diff --git a/apps/emqx/include/emqx_router.hrl b/apps/emqx/include/emqx_router.hrl
index 035ff5455..99ca3e185 100644
--- a/apps/emqx/include/emqx_router.hrl
+++ b/apps/emqx/include/emqx_router.hrl
@@ -17,8 +17,9 @@
 -ifndef(EMQX_ROUTER_HRL).
 -define(EMQX_ROUTER_HRL, true).
 
-%% ETS table for message routing
+%% ETS tables for message routing
 -define(ROUTE_TAB, emqx_route).
+-define(ROUTE_TAB_UNIFIED, emqx_route_unified).
 
 %% Mnesia table for message routing
 -define(ROUTING_NODE, emqx_routing_node).
diff --git a/apps/emqx/src/emqx_router.erl b/apps/emqx/src/emqx_router.erl
index a403efa84..d286af1d7 100644
--- a/apps/emqx/src/emqx_router.erl
+++ b/apps/emqx/src/emqx_router.erl
@@ -21,7 +21,6 @@
 -include("emqx.hrl").
 -include("logger.hrl").
 -include("types.hrl").
--include_lib("mria/include/mria.hrl").
 -include_lib("emqx/include/emqx_router.hrl").
 
 %% Mnesia bootstrap
@@ -73,11 +72,19 @@
     code_change/3
 ]).
 
+%% test / debugging purposes
+-export([is_unified_table_active/0]).
+
 -type group() :: binary().
 
 -type dest() :: node() | {group(), node()}.
 
--dialyzer({nowarn_function, [cleanup_routes/1]}).
+-record(routeidx, {
+    entry :: emqx_topic_index:key(dest()),
+    unused = [] :: nil()
+}).
+
+-dialyzer({nowarn_function, [cleanup_routes_regular/1]}).
 
 %%--------------------------------------------------------------------
 %% Mnesia bootstrap
@@ -97,6 +104,19 @@ mnesia(boot) ->
                 {write_concurrency, true}
             ]}
         ]}
+    ]),
+    ok = mria:create_table(?ROUTE_TAB_UNIFIED, [
+        {type, ordered_set},
+        {rlog_shard, ?ROUTE_SHARD},
+        {storage, ram_copies},
+        {record_name, routeidx},
+        {attributes, record_info(fields, routeidx)},
+        {storage_properties, [
+            {ets, [
+                {read_concurrency, true},
+                {write_concurrency, auto}
+            ]}
+        ]}
     ]).
 
 %%--------------------------------------------------------------------
@@ -130,31 +150,54 @@ do_add_route(Topic) when is_binary(Topic) ->
 
 -spec do_add_route(emqx_types:topic(), dest()) -> ok | {error, term()}.
 do_add_route(Topic, Dest) when is_binary(Topic) ->
-    Route = #route{topic = Topic, dest = Dest},
-    case lists:member(Route, lookup_routes(Topic)) of
+    case has_route(Topic, Dest) of
         true ->
             ok;
         false ->
             ok = emqx_router_helper:monitor(Dest),
-            case emqx_topic:wildcard(Topic) of
-                true ->
-                    Fun = fun emqx_router_utils:insert_trie_route/2,
-                    emqx_router_utils:maybe_trans(Fun, [?ROUTE_TAB, Route], ?ROUTE_SHARD);
-                false ->
-                    emqx_router_utils:insert_direct_route(?ROUTE_TAB, Route)
-            end
+            mria_insert_route(is_unified_table_active(), Topic, Dest)
     end.
 
+mria_insert_route(_Unified = true, Topic, Dest) ->
+    mria_insert_route_unified(Topic, Dest);
+mria_insert_route(_Unified = false, Topic, Dest) ->
+    Route = #route{topic = Topic, dest = Dest},
+    case emqx_topic:wildcard(Topic) of
+        true ->
+            mria_insert_route_update_trie(Route);
+        false ->
+            mria_insert_route(Route)
+    end.
+
+mria_insert_route_unified(Topic, Dest) ->
+    K = emqx_topic_index:make_key(Topic, Dest),
+    mria:dirty_write(?ROUTE_TAB_UNIFIED, #routeidx{entry = K}).
+
+mria_insert_route_update_trie(Route) ->
+    emqx_router_utils:maybe_trans(
+        fun emqx_router_utils:insert_trie_route/2,
+        [?ROUTE_TAB, Route],
+        ?ROUTE_SHARD
+    ).
+
+mria_insert_route(Route) ->
+    mria:dirty_write(?ROUTE_TAB, Route).
+
 %% @doc Match routes
 -spec match_routes(emqx_types:topic()) -> [emqx_types:route()].
 match_routes(Topic) when is_binary(Topic) ->
-    case match_trie(Topic) of
-        [] -> lookup_routes(Topic);
-        Matched -> lists:append([lookup_routes(To) || To <- [Topic | Matched]])
-    end.
+    match_routes(is_unified_table_active(), Topic).
 
