diff --git a/openmptcprouter/files/etc/init.d/openmptcprouter-vps b/openmptcprouter/files/etc/init.d/openmptcprouter-vps
index 263be3917..7f1c3f00a 100755
--- a/openmptcprouter/files/etc/init.d/openmptcprouter-vps
+++ b/openmptcprouter/files/etc/init.d/openmptcprouter-vps
@@ -1100,13 +1100,21 @@ _set_vps_firewall() {
 	vpsfwlist=$(echo $fw_list | jsonfilter -q -e '@.list[*]' | sed '/^[[:space:]]*$/d')
 	settings='{"name" : "open router"}'
 	fw_list=$(_set_json "shorewalllist" "$settings")
-	vpsfwlist="$vpsfwlist\n$(echo $fw_list | jsonfilter -q -e '@.list[*]' | sed '/^[[:space:]]*$/d')"
+	if [ -n "$vpsfwlist" ]; then
+		vpsfwlist="$vpsfwlist\n$(echo $fw_list | jsonfilter -q -e '@.list[*]' | sed '/^[[:space:]]*$/d')"
+	else
+		vpsfwlist="$(echo $fw_list | jsonfilter -q -e '@.list[*]' | sed '/^[[:space:]]*$/d')"
+	fi
 	settings='{"name" : "redirect router","ipproto" : "ipv6"}'
 	fw6_list=$(_set_json "shorewalllist" "$settings")
 	vpsfw6list=$(echo $fw6_list | jsonfilter -q -e '@.list[*]' | sed '/^[[:space:]]*$/d')
 	settings='{"name" : "open router","ipproto" : "ipv6"}'
 	fw6_list=$(_set_json "shorewalllist" "$settings")
-	vpsfw6list="$vpsfw6list\n$(echo $fw6_list | jsonfilter -q -e '@.list[*]' | sed '/^[[:space:]]*$/d')"
+	if [ -n "$vpsfw6list" ]; then
+		vpsfw6list="$vpsfw6list\n$(echo $fw6_list | jsonfilter -q -e '@.list[*]' | sed '/^[[:space:]]*$/d')"
+	else
+		vpsfw6list="$(echo $fw6_list | jsonfilter -q -e '@.list[*]' | sed '/^[[:space:]]*$/d')"
+	fi
 	config_load firewall
 	config_foreach _vps_firewall_redirect_port redirect
 	config_foreach _vps_firewall_redirect_port rule