diff --git a/src/etc/inc/system.inc b/src/etc/inc/system.inc
index 9361427f5..12904ddc9 100644
--- a/src/etc/inc/system.inc
+++ b/src/etc/inc/system.inc
@@ -525,13 +525,6 @@ function system_default_route($gateway, $family, $interface, $far = false)
             return;
     }
 
-    $tmpcmd = "/sbin/route -n get -{$family} default 2>/dev/null | /usr/bin/awk '/gateway:/ {print $2}'";
-    $current = trim(exec($tmpcmd), " \n");
-    if ($current == $gateway) {
-        log_error("ROUTING: keeping current default gateway '{$gateway}'");
-        return;
-    }
-
     if ($family == 'inet') {
         foreach (glob('/tmp/*_defaultgw') as $to_delete) {
             log_error("ROUTING: removing {$to_delete}");
@@ -562,6 +555,13 @@ function system_default_route($gateway, $family, $interface, $far = false)
         $realif = null;
     }
 
+    $tmpcmd = "/sbin/route -n get -{$family} default 2>/dev/null | /usr/bin/awk '/gateway:/ {print $2}'";
+    $current = trim(exec($tmpcmd), " \n");
+    if ($current == $gateway) {
+        log_error("ROUTING: keeping current default gateway '{$gateway}'");
+        return;
+    }
+
     mwexecf('/sbin/route delete -%s default', array($family), true);
     if (!empty($realif)) {
         mwexecf('/sbin/route delete -%s %s -interface %s', array($family, $gateway, $realif), true);