diff --git a/ncm-network/src/main/perl/nmstate.pm b/ncm-network/src/main/perl/nmstate.pm
index 1794370c18..115d788364 100644
--- a/ncm-network/src/main/perl/nmstate.pm
+++ b/ncm-network/src/main/perl/nmstate.pm
@@ -121,11 +121,11 @@ sub make_nm_ip_rule
         $thisrule{'route-table'} = "$routing_table_hash->{$rule->{table}}" if $rule->{table};
         $thisrule{'ip-to'} = $rule->{to} if $rule->{to};
         $thisrule{'ip-from'} = $rule->{from} if $rule->{from};
-        $thisrule{'action'} = $rule->{nmstate-action} if $rule->{nmstate-action};
-        $thisrule{'state'} = $rule->{nmstate-state} if $rule->{nmstate-state};
-        $thisrule{'iff'} = $rule->{nmstate-iff} if $rule->{nmstate-iff};
-        $thisrule{'fwmark'} = $rule->{nmstate-fwmark} if $rule->{nmstate-fwmark};
-        $thisrule{'fwmask'} = $rule->{nmstate-fwmask} if $rule->{nmstate-fwmask};
+        $thisrule{'action'} = $rule->{'nmstate-action'} if $rule->{'nmstate-action'};
+        $thisrule{'state'} = $rule->{'nmstate-state'} if $rule->{'nmstate-state'};
+        $thisrule{'iff'} = $rule->{'nmstate-iff'} if $rule->{'nmstate-iff'};
+        $thisrule{'fwmark'} = $rule->{'nmstate-fwmark'} if $rule->{'nmstate-fwmark'};
+        $thisrule{'fwmask'} = $rule->{'nmstate-fwmask'} if $rule->{'nmstate-fwmask'};
         push (@rule_entry, \%thisrule);
         
         # Add a default absent rule to match table defined. This will clear any existing rules for this table, instead of merging.
@@ -172,6 +172,16 @@ sub make_nm_ip_route
     return \@rt_entry;
 }
 
+# create an absent route entry.
+# if you prepend the routes with the 'absent', then nmstate will clear the existing matches and apply the routes
+# This will allow nmstate to clear all routes for the interface and only apply routes defined in config.
+# useful when routes are changed later on in profile once host is built.
+# return arrayref
+sub make_nm_route_absent {
+    my ($self, $device) = @_;
+    return { 'state' => 'absent', 'next-hop-interface' => $device };
+}
+
 # group all eth bound to a bond together in a hashref for to be used as
 # - port in nmstate config file
 sub get_bonded_eth
@@ -390,13 +400,13 @@ sub generate_nmstate_config
     #     next-hop-interface:
     #  and so on.
     my $routes = [];
+    push @$routes, ($self->make_nm_route_absent($name));
+    push @$routes, \%default_rt if scalar %default_rt;
     if (defined($iface->{route})) {
         $self->verbose("policy route found, nmstate will manage it");
         my $route = $iface->{route};
-        $routes = $self->make_nm_ip_route($name, $route, $routing_table);
-        push @$routes, \%default_rt if scalar %default_rt;
-    } elsif (scalar %default_rt){
-        push @$routes, \%default_rt if scalar %default_rt;
+        my $policyroutes = $self->make_nm_ip_route($name, $route, $routing_table);
+        push @$routes, @{$policyroutes};
     }
 
     my $policy_rule = [];
diff --git a/ncm-network/src/test/perl/nmstate_simple.t b/ncm-network/src/test/perl/nmstate_simple.t
index 6b62c9a0dc..0aed4f7693 100644
--- a/ncm-network/src/test/perl/nmstate_simple.t
+++ b/ncm-network/src/test/perl/nmstate_simple.t
@@ -51,6 +51,10 @@ interfaces:
   name: eth0
   profile-name: eth0
   type: bond
+routes:
+  config:
+  - next-hop-interface: eth0
+    state: absent
 EOF
 
 Readonly my $NOTTOREMOVE => <<EOF;