diff --git a/bgpd/bgp_bmp.c b/bgpd/bgp_bmp.c
index 964139d1f30f..205973c02da5 100644
--- a/bgpd/bgp_bmp.c
+++ b/bgpd/bgp_bmp.c
@@ -269,7 +269,6 @@ static inline uint64_t bmp_get_peer_distinguisher(struct bmp *bmp, afi_t afi,
 
 	// sending vrf_id or rd could be turned into an option at some point
 	struct bgp *bgp = bmp->targets->bgp;
-	struct prefix_rd *prd = &bgp->vpn_policy[afi].tovpn_rd;
 	/*
 	 * default vrf => can't have RD => 0
 	 * vrf => has RD?
@@ -277,10 +276,18 @@ static inline uint64_t bmp_get_peer_distinguisher(struct bmp *bmp, afi_t afi,
 	 * 		else => use vrf_id and convert it so that
 	 * peer_distinguisher is 0::vrf_id
 	 */
-	return bgp->inst_type == VRF_DEFAULT
-		       ? 0
-		       : prd ? *(uint64_t *)prd->val
-			     : (((uint64_t)htonl(bgp->vrf_id)) << 32);
+	if (bgp->inst_type == VRF_DEFAULT)
+		return 0;
+
+	struct prefix_rd *prd = &bgp->vpn_policy[afi].tovpn_rd;
+	if (CHECK_FLAG(bgp->vpn_policy[afi].flags, BGP_VPN_POLICY_TOVPN_RD_SET)) {
+		uint64_t peerd = 0;
+		memcpy(&peerd, prd->val, sizeof(prd->val));
+		return peerd;
+	}
+
+	uint32_t vrf_id_n = htonl(bgp->vrf_id);
+	return ((uint64_t)vrf_id_n) << 32;
 }
 
 static void bmp_common_hdr(struct stream *s, uint8_t ver, uint8_t type)