diff --git a/orchagent/routeorch.cpp b/orchagent/routeorch.cpp
index b1b2387530..01507be188 100644
--- a/orchagent/routeorch.cpp
+++ b/orchagent/routeorch.cpp
@@ -543,8 +543,6 @@ bool RouteOrch::addRoute(IpPrefix ipPrefix, IpAddresses nextHops)
     copy(route_entry.destination, ipPrefix);
 
     sai_attribute_t route_attr;
-    route_attr.id = SAI_ROUTE_ATTR_NEXT_HOP_ID;
-    route_attr.value.oid = next_hop_id;
 
     /* If the prefix is not in m_syncdRoutes, then we need to create the route
      * for this prefix with the new next hop (group) id. If the prefix is already
@@ -554,6 +552,9 @@ bool RouteOrch::addRoute(IpPrefix ipPrefix, IpAddresses nextHops)
      */
     if (it_route == m_syncdRoutes.end())
     {
+        route_attr.id = SAI_ROUTE_ATTR_NEXT_HOP_ID;
+        route_attr.value.oid = next_hop_id;
+
         sai_status_t status = sai_route_api->create_route(&route_entry, 1, &route_attr);
         if (status != SAI_STATUS_SUCCESS)
         {
@@ -574,8 +575,24 @@ bool RouteOrch::addRoute(IpPrefix ipPrefix, IpAddresses nextHops)
     }
     else
     {
+        /* Set the packet action to forward */
+        route_attr.id = SAI_ROUTE_ATTR_PACKET_ACTION;
+        route_attr.value.s32 = SAI_PACKET_ACTION_FORWARD;
+
         sai_status_t status = sai_route_api->set_route_attribute(&route_entry, &route_attr);
         if (status != SAI_STATUS_SUCCESS)
+        {
+            SWSS_LOG_ERROR("Failed to set route %s with packet action forward, %d",
+                           ipPrefix.to_string().c_str(), status);
+            return false;
+        }
+
+        route_attr.id = SAI_ROUTE_ATTR_NEXT_HOP_ID;
+        route_attr.value.oid = next_hop_id;
+
+        /* Set the next hop ID to a new value */
+        status = sai_route_api->set_route_attribute(&route_entry, &route_attr);
+        if (status != SAI_STATUS_SUCCESS)
         {
             SWSS_LOG_ERROR("Failed to set route %s with next hop(s) %s",
                     ipPrefix.to_string().c_str(), nextHops.to_string().c_str());