-%% Optimize: routing table will be replicated to all router nodes.
-match_trie(Topic) ->
+match_routes(_Unified = true, Topic) ->
+    [match_to_route(M) || M <- match_unified(Topic)];
+match_routes(_Unified = false, Topic) ->
+    lookup_routes_regular(Topic) ++
+        lists:flatmap(fun lookup_routes_regular/1, match_global_trie(Topic)).
+
+match_unified(Topic) ->
+    emqx_topic_index:matches(Topic, ?ROUTE_TAB_UNIFIED, []).
+
+match_global_trie(Topic) ->
     case emqx_trie:empty() of
         true -> [];
         false -> emqx_trie:match(Topic)
@@ -162,12 +205,59 @@ match_trie(Topic) ->
 
 -spec lookup_routes(emqx_types:topic()) -> [emqx_types:route()].
 lookup_routes(Topic) ->
+    case is_unified_table_active() of
+        true ->
+            lookup_routes_unified(Topic);
+        false ->
+            lookup_routes_regular(Topic)
+    end.
+
+lookup_routes_unified(Topic) ->
+    Pat = #routeidx{entry = emqx_topic_index:make_key(Topic, '$1')},
+    [Dest || [Dest] <- ets:match(?ROUTE_TAB_UNIFIED, Pat)].
+
+lookup_routes_regular(Topic) ->
     ets:lookup(?ROUTE_TAB, Topic).
 
+match_to_route(M) ->
+    #route{topic = emqx_topic_index:get_topic(M), dest = emqx_topic_index:get_id(M)}.
+
 -spec has_routes(emqx_types:topic()) -> boolean().
 has_routes(Topic) when is_binary(Topic) ->
+    case is_unified_table_active() of
+        true ->
+            has_routes_unified(Topic);
+        false ->
+            has_routes_regular(Topic)
+    end.
+
+has_routes_unified(Topic) ->
+    Pat = #routeidx{entry = emqx_topic_index:mk_key(Topic, '$1'), _ = '_'},
+    case ets:match(?ROUTE_TAB_UNIFIED, Pat, 1) of
+        {[_], _} ->
+            true;
+        _ ->
+            false
+    end.
+
+has_routes_regular(Topic) ->
     ets:member(?ROUTE_TAB, Topic).
 
+-spec has_route(emqx_types:topic(), dest()) -> boolean().
+has_route(Topic, Dest) ->
+    case is_unified_table_active() of
+        true ->
+            has_route_unified(Topic, Dest);
+        false ->
+            has_route_regular(Topic, Dest)
+    end.
+
+has_route_unified(Topic, Dest) ->
+    ets:member(?ROUTE_TAB_UNIFIED, emqx_topic_index:make_key(Topic, Dest)).
+
+has_route_regular(Topic, Dest) ->
+    lists:any(fun(Route) -> Route#route.dest =:= Dest end, ets:lookup(?ROUTE_TAB, Topic)).
+
 -spec delete_route(emqx_types:topic()) -> ok | {error, term()}.
 delete_route(Topic) when is_binary(Topic) ->
     delete_route(Topic, node()).
@@ -182,17 +272,54 @@ do_delete_route(Topic) when is_binary(Topic) ->
 
 -spec do_delete_route(emqx_types:topic(), dest()) -> ok | {error, term()}.
 do_delete_route(Topic, Dest) ->
+    mria_delete_route(is_unified_table_active(), Topic, Dest).
+
+mria_delete_route(_Unified = true, Topic, Dest) ->
+    mria_delete_route_unified(Topic, Dest);
+mria_delete_route(_Unified = false, Topic, Dest) ->
     Route = #route{topic = Topic, dest = Dest},
     case emqx_topic:wildcard(Topic) of
         true ->
-            Fun = fun emqx_router_utils:delete_trie_route/2,
-            emqx_router_utils:maybe_trans(Fun, [?ROUTE_TAB, Route], ?ROUTE_SHARD);
+            mria_delete_route_update_trie(Route);
         false ->
-            emqx_router_utils:delete_direct_route(?ROUTE_TAB, Route)
+            mria_delete_route(Route)
     end.
 
