diff --git a/Shorewall-perl/Shorewall/Rules.pm b/Shorewall-perl/Shorewall/Rules.pm
index edf482a36..e10ae3bf8 100644
--- a/Shorewall-perl/Shorewall/Rules.pm
+++ b/Shorewall-perl/Shorewall/Rules.pm
@@ -1187,8 +1187,7 @@ sub process_rule ( $$$$$$$$$ ) {
 			}
 		    }
 		} else {
-		    my $destzone = $dest;
-		    $destzone =~ s/:.*//;
+		    ( ( my $destzone ) , undef ) = split /:/, $dest;
 		    my $policychainref = $filter_table->{"${zone}2${destzone}"}{policychain};
 		    if ( $policychainref->{policy} ne 'NONE' ) {
 			process_rule1 $target, $zone, $dest , $proto, $ports, $sports, $origdest, $ratelimit, $user;