diff --git a/zebra/rt_netlink.c b/zebra/rt_netlink.c
index 0cc2e0217f..c9a6335277 100644
--- a/zebra/rt_netlink.c
+++ b/zebra/rt_netlink.c
@@ -2370,7 +2370,6 @@ int netlink_mpls_multipath(int cmd, zebra_lsp_t *lsp)
 
 	memset(&req, 0, sizeof req - NL_PKT_BUF_SIZE);
 
-
 	/*
 	 * Count # nexthops so we can decide whether to use singlepath
 	 * or multipath case.
@@ -2394,11 +2393,9 @@ int netlink_mpls_multipath(int cmd, zebra_lsp_t *lsp)
 		}
 	}
 
-	if (nexthop_num == 0 || !lsp->best_nhlfe) // unexpected
+	if ((nexthop_num == 0) || (!lsp->best_nhlfe && (cmd != RTM_DELROUTE)))
 		return 0;
 
-	route_type = re_type_from_lsp_type(lsp->best_nhlfe->type);
-
 	req.n.nlmsg_len = NLMSG_LENGTH(sizeof(struct rtmsg));
 	req.n.nlmsg_flags = NLM_F_CREATE | NLM_F_REQUEST;
 	req.n.nlmsg_type = cmd;
@@ -2407,14 +2404,18 @@ int netlink_mpls_multipath(int cmd, zebra_lsp_t *lsp)
 	req.r.rtm_family = AF_MPLS;
 	req.r.rtm_table = RT_TABLE_MAIN;
 	req.r.rtm_dst_len = MPLS_LABEL_LEN_BITS;
-	req.r.rtm_protocol = zebra2proto(route_type);
 	req.r.rtm_scope = RT_SCOPE_UNIVERSE;
 	req.r.rtm_type = RTN_UNICAST;
 
-	if (cmd == RTM_NEWROUTE)
+	if (cmd == RTM_NEWROUTE) {
 		/* We do a replace to handle update. */
 		req.n.nlmsg_flags |= NLM_F_REPLACE;
 
+		/* set the protocol value if installing */
+		route_type = re_type_from_lsp_type(lsp->best_nhlfe->type);
+		req.r.rtm_protocol = zebra2proto(route_type);
+	}
+
 	/* Fill destination */
 	lse = mpls_lse_encode(lsp->ile.in_label, 0, 0, 1);
 	addattr_l(&req.n, sizeof req, RTA_DST, &lse, sizeof(mpls_lse_t));