diff --git a/lib/ansible/modules/storage/netapp/na_ontap_net_routes.py b/lib/ansible/modules/storage/netapp/na_ontap_net_routes.py
index f31f42aa08..afeeb89b9d 100644
--- a/lib/ansible/modules/storage/netapp/na_ontap_net_routes.py
+++ b/lib/ansible/modules/storage/netapp/na_ontap_net_routes.py
@@ -1,6 +1,6 @@
 #!/usr/bin/python
 
-# (c) 2018, NetApp, Inc
+# (c) 2018-2019, NetApp, Inc
 # GNU General Public License v3.0+
 # (see COPYING or https://www.gnu.org/licenses/gpl-3.0.txt)
 
@@ -44,28 +44,32 @@ options:
     description:
     - Specify the route metric.
     - If this field is not provided the default will be set to 20.
-  new_destination:
+  from_destination:
     description:
-    - Specify the new route destination.
-  new_gateway:
+    - Specify the route destination that should be changed.
+    - new_destination was removed to fix idempotency issues. To rename destination the original goes to from_destination and the new goes to destination.
+    version_added: '2.8'
+  from_gateway:
     description:
-    - Specify the new route gateway.
-  new_metric:
+    - Specify the route gateway that should be changed.
+    version_added: '2.8'
+  from_metric:
     description:
-    - Specify the new route metric.
+    - Specify the route metric that should be changed.
+    version_added: '2.8'
 '''
 
 EXAMPLES = """
     - name: create route
       na_ontap_net_routes:
-        state=present
-        vserver={{ Vserver name }}
-        username={{ netapp_username }}
-        password={{ netapp_password }}
-        hostname={{ netapp_hostname }}
-        destination=10.7.125.5/20
-        gateway=10.7.125.1
-        metric=30
+        state: present
+        vserver: "{{ Vserver name }}"
+        username: "{{ netapp_username }}"
+        password: "{{ netapp_password }}"
+        hostname: "{{ netapp_hostname }}"
+        destination: 10.7.125.5/20
+        gateway: 10.7.125.1
+        metric: 30
 """
 
 RETURN = """
@@ -99,9 +103,9 @@ class NetAppOntapNetRoutes(object):
             destination=dict(required=True, type='str'),
             gateway=dict(required=True, type='str'),
             metric=dict(required=False, type='str'),
-            new_destination=dict(required=False, type='str', default=None),
-            new_gateway=dict(required=False, type='str', default=None),
-            new_metric=dict(required=False, type='str', default=None),
+            from_destination=dict(required=False, type='str', default=None),
+            from_gateway=dict(required=False, type='str', default=None),
+            from_metric=dict(required=False, type='str', default=None),
         ))
 
         self.module = AnsibleModule(
@@ -137,13 +141,15 @@ class NetAppOntapNetRoutes(object):
                                   % (to_native(error)),
                                   exception=traceback.format_exc())
 
-    def delete_net_route(self):
+    def delete_net_route(self, params=None):
         """
         Deletes a given Route
         """
         route_obj = netapp_utils.zapi.NaElement('net-routes-destroy')
-        route_obj.add_new_child("destination", self.parameters['destination'])
-        route_obj.add_new_child("gateway", self.parameters['gateway'])
+        if params is None:
+            params = self.parameters
+        route_obj.add_new_child("destination", params['destination'])
+        route_obj.add_new_child("gateway", params['gateway'])
         try:
             self.server.invoke_successfully(route_obj, True)
         except netapp_utils.zapi.NaApiError as error:
@@ -157,11 +163,13 @@ class NetAppOntapNetRoutes(object):
         """
         # return if there is nothing to change
         for key, val in desired.items():
-            if val == current[key]:
-                self.na_helper.changed = False
-                return
+            if val != current[key]:
+                self.na_helper.changed = True
+                break
+        if not self.na_helper.changed:
+            return
         # delete and re-create with new params
-        self.delete_net_route()
+        self.delete_net_route(current)
         route_obj = netapp_utils.zapi.NaElement('net-routes-create')
         for attribute in ['metric', 'destination', 'gateway']:
             if desired.get(attribute) is not None:
@@ -191,7 +199,7 @@ class NetAppOntapNetRoutes(object):
