diff --git a/src/main/java/net/floodlightcontroller/core/IOFSwitch.java b/src/main/java/net/floodlightcontroller/core/IOFSwitch.java
index bf897567280040891f82cf0997dd793a33b1af6b..fb7cd7d44d2167386a78534725956737adffdaad 100644
--- a/src/main/java/net/floodlightcontroller/core/IOFSwitch.java
+++ b/src/main/java/net/floodlightcontroller/core/IOFSwitch.java
@@ -374,6 +374,16 @@ public interface IOFSwitch {
      * @return value for name
      */
     Object getAttribute(String name);
+    
+    /**
+     * Check if the given attribute is present and if so whether it is equal
+     * to "other"
+     * @param name the name of the attribute to check
+     * @param other the object to compare the attribute against.
+     * @return true iff the specified attribute is set and equals() the given
+     * other object.
+     */
+    boolean attributeEquals(String name, Object other);
 
     /**
      * Set properties for switch specific behavior
diff --git a/src/main/java/net/floodlightcontroller/core/OFSwitchBase.java b/src/main/java/net/floodlightcontroller/core/OFSwitchBase.java
index 95f20f424e1a8e9b698067ab64a711a9be0a3f09..8998472cfc808bbcf5dac4e8b4f1c08f953626d4 100644
--- a/src/main/java/net/floodlightcontroller/core/OFSwitchBase.java
+++ b/src/main/java/net/floodlightcontroller/core/OFSwitchBase.java
@@ -147,13 +147,20 @@ public abstract class OFSwitchBase implements IOFSwitch {
         this.setAttribute(PROP_SUPPORTS_OFPP_TABLE, new Boolean(true));
     }
     
+    
+    @Override
+    public boolean attributeEquals(String name, Object other) {
+        Object attr = this.attributes.get(name);
+        if (attr == null)
+            return false;
+        return attr.equals(other);
+    }
+    
 
     @Override
     public Object getAttribute(String name) {
-        if (this.attributes.containsKey(name)) {
-            return this.attributes.get(name);
-        }
-        return null;
+        // returns null if key doesn't exist
+        return this.attributes.get(name);
     }
     
     @Override
@@ -172,6 +179,7 @@ public abstract class OFSwitchBase implements IOFSwitch {
         return this.attributes.containsKey(name);
     }
         
+    @Override
     @JsonIgnore
     public void setChannel(Channel channel) {
         this.channel = channel;
@@ -452,6 +460,7 @@ public abstract class OFSwitchBase implements IOFSwitch {
         this.floodlightProvider = floodlightProvider;
     }
     
+    @Override
     @JsonIgnore
     public void setThreadPoolService(IThreadPoolService tp) {
         this.threadPool = tp;
@@ -560,6 +569,7 @@ public abstract class OFSwitchBase implements IOFSwitch {
      * switch list from being modified out from under the listeners.
      * @return 
      */
+    @Override
     @JsonIgnore
     public Lock getListenerReadLock() {
         return listenerLock.readLock();
@@ -572,6 +582,7 @@ public abstract class OFSwitchBase implements IOFSwitch {
      * message from the switch.
      * @return
      */
+    @Override
     @JsonIgnore
     public Lock getListenerWriteLock() {
         return listenerLock.writeLock();
@@ -581,6 +592,7 @@ public abstract class OFSwitchBase implements IOFSwitch {
      * Get the IP Address for the switch
      * @return the inet address
      */
+    @Override
     @JsonSerialize(using=ToStringSerializer.class)
     public SocketAddress getInetAddress() {
         return channel.getRemoteAddress();
diff --git a/src/test/java/net/floodlightcontroller/util/OFMessageDamperMockSwitch.java b/src/test/java/net/floodlightcontroller/util/OFMessageDamperMockSwitch.java
index 95fc5acedea46df21d8c9b0476dbbc3ee33a7ce3..6fd8e092226b8cebd4988bc0073b4ed9a912d2e6 100644
--- a/src/test/java/net/floodlightcontroller/util/OFMessageDamperMockSwitch.java
+++ b/src/test/java/net/floodlightcontroller/util/OFMessageDamperMockSwitch.java
@@ -398,4 +398,10 @@ public class OFMessageDamperMockSwitch implements IOFSwitch {
         return null;
     }
 
+    @Override
+    public boolean attributeEquals(String name, Object other) {
+        fail("Unexpected method call");
+        return false;
+    }
+
 }
\ No newline at end of file