diff --git a/core/common/src/main/java/org/onosproject/codec/impl/EncodeInstructionCodecHelper.java b/core/common/src/main/java/org/onosproject/codec/impl/EncodeInstructionCodecHelper.java
index 8a4dfa5..d61cf38 100644
--- a/core/common/src/main/java/org/onosproject/codec/impl/EncodeInstructionCodecHelper.java
+++ b/core/common/src/main/java/org/onosproject/codec/impl/EncodeInstructionCodecHelper.java
@@ -113,7 +113,7 @@
             case MPLS_LABEL:
                 final L2ModificationInstruction.ModMplsLabelInstruction modMplsLabelInstruction =
                         (L2ModificationInstruction.ModMplsLabelInstruction) instruction;
-                result.put(InstructionCodec.MPLS_LABEL, modMplsLabelInstruction.label());
+                result.put(InstructionCodec.MPLS_LABEL, modMplsLabelInstruction.mplsLabel().toInt());
                 break;
 
             case MPLS_PUSH:
diff --git a/core/common/src/test/java/org/onosproject/codec/impl/FlowRuleCodecTest.java b/core/common/src/test/java/org/onosproject/codec/impl/FlowRuleCodecTest.java
index 2ae8cb5..6c88ac1 100644
--- a/core/common/src/test/java/org/onosproject/codec/impl/FlowRuleCodecTest.java
+++ b/core/common/src/test/java/org/onosproject/codec/impl/FlowRuleCodecTest.java
@@ -246,8 +246,8 @@
                 L2ModificationInstruction.L2SubType.MPLS_LABEL.name());
         assertThat(instruction.type(), is(Instruction.Type.L2MODIFICATION));
         assertThat(((L2ModificationInstruction.ModMplsLabelInstruction) instruction)
-                        .label().shortValue(),
-                is((short) 777));
+                        .mplsLabel().toInt(),
+                is(MplsLabel.MAX_MPLS));
 
         instruction = getInstruction(Instruction.Type.L2MODIFICATION,
                 L2ModificationInstruction.L2SubType.MPLS_PUSH.name());
diff --git a/core/common/src/test/java/org/onosproject/codec/impl/InstructionJsonMatcher.java b/core/common/src/test/java/org/onosproject/codec/impl/InstructionJsonMatcher.java
index dbb3bd0..72081e6 100644
--- a/core/common/src/test/java/org/onosproject/codec/impl/InstructionJsonMatcher.java
+++ b/core/common/src/test/java/org/onosproject/codec/impl/InstructionJsonMatcher.java
@@ -372,7 +372,7 @@
         }
 
         final int jsonLabel = instructionJson.get("label").intValue();
-        final int label = instructionToMatch.label();
+        final int label = instructionToMatch.mplsLabel().toInt();
         if (label != jsonLabel) {
             description.appendText("MPLS label was " + jsonLabel);
             return false;
diff --git a/core/common/src/test/resources/org/onosproject/codec/impl/instructions-flow.json b/core/common/src/test/resources/org/onosproject/codec/impl/instructions-flow.json
index dbb8f51..74b9546 100644
--- a/core/common/src/test/resources/org/onosproject/codec/impl/instructions-flow.json
+++ b/core/common/src/test/resources/org/onosproject/codec/impl/instructions-flow.json
@@ -13,7 +13,7 @@
         {"type":"L2MODIFICATION","subtype":"ETH_DST","mac":"98:76:54:32:01:00"},
         {"type":"L2MODIFICATION","subtype":"VLAN_ID","vlanId":22},
         {"type":"L2MODIFICATION","subtype":"VLAN_PCP","vlanPcp":1},
-        {"type":"L2MODIFICATION","subtype":"MPLS_LABEL","label":777},
+        {"type":"L2MODIFICATION","subtype":"MPLS_LABEL","label":1048575},
         {"type":"L2MODIFICATION","subtype":"MPLS_PUSH"},
         {"type":"L2MODIFICATION","subtype":"MPLS_POP"},
         {"type":"L2MODIFICATION","subtype":"DEC_MPLS_TTL"},