diff --git a/lib/cisco_node_utils/ace.rb b/lib/cisco_node_utils/ace.rb
index a88f3d34..a14d87f3 100644
--- a/lib/cisco_node_utils/ace.rb
+++ b/lib/cisco_node_utils/ace.rb
@@ -1,4 +1,4 @@
-# Copyright (c) 2015-2016 Cisco and/or its affiliates.
+# Copyright (c) 2015-2018 Cisco and/or its affiliates.
 #
 # Licensed under the Apache License, Version 2.0 (the "License");
 # you may not use this file except in compliance with the License.
@@ -12,6 +12,7 @@
 # See the License for the specific language governing permissions and
 # limitations under the License.
 
+require 'ipaddr'
 require_relative 'node_util'
 
 module Cisco
@@ -139,6 +140,15 @@ def ace_set(attrs)
       config_set('acl', cmd, @set_args)
     end
 
+    def valid_ipv6?(addr)
+      begin
+        ret = IPAddr.new(addr.split[0]).ipv6?
+      rescue
+        ret = false
+      end
+      ret
+    end
+
     # PROPERTIES
     # ----------
     def seqno
@@ -182,7 +192,7 @@ def src_addr
       return nil if match.nil? || !match.names.include?('src_addr')
       addr = match[:src_addr]
       # Normalize addr. Some platforms zero_pad ipv6 addrs.
-      addr.gsub!(/^0*/, '').gsub!(/:0*/, ':')
+      addr.gsub!(/^0*/, '').gsub!(/:0*/, ':') if valid_ipv6?(addr)
       addr
     end
 
@@ -205,7 +215,7 @@ def dst_addr
       return nil if match.nil? || !match.names.include?('dst_addr')
       addr = match[:dst_addr]
       # Normalize addr. Some platforms zero_pad ipv6 addrs.
-      addr.gsub!(/^0*/, '').gsub!(/:0*/, ':')
+      addr.gsub!(/^0*/, '').gsub!(/:0*/, ':') if valid_ipv6?(addr)
       addr
     end