diff --git a/src/etc/inc/gwlb.inc b/src/etc/inc/gwlb.inc
index d4d67035f..6e7472b3f 100644
--- a/src/etc/inc/gwlb.inc
+++ b/src/etc/inc/gwlb.inc
@@ -770,8 +770,7 @@ function fixup_default_gateway($gateways_status, $gateways_arr)
             continue;
         }
 
-        /* switch only if another gateway is set aa the default */
-        system_default_route($dfltgwip, $ipprotocol, $gateways_arr[$dfltgwname]['friendlyiface'], isset($gateways_arr[$dfltgwname]['fargw']), true);
+        system_default_route($dfltgwip, $ipprotocol, $gateways_arr[$dfltgwname]['friendlyiface'], isset($gateways_arr[$dfltgwname]['fargw']));
     }
 }
 
diff --git a/src/etc/inc/system.inc b/src/etc/inc/system.inc
index 216b900a6..b7269af6c 100644
--- a/src/etc/inc/system.inc
+++ b/src/etc/inc/system.inc
@@ -417,7 +417,7 @@ function system_host_route($host, $gateway, $delete = true, $add = true)
     }
 }
 
-function system_default_route($gateway, $family, $interface, $far = false, $keep = false)
+function system_default_route($gateway, $family, $interface, $far = false, $keep = true)
 {
     $realif = get_real_interface($interface);
 
@@ -434,6 +434,7 @@ function system_default_route($gateway, $family, $interface, $far = false, $keep
             return;
     }
 
+    /* XXX we can hardcode this as soon as testing goes ok */
     if ($keep) {
         $tmpcmd = "/sbin/route -n get -{$family} default 2>/dev/null | /usr/bin/awk '/gateway:/ {print $2}'";
         $current = trim(exec($tmpcmd), " \n");