             # we need at least on of the new_destination or new_gateway to fetch desired route
             if params.get('destination') is None and params.get('gateway') is None:
                 return None
-        current = dict()
+        current = None
         route_obj = netapp_utils.zapi.NaElement('net-routes-get')
         for attr in ['destination', 'gateway']:
             if params and params.get(attr) is not None:
@@ -201,10 +209,14 @@ class NetAppOntapNetRoutes(object):
             route_obj.add_new_child(attr, value)
         try:
             result = self.server.invoke_successfully(route_obj, True)
-            route_info = result.get_child_by_name('attributes').get_child_by_name('net-vs-routes-info')
-            current['destination'] = route_info.get_child_content('destination')
-            current['gateway'] = route_info.get_child_content('gateway')
-            current['metric'] = route_info.get_child_content('metric')
+            if result.get_child_by_name('attributes') is not None:
+                route_info = result.get_child_by_name('attributes').get_child_by_name('net-vs-routes-info')
+                current = {
+                    'destination': route_info.get_child_content('destination'),
+                    'gateway': route_info.get_child_content('gateway'),
+                    'metric': route_info.get_child_content('metric')
+                }
+
         except netapp_utils.zapi.NaApiError as error:
             # Error 13040 denotes a route doesn't exist.
             if to_native(error.code) == "15661":
@@ -260,21 +272,26 @@ class NetAppOntapNetRoutes(object):
         """
         Run Module based on play book
         """
-        # changed = False
         netapp_utils.ems_log_event("na_ontap_net_routes", self.server)
-        # route_exists = False
         current = self.get_net_route()
         modify, cd_action = None, None
-        modify_params = {'destination': self.parameters.get('new_destination'),
-                         'gateway': self.parameters.get('new_gateway'),
-                         'metric': self.parameters.get('new_metric')}
-        # if any new_* param is present in playbook, check for modify action
+        modify_params = {'destination': self.parameters.get('from_destination'),
+                         'gateway': self.parameters.get('from_gateway'),
+                         'metric': self.parameters.get('from_metric')}
+        # if any from_* param is present in playbook, check for modify action
         if any(modify_params.values()):
-            # get parameters that are eligible for modify
-            d = self.get_net_route(modify_params)
-            modify = self.na_helper.is_rename_action(current, d)
+            # destination and gateway combination is unique, and is considered like a id. so modify destination
+            # or gateway is considered a rename action. metric is considered an attribute of the route so it is
+            # considered as modify.
+            if modify_params.get('metric') is not None:
+                modify = True
+                old_params = current
+            else:
+                # get parameters that are eligible for modify
+                old_params = self.get_net_route(modify_params)
+                modify = self.na_helper.is_rename_action(old_params, current)
             if modify is None:
-                self.module.fail_json(msg="Error modifying: route %s does not exist" % self.parameters['destination'])
+                self.module.fail_json(msg="Error modifying: route %s does not exist" % self.parameters['from_destination'])
         else:
             cd_action = self.na_helper.get_cd_action(current, self.parameters)
 
@@ -283,8 +300,13 @@ class NetAppOntapNetRoutes(object):
         elif cd_action == 'delete':
             self.delete_net_route()
         elif modify:
-            self.modify_net_route(current, modify_params)
-
+            desired = {}
+            for key, value in old_params.items():
+                desired[key] = value
+            for key, value in modify_params.items():
+                if value is not None:
+                    desired[key] = self.parameters.get(key)
+            self.modify_net_route(old_params, desired)
         self.module.exit_json(changed=self.na_helper.changed)
 
 
