diff --git a/Shorewall/Perl/Shorewall/Zones.pm b/Shorewall/Perl/Shorewall/Zones.pm
index 315675bd5..e12c1547a 100644
--- a/Shorewall/Perl/Shorewall/Zones.pm
+++ b/Shorewall/Perl/Shorewall/Zones.pm
@@ -1579,8 +1579,8 @@ sub known_interface($)
 								     base     => var_base( $physical ) ,
 								     wildcard => $interfaceref->{wildcard} ,
 								     zones    => $interfaceref->{zones} ,
-						                   };
-
+		                                                    };
+		return $interfaces{$interface};
 	    }
 	}
     }
@@ -2063,9 +2063,7 @@ sub process_host( ) {
 
 	fatal_error "Unknown interface ($interface)" unless ($interfaceref = $interfaces{$interface}) && $interfaceref->{root};
 	fatal_error "Unmanaged interfaces may not be associated with a zone" if $interfaceref->{unmanaged};
-
 	$interface = $interfaceref->{name};
-
 	if ( $interfaceref->{physical} eq $loopback_interface ) {
 	    fatal_error "Only a loopback zone may be associated with the loopback interface ($loopback_interface)" if $type != LOOPBACK;
 	} else {