+mria_delete_route_unified(Topic, Dest) ->
+    K = emqx_topic_index:make_key(Topic, Dest),
+    mria:dirty_delete(?ROUTE_TAB_UNIFIED, K).
+
+mria_delete_route_update_trie(Route) ->
+    emqx_router_utils:maybe_trans(
+        fun emqx_router_utils:delete_trie_route/2,
+        [?ROUTE_TAB, Route],
+        ?ROUTE_SHARD
+    ).
+
+mria_delete_route(Route) ->
+    mria:dirty_delete_object(?ROUTE_TAB, Route).
+
+-spec is_unified_table_active() -> boolean().
+is_unified_table_active() ->
+    is_empty(?ROUTE_TAB) andalso
+        ((not is_empty(?ROUTE_TAB_UNIFIED)) orelse
+            emqx_config:get([broker, unified_routing_table])).
+
+is_empty(Tab) ->
+    % NOTE
+    % Supposedly, should be better than `ets:info(Tab, size)` because the latter suffers
+    % from `{decentralized_counters, true}` which is default when `write_concurrency` is
+    % either `auto` or `true`.
+    ets:first(Tab) =:= '$end_of_table'.
+
 -spec topics() -> list(emqx_types:topic()).
 topics() ->
+    topics(is_unified_table_active()).
+
+topics(_Unified = true) ->
+    Pat = #routeidx{entry = '$1'},
+    [emqx_topic_index:get_topic(K) || [K] <- ets:match(?ROUTE_TAB_UNIFIED, Pat)];
+topics(_Unified = false) ->
     mnesia:dirty_all_keys(?ROUTE_TAB).
 
 %% @doc Print routes to a topic
@@ -207,23 +334,63 @@ print_routes(Topic) ->
 
 -spec cleanup_routes(node()) -> ok.
 cleanup_routes(Node) ->
+    case is_unified_table_active() of
+        true ->
+            cleanup_routes_unified(Node);
+        false ->
+            cleanup_routes_regular(Node)
+    end.
+
+cleanup_routes_unified(Node) ->
+    % NOTE
+    % No point in transaction here because all the operations on unified routing table
+    % are dirty.
+    ets:foldl(
+        fun(#routeidx{entry = K}, ok) ->
+            case emqx_topic_index:get_id(K) of
+                Node ->
+                    mria:dirty_delete(?ROUTE_TAB_UNIFIED, K);
+                _ ->
+                    ok
+            end
+        end,
+        ok,
+        ?ROUTE_TAB_UNIFIED
+    ).
+
+cleanup_routes_regular(Node) ->
     Patterns = [
         #route{_ = '_', dest = Node},
         #route{_ = '_', dest = {'_', Node}}
     ],
-    [
-        mnesia:delete_object(?ROUTE_TAB, Route, write)
-     || Pat <- Patterns,
-        Route <- mnesia:match_object(?ROUTE_TAB, Pat, write)
-    ].
+    mria:transaction(?ROUTE_SHARD, fun() ->
+        [
+            mnesia:delete_object(?ROUTE_TAB, Route, write)
+         || Pat <- Patterns,
+            Route <- mnesia:match_object(?ROUTE_TAB, Pat, write)
+        ]
+    end).
 
 -spec foldl_routes(fun((emqx_types:route(), Acc) -> Acc), Acc) -> Acc.
 foldl_routes(FoldFun, AccIn) ->
-    ets:foldl(FoldFun, AccIn, ?ROUTE_TAB).
+    case is_unified_table_active() of
+        true ->
+            ets:foldl(mk_fold_fun_unified(FoldFun), AccIn, ?ROUTE_TAB_UNIFIED);
+        false ->
+            ets:foldl(FoldFun, AccIn, ?ROUTE_TAB)
+    end.
 
 -spec foldr_routes(fun((emqx_types:route(), Acc) -> Acc), Acc) -> Acc.
 foldr_routes(FoldFun, AccIn) ->
-    ets:foldr(FoldFun, AccIn, ?ROUTE_TAB).
+    case is_unified_table_active() of
+        true ->
+            ets:foldr(mk_fold_fun_unified(FoldFun), AccIn, ?ROUTE_TAB_UNIFIED);
+        false ->
+            ets:foldr(FoldFun, AccIn, ?ROUTE_TAB)
+    end.
+
+mk_fold_fun_unified(FoldFun) ->
+    fun(#routeidx{entry = K}, Acc) -> FoldFun(match_to_route(K), Acc) end.
 
