diff --git a/src/main/java/net/onrc/onos/ofcontroller/flowmanager/FlowManager.java b/src/main/java/net/onrc/onos/ofcontroller/flowmanager/FlowManager.java
index f4b1f8f..89fe63e 100644
--- a/src/main/java/net/onrc/onos/ofcontroller/flowmanager/FlowManager.java
+++ b/src/main/java/net/onrc/onos/ofcontroller/flowmanager/FlowManager.java
@@ -217,7 +217,7 @@
     public FlowId addFlow(FlowPath flowPath) {
 
 	// Allocate the Flow ID if necessary
-	if (! flowPath.flowId().isValid()) {
+	if (! flowPath.isValidFlowId()) {
 	    long id = getNextFlowEntryId();
 	    flowPath.setFlowId(new FlowId(id));
 	}
diff --git a/src/main/java/net/onrc/onos/ofcontroller/util/FlowPath.java b/src/main/java/net/onrc/onos/ofcontroller/util/FlowPath.java
index a720fc6..ab3edb1 100644
--- a/src/main/java/net/onrc/onos/ofcontroller/util/FlowPath.java
+++ b/src/main/java/net/onrc/onos/ofcontroller/util/FlowPath.java
@@ -6,6 +6,7 @@
 import net.onrc.onos.ofcontroller.core.INetMapTopologyObjects.IFlowEntry;
 import net.onrc.onos.ofcontroller.core.INetMapTopologyObjects.IFlowPath;
 
+import org.codehaus.jackson.annotate.JsonIgnore;
 import org.codehaus.jackson.annotate.JsonProperty;
 
 /**
@@ -210,6 +211,18 @@
     }
 
     /**
+     * Test whether the Flow ID is valid.
+     *
+     * @return true if the Flow ID is valid, otherwise false.
+     */
+    @JsonIgnore
+    public boolean isValidFlowId() {
+	if (this.flowId == null)
+	    return false;
+	return (this.flowId.isValid());
+    }
+
+    /**
      * Get the Caller ID of the flow path installer.
      *
      * @return the Caller ID of the flow path installer.