diff --git a/lib/nexthop.c b/lib/nexthop.c
index 73c2de0cd80e..b15e738db47d 100644
--- a/lib/nexthop.c
+++ b/lib/nexthop.c
@@ -105,12 +105,6 @@ static int _nexthop_cmp_no_labels(const struct nexthop *next1,
 {
 	int ret = 0;
 
-	if (next1->vrf_id < next2->vrf_id)
-		return -1;
-
-	if (next1->vrf_id > next2->vrf_id)
-		return 1;
-
 	if (next1->type < next2->type)
 		return -1;
 
@@ -120,6 +114,12 @@ static int _nexthop_cmp_no_labels(const struct nexthop *next1,
 	switch (next1->type) {
 	case NEXTHOP_TYPE_IPV4:
 	case NEXTHOP_TYPE_IPV6:
+		if (next1->vrf_id < next2->vrf_id)
+			return -1;
+
+		if (next1->vrf_id > next2->vrf_id)
+			return 1;
+
 		ret = _nexthop_gateway_cmp(next1, next2);
 		if (ret != 0)
 			return ret;
diff --git a/lib/zclient.c b/lib/zclient.c
index a135d1874400..3d84c34b8909 100644
--- a/lib/zclient.c
+++ b/lib/zclient.c
@@ -790,12 +790,6 @@ static int zapi_nexthop_cmp_no_labels(const struct zapi_nexthop *next1,
 {
 	int ret = 0;
 
-	if (next1->vrf_id < next2->vrf_id)
-		return -1;
-
-	if (next1->vrf_id > next2->vrf_id)
-		return 1;
-
 	if (next1->type < next2->type)
 		return -1;
 
@@ -805,6 +799,12 @@ static int zapi_nexthop_cmp_no_labels(const struct zapi_nexthop *next1,
 	switch (next1->type) {
 	case NEXTHOP_TYPE_IPV4:
 	case NEXTHOP_TYPE_IPV6:
+		if (next1->vrf_id < next2->vrf_id)
+			return -1;
+
+		if (next1->vrf_id > next2->vrf_id)
+			return 1;
+
 		ret = nexthop_g_addr_cmp(next1->type, &next1->gate,
 					 &next2->gate);
 		if (ret != 0)