diff --git a/bgpd/bgp_routemap.c b/bgpd/bgp_routemap.c
index d37b1710635a..950bb8907f8c 100644
--- a/bgpd/bgp_routemap.c
+++ b/bgpd/bgp_routemap.c
@@ -2357,7 +2357,7 @@ static void route_aspath_exclude_free(void *rule)
 	if (ase->exclude_aspath_acl) {
 		acl = ase->exclude_aspath_acl;
 		as_list_list_del(&acl->exclude_rule, ase);
-	} else {
+	} else if (ase->exclude_aspath_acl_name) {
 		/* no ref to acl, this aspath exclude is orphan */
 		as_exclude_remove_orphan(ase);
 	}
diff --git a/tests/topotests/bgp_set_aspath_exclude/test_bgp_set_aspath_exclude.py b/tests/topotests/bgp_set_aspath_exclude/test_bgp_set_aspath_exclude.py
index 63f1719e1d07..a5232ad6942d 100644
--- a/tests/topotests/bgp_set_aspath_exclude/test_bgp_set_aspath_exclude.py
+++ b/tests/topotests/bgp_set_aspath_exclude/test_bgp_set_aspath_exclude.py
@@ -108,7 +108,7 @@ def test_bgp_set_aspath_exclude():
         pytest.skip(tgen.errors)
 
     test_func = functools.partial(bgp_converge, tgen.gears["r1"], expected_1)
-    _, result = topotest.run_and_expect(test_func, None, count=30, wait=0.5)
+    _, result = topotest.run_and_expect(test_func, None, count=60, wait=0.5)
 
     assert result is None, "Failed overriding incoming AS-PATH with route-map"
 
@@ -128,7 +128,6 @@ def test_bgp_set_aspath_exclude_access_list():
 conf
  bgp as-path access-list FIRST permit ^65 
  route-map r2 permit 6 
-  no set as-path exclude as-path-access-list SECOND
   set as-path exclude as-path-access-list FIRST
     """
     )
@@ -140,21 +139,20 @@ def test_bgp_set_aspath_exclude_access_list():
     )
 
     test_func = functools.partial(bgp_converge, tgen.gears["r1"], expected_2)
-    _, result = topotest.run_and_expect(test_func, None, count=30, wait=0.5)
+    _, result = topotest.run_and_expect(test_func, None, count=60, wait=0.5)
 
     assert result is None, "Failed change of exclude rule in route map"
     r1.vtysh_cmd(
         """
 conf
  route-map r2 permit 6
-  no set as-path exclude as-path-access-list FIRST
   set as-path exclude as-path-access-list SECOND
     """
     )
 
     # tgen.mininet_cli()
     test_func = functools.partial(bgp_converge, tgen.gears["r1"], expected_1)
-    _, result = topotest.run_and_expect(test_func, None, count=30, wait=0.5)
+    _, result = topotest.run_and_expect(test_func, None, count=60, wait=0.5)
 
     assert result is None, "Failed reverting exclude rule in route map"
 
@@ -182,7 +180,7 @@ def test_no_bgp_set_aspath_exclude_access_list():
     )
 
     test_func = functools.partial(bgp_converge, tgen.gears["r1"], expected_3)
-    _, result = topotest.run_and_expect(test_func, None, count=30, wait=0.5)
+    _, result = topotest.run_and_expect(test_func, None, count=60, wait=0.5)
 
     assert result is None, "Failed to removing current accesslist"
 
@@ -200,7 +198,7 @@ def test_no_bgp_set_aspath_exclude_access_list():
     )
 
     test_func = functools.partial(bgp_converge, tgen.gears["r1"], expected_4)
-    _, result = topotest.run_and_expect(test_func, None, count=30, wait=0.5)
+    _, result = topotest.run_and_expect(test_func, None, count=60, wait=0.5)
 
     assert result is None, "Failed to renegotiate with peers 2"
 
@@ -208,7 +206,7 @@ def test_no_bgp_set_aspath_exclude_access_list():
         """
 conf
  route-map r2 permit 6
-  no set as-path exclude as-path-access-list SECOND
+  set as-path exclude 65555
     """
     )
 
@@ -219,7 +217,26 @@ def test_no_bgp_set_aspath_exclude_access_list():
     )
 
     test_func = functools.partial(bgp_converge, tgen.gears["r1"], expected_3)
-    _, result = topotest.run_and_expect(test_func, None, count=30, wait=0.5)
+    _, result = topotest.run_and_expect(test_func, None, count=60, wait=0.5)
+
+    assert result is None, "Failed to renegotiate with peers 2"
+
+    r1.vtysh_cmd(
+        """
+conf
+ route-map r2 permit 6
+  set as-path exclude as-path-access-list NON-EXISTING
+    """
+    )
+
+    r1.vtysh_cmd(
+        """
+clear bgp *
+    """
+    )
+
+    test_func = functools.partial(bgp_converge, tgen.gears["r1"], expected_3)
+    _, result = topotest.run_and_expect(test_func, None, count=60, wait=0.5)
 
     assert result is None, "Failed to renegotiate with peers 2"