One embodiment provides a system that facilitates routing updates outside of a routing protocol. During operation, the system receives, by an intermediate node, a first interest that indicates an originator name which is a routable name prefix for a sender of the first interest and is used by a content producing device in a subsequent interest. In response to not obtaining a matching entry in a forwarding information base (FIB) based on the originator name, the system adds a first entry to the FIB, wherein the first entry includes the originator name as a name for the first entry and further includes an arrival interface of the first interest as an outgoing interface for the first entry. In response to receiving the subsequent interest which has a name that includes the originator name, the system forwards the subsequent interest to the outgoing interface for the first entry.