}
 			rc = spdk_cf_add_iscsi_tgt_node(sp);