diff --git a/plugins/graph_algorithm/include/graph_algorithm/algorithms/neighborhood.h b/plugins/graph_algorithm/include/graph_algorithm/algorithms/neighborhood.h
index 1b0466be180..f0ae8d381a5 100644
--- a/plugins/graph_algorithm/include/graph_algorithm/algorithms/neighborhood.h
+++ b/plugins/graph_algorithm/include/graph_algorithm/algorithms/neighborhood.h
@@ -44,13 +44,13 @@ namespace hal
          * Returns each neighborhood as a vector of vertices in the netlist graph.
          * 
          * @param[in] graph - The netlist graph.
-         * @param[in] start_gates - The gates for which to compute the neighborhood.
+         * @param[in] start_gates - A vector of gates for which to compute the neighborhood.
          * @param[in] order - The order of the neighborhood to compute.
          * @param[in] direction - The direction in which the neighborhood should be computed.
          * @param[in] min_dist - The minimum distance of the vertices to include in the result.
          * @returns A vector of neighborhoods of each of the provided start gates (in order) on success, an error otherwise.
          */
-        Result<std::vector<std::vector<u32>>> get_neighborhood(NetlistGraph* graph, std::vector<Gate*> start_gates, u32 order, NetlistGraph::Direction direction, u32 min_dist = 0);
+        Result<std::vector<std::vector<u32>>> get_neighborhood(NetlistGraph* graph, const std::vector<Gate*>& start_gates, u32 order, NetlistGraph::Direction direction, u32 min_dist = 0);
 
         /**
          * Compute the neighborhood of the given order for each of the specified vertices within the given netlist graph.
@@ -58,12 +58,26 @@ namespace hal
          * Returns each neighborhood as a vector of vertices in the netlist graph.
          * 
          * @param[in] graph - The netlist graph.
-         * @param[in] start_vertices - The vertices for which to compute the neighborhood.
+         * @param[in] start_vertices - A vector of vertices for which to compute the neighborhood.
          * @param[in] order - The order of the neighborhood to compute.
          * @param[in] direction - The direction in which the neighborhood should be computed.
          * @param[in] min_dist - The minimum distance of the vertices to include in the result.
          * @returns A vector of neighborhoods of each of the provided start vertices (in order) on success, an error otherwise.
          */
-        Result<std::vector<std::vector<u32>>> get_neighborhood(NetlistGraph* graph, std::vector<u32> start_vertices, u32 order, NetlistGraph::Direction direction, u32 min_dist = 0);
+        Result<std::vector<std::vector<u32>>> get_neighborhood(NetlistGraph* graph, const std::vector<u32>& start_vertices, u32 order, NetlistGraph::Direction direction, u32 min_dist = 0);
+
+        /**
+         * Compute the neighborhood of the given order for each of the specified vertices within the given netlist graph.
+         * For order 0, only the vertex itself is returned. For order 1, the vertex itself and all vertices that are its direct predecessors and/or successors (depending on the specified direction). For order 2, the neighborhood of order 1 plus all direct predecessors and/or successors of the vertices in order 1 are returned, etc.
+         * Returns each neighborhood as a vector of vertices in the netlist graph.
+         * 
+         * @param[in] graph - The netlist graph.
+         * @param[in] start_vertices - An igraph vector of vertices for which to compute the neighborhood.
+         * @param[in] order - The order of the neighborhood to compute.
+         * @param[in] direction - The direction in which the neighborhood should be computed.
+         * @param[in] min_dist - The minimum distance of the vertices to include in the result.
+         * @returns A vector of neighborhoods of each of the provided start vertices (in order) on success, an error otherwise.
+         */
+        Result<std::vector<std::vector<u32>>> get_neighborhood_igraph(NetlistGraph* graph, const igraph_vector_int_t* start_vertices, u32 order, NetlistGraph::Direction direction, u32 min_dist = 0);
     }    // namespace graph_algorithm
 }    // namespace hal
\ No newline at end of file
diff --git a/plugins/graph_algorithm/python/python_bindings.cpp b/plugins/graph_algorithm/python/python_bindings.cpp
index b4c7a538496..0fd1cfcbf2a 100644
--- a/plugins/graph_algorithm/python/python_bindings.cpp
+++ b/plugins/graph_algorithm/python/python_bindings.cpp
@@ -461,7 +461,7 @@ namespace hal
 