 call(Router, Msg) ->
     gen_server:call(Router, Msg, infinity).
diff --git a/apps/emqx/src/emqx_router_helper.erl b/apps/emqx/src/emqx_router_helper.erl
index 61573fcff..77f1cd11b 100644
--- a/apps/emqx/src/emqx_router_helper.erl
+++ b/apps/emqx/src/emqx_router_helper.erl
@@ -148,11 +148,13 @@ handle_info({mnesia_table_event, Event}, State) ->
 handle_info({nodedown, Node}, State = #{nodes := Nodes}) ->
     case mria_rlog:role() of
         core ->
+            % TODO
+            % Node may flap, do we need to wait for any pending cleanups in `init/1`
+            % on the flapping node?
+            % This also implies changing lock id to `{?LOCK, Node}`.
             global:trans(
                 {?LOCK, self()},
-                fun() ->
-                    mria:transaction(?ROUTE_SHARD, fun ?MODULE:cleanup_routes/1, [Node])
-                end
+                fun() -> cleanup_routes(Node) end
             ),
             ok = mria:dirty_delete(?ROUTING_NODE, Node);
         replicant ->
diff --git a/apps/emqx/src/emqx_topic_index.erl b/apps/emqx/src/emqx_topic_index.erl
index 0b153ac01..5db8ce7cc 100644
--- a/apps/emqx/src/emqx_topic_index.erl
+++ b/apps/emqx/src/emqx_topic_index.erl
@@ -24,6 +24,8 @@
 -export([match/2]).
 -export([matches/3]).
 
+-export([make_key/2]).
+
 -export([get_id/1]).
 -export([get_topic/1]).
 -export([get_record/2]).
@@ -42,14 +44,18 @@ new() ->
 %% between regular and "materialized" indexes, for example.
 -spec insert(emqx_types:topic(), _ID, _Record, ets:table()) -> true.
 insert(Filter, ID, Record, Tab) ->
-    Key = key(Filter, ID),
+    Key = make_key(Filter, ID),
     true = ets:insert(Tab, {Key, Record}).
 
 %% @doc Delete an entry from the index that associates given topic filter to given
 %% record ID. Deleting non-existing entry is not an error.
 -spec delete(emqx_types:topic(), _ID, ets:table()) -> true.
 delete(Filter, ID, Tab) ->
-    true = ets:delete(Tab, key(Filter, ID)).
+    ets:delete(Tab, make_key(Filter, ID)).
+
+-spec make_key(emqx_types:topic(), ID) -> key(ID).
+make_key(TopicOrFilter, ID) ->
+    emqx_trie_search:make_key(TopicOrFilter, ID).
 
 %% @doc Match given topic against the index and return the first match, or `false` if
 %% no match is found.
@@ -84,8 +90,5 @@ get_record(K, Tab) ->
             []
     end.
 
-key(TopicOrFilter, ID) ->
-    emqx_trie_search:make_key(TopicOrFilter, ID).
-
 make_nextf(Tab) ->
     fun(Key) -> ets:next(Tab, Key) end.
diff --git a/apps/emqx/test/emqx_router_SUITE.erl b/apps/emqx/test/emqx_router_SUITE.erl
index 453f86257..04029e822 100644
--- a/apps/emqx/test/emqx_router_SUITE.erl
+++ b/apps/emqx/test/emqx_router_SUITE.erl
@@ -26,24 +26,37 @@
 
 -define(R, emqx_router).
 
-all() -> emqx_common_test_helpers:all(?MODULE).
-
-init_per_suite(Config) ->
-    PrevBootModules = application:get_env(emqx, boot_modules),
-    emqx_common_test_helpers:boot_modules([router]),
-    emqx_common_test_helpers:start_apps([]),
+all() ->
     [
-        {prev_boot_modules, PrevBootModules}
-        | Config
+        {group, routing_table_regular},
+        {group, routing_table_unified}
     ].
 
-end_per_suite(Config) ->
-    PrevBootModules = ?config(prev_boot_modules, Config),
-    case PrevBootModules of
-        undefined -> ok;
-        {ok, Mods} -> emqx_common_test_helpers:boot_modules(Mods)
-    end,
-    emqx_common_test_helpers:stop_apps([]).
+groups() ->
+    TCs = emqx_common_test_helpers:all(?MODULE),
+    [
+        {routing_table_regular, [], TCs},
+        {routing_table_unified, [], TCs}
+    ].
+
+init_per_group(GroupName, Config) ->
+    WorkDir = filename:join([?config(priv_dir, Config), GroupName]),
+    AppSpecs = [
+        {emqx, #{
+            config => mk_config(GroupName),
+            override_env => [{boot_modules, [router]}]
+        }}
+    ],
+    Apps = emqx_cth_suite:start(AppSpecs, #{work_dir => WorkDir}),
+    [{group_apps, Apps} | Config].
+
+end_per_group(_GroupName, Config) ->
+    ok = emqx_cth_suite:stop(?config(group_apps, Config)).
+
+mk_config(routing_table_regular) ->
+    "broker.unified_routing_table = false";
+mk_config(routing_table_unified) ->
+    "broker.unified_routing_table = true".
 