diff --git a/test/units/modules/storage/netapp/test_na_ontap_net_routes.py b/test/units/modules/storage/netapp/test_na_ontap_net_routes.py
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..6e383098f9
--- /dev/null
+++ b/test/units/modules/storage/netapp/test_na_ontap_net_routes.py
@@ -0,0 +1,309 @@
+# (c) 2018, NetApp, Inc
+# GNU General Public License v3.0+ (see COPYING or https://www.gnu.org/licenses/gpl-3.0.txt)
+
+''' unit test template for ONTAP Ansible module '''
+
+from __future__ import print_function
+import json
+import pytest
+
+from units.compat import unittest
+from units.compat.mock import patch, Mock
+from ansible.module_utils import basic
+from ansible.module_utils._text import to_bytes
+import ansible.module_utils.netapp as netapp_utils
+
+from ansible.modules.storage.netapp.na_ontap_net_routes \
+    import NetAppOntapNetRoutes as net_route_module  # module under test
+
+if not netapp_utils.has_netapp_lib():
+    pytestmark = pytest.mark.skip('skipping as missing required netapp_lib')
+
+
+def set_module_args(args):
+    """prepare arguments so that they will be picked up during module creation"""
+    args = json.dumps({'ANSIBLE_MODULE_ARGS': args})
+    basic._ANSIBLE_ARGS = to_bytes(args)  # pylint: disable=protected-access
+
+
+class AnsibleExitJson(Exception):
+    """Exception class to be raised by module.exit_json and caught by the test case"""
+    pass
+
+
+class AnsibleFailJson(Exception):
+    """Exception class to be raised by module.fail_json and caught by the test case"""
+    pass
+
+
+def exit_json(*args, **kwargs):  # pylint: disable=unused-argument
+    """function to patch over exit_json; package return data into an exception"""
+    if 'changed' not in kwargs:
+        kwargs['changed'] = False
+    raise AnsibleExitJson(kwargs)
+
+
+def fail_json(*args, **kwargs):  # pylint: disable=unused-argument
+    """function to patch over fail_json; package return data into an exception"""
+    kwargs['failed'] = True
+    raise AnsibleFailJson(kwargs)
+
+
+class MockONTAPConnection(object):
+    ''' mock server connection to ONTAP host '''
+
+    def __init__(self, kind=None, data=None):
+        ''' save arguments '''
+        self.kind = kind
+        self.params = data
+        self.xml_in = None
+        self.xml_out = None
+
+    def invoke_successfully(self, xml, enable_tunneling):  # pylint: disable=unused-argument
+        ''' mock invoke_successfully returning xml data '''
+        self.xml_in = xml
+        if self.kind == 'net_route':
+            xml = self.build_net_route_info(self.params)
+        self.xml_out = xml
+        return xml
+
+    @staticmethod
+    def build_net_route_info(net_route_details):
+        ''' build xml data for net_route-attributes '''
+        xml = netapp_utils.zapi.NaElement('xml')
+        attributes = {
+            'attributes': {
+                'net-vs-routes-info': {
+                    'address-family': 'ipv4',
+                    'destination': net_route_details['destination'],
+                    'gateway': net_route_details['gateway'],
+                    'metric': net_route_details['metric'],
+                    'vserver': net_route_details['vserver']
+                }
+            }
+        }
+        xml.translate_struct(attributes)
+        return xml
+
+
+class TestMyModule(unittest.TestCase):
+    ''' a group of related Unit Tests '''
+
+    def setUp(self):
+        self.mock_module_helper = patch.multiple(basic.AnsibleModule,
+                                                 exit_json=exit_json,
+                                                 fail_json=fail_json)
+        self.mock_module_helper.start()
+        self.addCleanup(self.mock_module_helper.stop)
+        self.server = MockONTAPConnection()
+        self.mock_net_route = {
+            'destination': '176.0.0.0/24',
+            'gateway': '10.193.72.1',
+            'vserver': 'test_vserver',
+            'metric': '70'
+        }
+
+    def mock_args(self):
+        return {
+            'vserver': self.mock_net_route['vserver'],
+            'destination': self.mock_net_route['destination'],
+            'gateway': self.mock_net_route['gateway'],
+            'metric': self.mock_net_route['metric'],
+            'hostname': 'test',
+            'username': 'test_user',
+            'password': 'test_pass!'
