diff --git a/core/api/src/main/java/org/onosproject/net/flow/instructions/L2ModificationInstruction.java b/core/api/src/main/java/org/onosproject/net/flow/instructions/L2ModificationInstruction.java
index cf6a1a2..b4ec0d3 100644
--- a/core/api/src/main/java/org/onosproject/net/flow/instructions/L2ModificationInstruction.java
+++ b/core/api/src/main/java/org/onosproject/net/flow/instructions/L2ModificationInstruction.java
@@ -342,10 +342,15 @@
             this.mplsLabel = mplsLabel;
         }
 
+        // might want to deprecate this in the long run
         public Integer label() {
             return mplsLabel.toInt();
         }
 
+        public MplsLabel mplsLabel() {
+            return mplsLabel;
+        }
+
         @Override
         public L2SubType subtype() {
             return L2SubType.MPLS_LABEL;