diff --git a/openflow/api/src/main/java/org/onlab/onos/openflow/controller/driver/AbstractOpenFlowSwitch.java b/openflow/api/src/main/java/org/onlab/onos/openflow/controller/driver/AbstractOpenFlowSwitch.java
index 69ddc71..4334395 100644
--- a/openflow/api/src/main/java/org/onlab/onos/openflow/controller/driver/AbstractOpenFlowSwitch.java
+++ b/openflow/api/src/main/java/org/onlab/onos/openflow/controller/driver/AbstractOpenFlowSwitch.java
@@ -243,6 +243,8 @@
                 if (role == RoleState.SLAVE || role == RoleState.EQUAL) {
                     this.role = role;
                 }
+            } else {
+                this.role = role;
             }
         } catch (IOException e) {
             log.error("Unable to write to switch {}.", this.dpid);