+        }
+
+    def get_net_route_mock_object(self, kind=None, data=None):
+        """
+        Helper method to return an na_ontap_net_route object
+        :param kind: passes this param to MockONTAPConnection()
+        :param data: passes this data to  MockONTAPConnection()
+        :return: na_ontap_net_route object
+        """
+        net_route_obj = net_route_module()
+        net_route_obj.ems_log_event = Mock(return_value=None)
+        net_route_obj.cluster = Mock()
+        net_route_obj.cluster.invoke_successfully = Mock()
+        if kind is None:
+            net_route_obj.server = MockONTAPConnection()
+        else:
+            if data is None:
+                net_route_obj.server = MockONTAPConnection(kind='net_route', data=self.mock_net_route)
+            else:
+                net_route_obj.server = MockONTAPConnection(kind='net_route', data=data)
+        return net_route_obj
+
+    def test_module_fail_when_required_args_missing(self):
+        ''' required arguments are reported as errors '''
+        with pytest.raises(AnsibleFailJson) as exc:
+            set_module_args({})
+            net_route_module()
+        print('Info: %s' % exc.value.args[0]['msg'])
+
+    def test_get_nonexistent_net_route(self):
+        ''' Test if get_net_route returns None for non-existent net_route '''
+        set_module_args(self.mock_args())
+        result = self.get_net_route_mock_object().get_net_route()
+        assert result is None
+
+    def test_get_existing_job(self):
+        ''' Test if get_net_route returns details for existing net_route '''
+        set_module_args(self.mock_args())
+        result = self.get_net_route_mock_object('net_route').get_net_route()
+        assert result['destination'] == self.mock_net_route['destination']
+        assert result['gateway'] == self.mock_net_route['gateway']
+
+    def test_create_error_missing_param(self):
+        ''' Test if create throws an error if destination is not specified'''
+        data = self.mock_args()
+        del data['destination']
+        set_module_args(data)
+        with pytest.raises(AnsibleFailJson) as exc:
+            self.get_net_route_mock_object('net_route').create_net_route()
+        msg = 'missing required arguments: destination'
+        assert exc.value.args[0]['msg'] == msg
+
+    @patch('ansible.modules.storage.netapp.na_ontap_net_routes.NetAppOntapNetRoutes.create_net_route')
+    def test_successful_create(self, create_net_route):
+        ''' Test successful create '''
+        data = self.mock_args()
+        set_module_args(data)
+        with pytest.raises(AnsibleExitJson) as exc:
+            self.get_net_route_mock_object().apply()
+        assert exc.value.args[0]['changed']
+        create_net_route.assert_called_with()
+
+    def test_create_idempotency(self):
+        ''' Test create idempotency '''
+        set_module_args(self.mock_args())
+        obj = self.get_net_route_mock_object('net_route')
+        with pytest.raises(AnsibleExitJson) as exc:
+            obj.apply()
+        assert not exc.value.args[0]['changed']
+
+    def test_successful_delete(self):
+        ''' Test successful delete '''
+        data = self.mock_args()
+        data['state'] = 'absent'
+        set_module_args(data)
+        with pytest.raises(AnsibleExitJson) as exc:
+            self.get_net_route_mock_object('net_route').apply()
+        assert exc.value.args[0]['changed']
+
+    def test_delete_idempotency(self):
+        ''' Test delete idempotency '''
+        data = self.mock_args()
+        data['state'] = 'absent'
+        set_module_args(data)
+        with pytest.raises(AnsibleExitJson) as exc:
+            self.get_net_route_mock_object().apply()
+        assert not exc.value.args[0]['changed']
+
+    def test_successful_modify_metric(self):
+        ''' Test successful modify metric '''
+        data = self.mock_args()
+        del data['metric']
+        data['from_metric'] = '70'
