diff --git a/xCAT-server/lib/perl/xCAT/Postage.pm b/xCAT-server/lib/perl/xCAT/Postage.pm
index b0d8f6472..f4b7cd1ac 100644
--- a/xCAT-server/lib/perl/xCAT/Postage.pm
+++ b/xCAT-server/lib/perl/xCAT/Postage.pm
@@ -1394,7 +1394,7 @@ sub  collect_all_attribs_for_tables_in_template
                                   $::GLOBAL_TAB_HASH{$tabname}{$node}{$attrib} = $ent->{$node}->[0]->{$attrib};
                                   
                                   #for noderes.xcatmaster
-                                  if ($tabname =~ /^noderes$/ && $attrib =~ /^xcatmaster$/ && ! exists($::GLOBAL_TAB_HASH{noderes}{$node}{xcatmaster}))
+                                  if ($tabname =~ /^noderes$/ && $attrib =~ /^xcatmaster$/ && $::GLOBAL_TAB_HASH{noderes}{$node}{xcatmaster} == "")
                                   {
                                       my $value;
                                       $value = xCAT::NetworkUtils->my_ip_facing($node);