diff --git a/core/api/src/main/java/org/onlab/onos/net/HostId.java b/core/api/src/main/java/org/onlab/onos/net/HostId.java
index 170e2a2..c6ba53f 100644
--- a/core/api/src/main/java/org/onlab/onos/net/HostId.java
+++ b/core/api/src/main/java/org/onlab/onos/net/HostId.java
@@ -44,7 +44,7 @@
      */
     public static HostId hostId(MACAddress mac, VLANID vlanId) {
         // FIXME: use more efficient means of encoding
-        return hostId("nic" + ":" + mac + "/" + vlanId);
+        return hostId("nic" + ":" + mac + "-" + vlanId);
     }
 
     /**