         m.def(
             "get_neighborhood",
-            [](graph_algorithm::NetlistGraph* graph, std::vector<Gate*> start_gates, u32 order, graph_algorithm::NetlistGraph::Direction direction, u32 min_dist = 0)
+            [](graph_algorithm::NetlistGraph* graph, const std::vector<Gate*>& start_gates, u32 order, graph_algorithm::NetlistGraph::Direction direction, u32 min_dist = 0)
                 -> std::optional<std::vector<std::vector<u32>>> {
                 auto res = graph_algorithm::get_neighborhood(graph, start_gates, order, direction, min_dist);
                 if (res.is_ok())
@@ -485,7 +485,7 @@ namespace hal
                 Returns each neighborhood as a list of vertices in the netlist graph.
 
                 :param graph_algorithm.NetlistGraph graph: The netlist graph.
-                :param list[hal_py.Gate] start_gates: The gates for which to compute the neighborhood.
+                :param list[hal_py.Gate] start_gates: A list of gates for which to compute the neighborhood.
                 :param int order: The order of the neighborhood to compute.
                 :param graph_algorithm.NetlistGraph.Direction direction: The direction in which the neighborhood should be computed.
                 :param int min_dist: The minimum distance of the vertices to include in the result.
@@ -495,7 +495,7 @@ namespace hal
 
         m.def(
             "get_neighborhood",
-            [](graph_algorithm::NetlistGraph* graph, std::vector<u32> start_vertices, u32 order, graph_algorithm::NetlistGraph::Direction direction, u32 min_dist = 0)
+            [](graph_algorithm::NetlistGraph* graph, const std::vector<u32>& start_vertices, u32 order, graph_algorithm::NetlistGraph::Direction direction, u32 min_dist = 0)
                 -> std::optional<std::vector<std::vector<u32>>> {
                 auto res = graph_algorithm::get_neighborhood(graph, start_vertices, order, direction, min_dist);
                 if (res.is_ok())
@@ -519,7 +519,7 @@ namespace hal
                 Returns each neighborhood as a list of vertices in the netlist graph.
 
                 :param graph_algorithm.NetlistGraph graph: The netlist graph.
-                :param list[int] start_vertices: The vertices for which to compute the neighborhood.
+                :param list[int] start_vertices: A list of vertices for which to compute the neighborhood.
                 :param int order: The order of the neighborhood to compute.
                 :param graph_algorithm.NetlistGraph.Direction direction: The direction in which the neighborhood should be computed.
                 :param int min_dist: The minimum distance of the vertices to include in the result.
diff --git a/plugins/graph_algorithm/src/algorithms/neighborhood.cpp b/plugins/graph_algorithm/src/algorithms/neighborhood.cpp
index 8d72ff80a57..11235061d57 100644
--- a/plugins/graph_algorithm/src/algorithms/neighborhood.cpp
+++ b/plugins/graph_algorithm/src/algorithms/neighborhood.cpp
@@ -6,7 +6,7 @@ namespace hal
 
     namespace graph_algorithm
     {
-        Result<std::vector<std::vector<u32>>> get_neighborhood(NetlistGraph* graph, std::vector<Gate*> start_gates, u32 order, NetlistGraph::Direction direction, u32 min_dist)
+        Result<std::vector<std::vector<u32>>> get_neighborhood(NetlistGraph* graph, const std::vector<Gate*>& start_gates, u32 order, NetlistGraph::Direction direction, u32 min_dist)
         {
             if (!graph)
             {
@@ -18,23 +18,29 @@ namespace hal
                 return ERR("no start gates provided");
             }
 
-            std::vector<u32> start_vertices;
-            for (auto* g : start_gates)
+            igraph_vector_int_t i_gates;
+            if (auto res = graph->get_vertices_from_gates_igraph(start_gates); res.is_ok())
             {
-                if (const auto res = graph->get_vertex_from_gate(g); res.is_ok())
-                {
-                    start_vertices.push_back(res.get());
-                }
-                else
-                {
-                    return ERR(res.get_error());
-                }
+                i_gates = std::move(res.get());
+            }
+            else
+            {
+                return ERR(res.get_error());
             }
 
