diff --git a/Shorewall/Perl/Shorewall/Providers.pm b/Shorewall/Perl/Shorewall/Providers.pm
index 6b46b54af..2b1893915 100644
--- a/Shorewall/Perl/Shorewall/Providers.pm
+++ b/Shorewall/Perl/Shorewall/Providers.pm
@@ -1005,6 +1005,8 @@ CEOF
 	    emit qq(echo "\$IP -$family route del default dev $physical table $id > /dev/null 2>&1" >> \${VARDIR}/undo_${table}_routing);
 	}
 
+	emit( 'g_fallback=Yes' ) if $persistent;
+
 	$metrics = 1;
     }
 
@@ -1592,7 +1594,7 @@ sub finish_providers() {
 		'    error_message "WARNING: No Default route added (all \'balance\' providers are down)"' );
 
 	if ( $config{RESTORE_DEFAULT_ROUTE} ) {
-	    emit qq(    [ -z "\$FALLBACK_ROUTE" ] && restore_default_route $config{USE_DEFAULT_RT} && error_message "NOTICE: Default route restored")
+	    emit qq(    [ -z "\${FALLBACK_ROUTE}\${g_fallback}" ] && restore_default_route $config{USE_DEFAULT_RT} && error_message "NOTICE: Default route restored")
 	} else {
 	    emit qq(    qt \$IP -$family route del default table $table && error_message "WARNING: Default route deleted from table $table");
 	}
diff --git a/Shorewall/Perl/prog.footer b/Shorewall/Perl/prog.footer
index d5871f1bb..b06263244 100644
--- a/Shorewall/Perl/prog.footer
+++ b/Shorewall/Perl/prog.footer
@@ -132,6 +132,7 @@ g_docker=
 g_dockeringress=
 g_dockernetwork=
 g_forcereload=
+g_fallback=
 
 [ -n "$SERVICEDIR" ] && SUBSYSLOCK=