 init_per_testcase(_TestCase, Config) ->
     clear_tables(),
@@ -177,5 +190,5 @@ t_unexpected(_) ->
 clear_tables() ->
     lists:foreach(
         fun mnesia:clear_table/1,
-        [?ROUTE_TAB, ?TRIE, emqx_trie_node]
+        [?ROUTE_TAB, ?ROUTE_TAB_UNIFIED, ?TRIE]
     ).
diff --git a/apps/emqx/test/emqx_router_helper_SUITE.erl b/apps/emqx/test/emqx_router_helper_SUITE.erl
index c0796288e..12a3a34dd 100644
--- a/apps/emqx/test/emqx_router_helper_SUITE.erl
+++ b/apps/emqx/test/emqx_router_helper_SUITE.erl
@@ -26,32 +26,38 @@
 
 -define(ROUTER_HELPER, emqx_router_helper).
 
-all() -> emqx_common_test_helpers:all(?MODULE).
+all() ->
+    [
+        {group, routing_table_regular},
+        {group, routing_table_unified}
+    ].
 
-init_per_suite(Config) ->
-    DistPid =
-        case net_kernel:nodename() of
-            ignored ->
-                %% calling `net_kernel:start' without `epmd'
-                %% running will result in a failure.
-                emqx_common_test_helpers:start_epmd(),
-                {ok, Pid} = net_kernel:start(['test@127.0.0.1', longnames]),
-                Pid;
-            _ ->
-                undefined
-        end,
-    emqx_common_test_helpers:start_apps([]),
-    [{dist_pid, DistPid} | Config].
+groups() ->
+    TCs = emqx_common_test_helpers:all(?MODULE),
+    [
+        {routing_table_regular, [], TCs},
+        {routing_table_unified, [], TCs}
+    ].
 
-end_per_suite(Config) ->
-    DistPid = ?config(dist_pid, Config),
-    case DistPid of
-        Pid when is_pid(Pid) ->
-            net_kernel:stop();
-        _ ->
-            ok
-    end,
-    emqx_common_test_helpers:stop_apps([]).
+init_per_group(GroupName, Config) ->
+    WorkDir = filename:join([?config(priv_dir, Config), GroupName]),
+    AppSpecs = [{emqx, mk_config(GroupName)}],
+    Apps = emqx_cth_suite:start(AppSpecs, #{work_dir => WorkDir}),
+    [{group_name, GroupName}, {group_apps, Apps} | Config].
+
+end_per_group(_GroupName, Config) ->
+    ok = emqx_cth_suite:stop(?config(group_apps, Config)).
+
+mk_config(routing_table_regular) ->
+    #{
+        config => "broker.unified_routing_table = false",
+        override_env => [{boot_modules, [router]}]
+    };
+mk_config(routing_table_unified) ->
+    #{
+        config => "broker.unified_routing_table = true",
+        override_env => [{boot_modules, [router]}]
+    }.
 
 init_per_testcase(TestCase, Config) when
     TestCase =:= t_cleanup_membership_mnesia_down;
@@ -59,7 +65,16 @@ init_per_testcase(TestCase, Config) when
     TestCase =:= t_cleanup_monitor_node_down
 ->
     ok = snabbkaffe:start_trace(),
-    Slave = emqx_common_test_helpers:start_slave(some_node, []),
+    WorkDir = filename:join([?config(priv_dir, Config), ?config(group_name, Config), TestCase]),
+    [Slave] = emqx_cth_cluster:start(
+        [
+            {?MODULE, #{
+                apps => [{emqx, mk_config(?config(group_name, Config))}],
+                join_to => node()
+            }}
+        ],
+        #{work_dir => WorkDir}
+    ),
     [{slave, Slave} | Config];
 init_per_testcase(_TestCase, Config) ->
     Config.
@@ -70,9 +85,8 @@ end_per_testcase(TestCase, Config) when
     TestCase =:= t_cleanup_monitor_node_down
 ->
     Slave = ?config(slave, Config),
-    emqx_common_test_helpers:stop_slave(Slave),
-    mria:clear_table(?ROUTE_TAB),
-    snabbkaffe:stop(),
+    ok = emqx_cth_cluster:stop([Slave]),
+    ok = snabbkaffe:stop(),
     ok;
 end_per_testcase(_TestCase, _Config) ->
     ok.