diff --git a/Shorewall-perl/Shorewall/Chains.pm b/Shorewall-perl/Shorewall/Chains.pm
index cf936ecd9..a93df922a 100644
--- a/Shorewall-perl/Shorewall/Chains.pm
+++ b/Shorewall-perl/Shorewall/Chains.pm
@@ -110,6 +110,7 @@ our @EXPORT = qw( STANDARD
 		  insertnatjump
 		  get_interface_address
 		  get_interface_addresses
+		  set_global_variables
 		  create_netfilter_load
 
 		  @policy_chains
@@ -1715,6 +1716,43 @@ sub emitr( $ ) {
     }
 }
 
+#
+# Generate function that sets global variables
+#
+sub set_global_variables() {
+
+    my $nonempty = 0;
+
+    emitj( 'set_global_variables()',
+	   '{'
+	   );
+
+    push_indent;
+    #
+    # Establish the values of shell variables used in the following shell commands and/or 'here documents' input.
+    #
+    for ( values %interfaceaddr ) {
+	emit $_;
+	$nonempty = 1;
+    }
+
+    for ( values %interfaceaddrs ) {
+	emit $_;
+	$nonempty = 1;
+    }
+
+    for ( values %interfacenets ) {
+	emit $_;
+	$nonempty = 1;
+    }
+
+    emit "true" unless $nonempty;
+
+    pop_indent;
+
+    emit "}\n";
+}
+
 #
 # Generate the netfilter input
 #
@@ -1728,21 +1766,6 @@ sub create_netfilter_load() {
 
     save_progress_message "Preparing iptables-restore input...";
 
-    #
-    # Establish the values of shell variables used in the following shell commands and/or 'here documents' input.
-    #
-    for ( values %interfaceaddr ) {
-	emit $_;
-    }
-
-    for ( values %interfaceaddrs ) {
-	emit $_;
-    }
-
-    for ( values %interfacenets ) {
-	emit $_;
-    }
-
     emit '';
     #
     # We always write the input into a file then pass the file to iptables-restore. That way, if things go wrong,
diff --git a/Shorewall-perl/Shorewall/Providers.pm b/Shorewall-perl/Shorewall/Providers.pm
index 92f333bf5..b650632f0 100644
--- a/Shorewall-perl/Shorewall/Providers.pm
+++ b/Shorewall-perl/Shorewall/Providers.pm
@@ -177,9 +177,10 @@ sub setup_providers() {
 	}
 
 	if ( $gateway eq 'detect' ) {
+	    my $variable = get_interface_address $interface;
 	    emitj ( "gateway=\$(detect_gateway $interface)\n",
 		    'if [ -n "$gateway" ]; then',
-		    "    run_ip route replace \$gateway src \$(find_first_interface_address $interface) dev $interface table $number",
+		    "    run_ip route replace $variable dev $interface table $number",
 		    "    run_ip route add default via \$gateway dev $interface table $number",
 		    'else',
 		    "    fatal_error \"Unable to detect the gateway through interface $interface\"",
@@ -187,7 +188,8 @@ sub setup_providers() {
 	    $gateway = '$gateway';
 	} elsif ( $gateway && $gateway ne '-' ) {
 	    validate_address $gateway;
-	    emit "run_ip route replace $gateway src \$(find_first_interface_address $interface) dev $interface table $number";
+	    my $variable = get_interface_address $interface;
+	    emit "run_ip route replace $gateway src $variable dev $interface table $number";
 	    emit "run_ip route add default via $gateway dev $interface table $number";
 	} else {
 	    $gateway = '';
diff --git a/Shorewall-perl/compiler.pl b/Shorewall-perl/compiler.pl
index 4f84540ff..7542d547e 100755
--- a/Shorewall-perl/compiler.pl
+++ b/Shorewall-perl/compiler.pl
@@ -577,6 +577,8 @@ sub generate_script_3() {
 
     emit "}\n";
 
+    set_global_variables;
+
     progress_message2 "Creating iptables-restore input...";
     create_netfilter_load;
 
@@ -585,6 +587,9 @@ sub generate_script_3() {
     push_indent;
 
     emit<<'EOF';
+
+set_global_variables;
+
 setup_routing_and_traffic_shaping;
 
 if [ $COMMAND = restore ]; then