+        data['metric'] = '40'
+        set_module_args(data)
+        with pytest.raises(AnsibleExitJson) as exc:
+            self.get_net_route_mock_object('net_route').apply()
+        assert exc.value.args[0]['changed']
+
+    def test_modify_metric_idempotency(self):
+        ''' Test modify metric idempotency'''
+        data = self.mock_args()
+        data['metric'] = '70'
+        set_module_args(data)
+        with pytest.raises(AnsibleExitJson) as exc:
+            self.get_net_route_mock_object('net_route').apply()
+        assert not exc.value.args[0]['changed']
+
+    @patch('ansible.modules.storage.netapp.na_ontap_net_routes.NetAppOntapNetRoutes.get_net_route')
+    def test_successful_modify_gateway(self, get_net_route):
+        ''' Test successful modify gateway '''
+        data = self.mock_args()
+        del data['gateway']
+        data['from_gateway'] = '10.193.72.1'
+        data['gateway'] = '10.193.0.1'
+        set_module_args(data)
+        current = {
+            'destination': '176.0.0.0/24',
+            'gateway': '10.193.72.1',
+            'metric': '70',
+            'vserver': 'test_server'
+        }
+        get_net_route.side_effect = [
+            None,
+            current
+        ]
+        with pytest.raises(AnsibleExitJson) as exc:
+            self.get_net_route_mock_object().apply()
+        assert exc.value.args[0]['changed']
+
+    @patch('ansible.modules.storage.netapp.na_ontap_net_routes.NetAppOntapNetRoutes.get_net_route')
+    def test__modify_gateway_idempotency(self, get_net_route):
+        ''' Test modify gateway idempotency '''
+        data = self.mock_args()
+        del data['gateway']
+        data['from_gateway'] = '10.193.72.1'
+        data['gateway'] = '10.193.0.1'
+        set_module_args(data)
+        current = {
+            'destination': '178.0.0.1/24',
+            'gateway': '10.193.72.1',
+            'metric': '70',
+            'vserver': 'test_server'
+        }
+        get_net_route.side_effect = [
+            current,
+            None
+        ]
+        with pytest.raises(AnsibleExitJson) as exc:
+            self.get_net_route_mock_object('net_route', current).apply()
+        assert not exc.value.args[0]['changed']
+
+    @patch('ansible.modules.storage.netapp.na_ontap_net_routes.NetAppOntapNetRoutes.get_net_route')
+    def test_successful_modify_destination(self, get_net_route):
+        ''' Test successful modify destination '''
+        data = self.mock_args()
+        del data['destination']
+        data['from_destination'] = '176.0.0.0/24'
+        data['destination'] = '178.0.0.1/24'
+        set_module_args(data)
+        current = {
+            'destination': '176.0.0.0/24',
+            'gateway': '10.193.72.1',
+            'metric': '70',
+            'vserver': 'test_server'
+        }
+        get_net_route.side_effect = [
+            None,
+            current
+        ]
+        with pytest.raises(AnsibleExitJson) as exc:
+            self.get_net_route_mock_object().apply()
+        assert exc.value.args[0]['changed']
+
+    @patch('ansible.modules.storage.netapp.na_ontap_net_routes.NetAppOntapNetRoutes.get_net_route')
+    def test__modify_destination_idempotency(self, get_net_route):
+        ''' Test modify destination idempotency'''
+        data = self.mock_args()
+        del data['destination']
+        data['from_destination'] = '176.0.0.0/24'
+        data['destination'] = '178.0.0.1/24'
+        set_module_args(data)
+        current = {
+            'destination': '178.0.0.1/24',
+            'gateway': '10.193.72.1',
+            'metric': '70',
+            'vserver': 'test_server'
+        }
+        get_net_route.side_effect = [
+            current,
+            None
+        ]
+        with pytest.raises(AnsibleExitJson) as exc:
+            self.get_net_route_mock_object('net_route', current).apply()
+        assert not exc.value.args[0]['changed']