-            return get_neighborhood(graph, start_vertices, order, direction, min_dist);
+            auto res = get_neighborhood_igraph(graph, &i_gates, order, direction, min_dist);
+
+            igraph_vector_int_destroy(&i_gates);
+
+            if (res.is_error())
+            {
+                return ERR(res.get_error());
+            }
+
+            return res;
         }
 
-        Result<std::vector<std::vector<u32>>> get_neighborhood(NetlistGraph* graph, std::vector<u32> start_vertices, u32 order, NetlistGraph::Direction direction, u32 min_dist)
+        Result<std::vector<std::vector<u32>>> get_neighborhood(NetlistGraph* graph, const std::vector<u32>& start_vertices, u32 order, NetlistGraph::Direction direction, u32 min_dist)
         {
             if (!graph)
             {
@@ -46,28 +52,39 @@ namespace hal
                 return ERR("no start vertices provided");
             }
 
-            u32 num_vertices = igraph_vcount(graph->get_graph());
-            if (std::any_of(start_vertices.begin(), start_vertices.end(), [num_vertices](const u32 v) { return v >= num_vertices; }))
+            igraph_vector_int_t i_gates;
+            if (auto res = igraph_vector_int_init(&i_gates, start_vertices.size()); res != IGRAPH_SUCCESS)
             {
-                return ERR("invalid vertex contained in start vertices");
+                return ERR(igraph_strerror(res));
             }
 
-            igraph_vector_int_t v_vec;
-            if (auto res = igraph_vector_int_init(&v_vec, start_vertices.size()); res != IGRAPH_SUCCESS)
+            for (u32 i = 0; i < start_vertices.size(); i++)
             {
-                return ERR(igraph_strerror(res));
+                VECTOR(i_gates)[i] = start_vertices.at(i);
             }
 
-            u32 v_count = 0;
-            for (const auto v : start_vertices)
+            auto res = get_neighborhood_igraph(graph, &i_gates, order, direction, min_dist);
+
+            igraph_vector_int_destroy(&i_gates);
+
+            if (res.is_error())
             {
-                VECTOR(v_vec)[v_count++] = v;
+                return ERR(res.get_error());
+            }
+
+            return res;
+        }
+
+        Result<std::vector<std::vector<u32>>> get_neighborhood_igraph(NetlistGraph* graph, const igraph_vector_int_t* start_gates, u32 order, NetlistGraph::Direction direction, u32 min_dist)
+        {
+            if (!graph)
+            {
+                return ERR("graph is a nullptr");
             }
 
             igraph_vs_t v_sel;
-            if (auto res = igraph_vs_vector(&v_sel, &v_vec); res != IGRAPH_SUCCESS)
+            if (auto res = igraph_vs_vector(&v_sel, start_gates); res != IGRAPH_SUCCESS)
             {
-                igraph_vector_int_destroy(&v_vec);
                 return ERR(igraph_strerror(res));
             }
 
@@ -85,7 +102,6 @@ namespace hal
                     break;
                 case NetlistGraph::Direction::NONE:
                     igraph_vs_destroy(&v_sel);
-                    igraph_vector_int_destroy(&v_vec);
                     return ERR("invalid direction 'NONE'");
             }
 
@@ -93,14 +109,12 @@ namespace hal
             if (auto res = igraph_vector_int_list_init(&neighborhoods_raw, 1); res != IGRAPH_SUCCESS)
             {
                 igraph_vs_destroy(&v_sel);
-                igraph_vector_int_destroy(&v_vec);
                 return ERR(igraph_strerror(res));
             }
 
             if (auto res = igraph_neighborhood(graph->get_graph(), &neighborhoods_raw, v_sel, order, mode, min_dist); res != IGRAPH_SUCCESS)
             {
                 igraph_vs_destroy(&v_sel);
-                igraph_vector_int_destroy(&v_vec);
                 igraph_vector_int_list_destroy(&neighborhoods_raw);
                 return ERR(igraph_strerror(res));
             }
@@ -120,7 +134,6 @@ namespace hal
             }
 
             igraph_vs_destroy(&v_sel);
-            igraph_vector_int_destroy(&v_vec);
             igraph_vector_int_list_destroy(&neighborhoods_raw);
 
             return OK(neighborhoods);