diff --git a/lib/ansible/modules/network/nxos/nxos_static_route.py b/lib/ansible/modules/network/nxos/nxos_static_route.py
index fec86743228..2fab19c9c57 100644
--- a/lib/ansible/modules/network/nxos/nxos_static_route.py
+++ b/lib/ansible/modules/network/nxos/nxos_static_route.py
@@ -100,54 +100,37 @@ from ansible.module_utils.network.common.config import CustomNetworkConfig
 from ansible.module_utils.network.common.utils import remove_default_spec
 
 
-def reconcile_candidate(module, candidate, prefix, w):
-    netcfg = CustomNetworkConfig(indent=2, contents=get_config(module))
-    state = w['state']
-
-    set_command = set_route_command(prefix, w, module)
-    remove_command = remove_route_command(prefix, w)
-
-    parents = []
-    commands = []
-    yrc = remove_command.replace('no ', '')
-    if w['vrf'] == 'default':
-        netcfg = str(netcfg).split('\n')
-        ncfg = []
-        for line in netcfg:
-            # remove ip route commands of non-default vrfs from
-            # the running config just in case the same commands
-            # exist in default and non-default vrfs
-            if '  ip route' not in line:
-                ncfg.append(line)
-        if any(yrc in s for s in ncfg) and state == 'absent':
-            commands = [remove_command]
-        elif set_command not in ncfg and state == 'present':
-            if any(yrc in s for s in ncfg):
-                commands = [remove_command, set_command]
-            else:
-                commands = [set_command]
+def reconcile_candidate(module, candidate, prefix, want):
+    state, vrf = want['state'], want['vrf']
+    if vrf == 'default':
+        parents = []
+        flags = " | include '^ip route'"
     else:
-        parents = ['vrf context {0}'.format(w['vrf'])]
-        config = netcfg.get_section(parents)
-        if not isinstance(config, list):
-            config = config.split('\n')
-        config = [line.strip() for line in config]
-        if any(yrc in s for s in config) and state == 'absent':
-            commands = [remove_command]
-        elif set_command not in config and state == 'present':
-            if any(yrc in s for s in config):
-                commands = [remove_command, set_command]
-            else:
-                commands = [set_command]
+        parents = ['vrf context {0}'.format(vrf)]
+        flags = " | section '{0}' | include '^  ip route'".format(parents[0])
+
+    # Find existing routes in this vrf/default
+    netcfg = CustomNetworkConfig(indent=2, contents=get_config(module, flags=[flags]))
+    routes = str(netcfg).split('\n')
+    # strip whitespace from route strings
+    routes = [i.strip() for i in routes]
+
+    prefix_and_nh = 'ip route {0} {1}'.format(prefix, want['next_hop'])
+    existing = [i for i in routes if i.startswith(prefix_and_nh)]
+    proposed = set_route_command(prefix, want, module)
+
+    commands = []
+    if state == 'absent' and existing:
+        commands = ['no ' + existing[0]]
+    elif state == 'present' and proposed not in routes:
+        if existing:
+            commands = ['no ' + existing[0]]
+        commands.append(proposed)
 
     if commands:
         candidate.add(commands, parents=parents)
 
 
-def remove_route_command(prefix, w):
-    return 'no ip route {0} {1}'.format(prefix, w['next_hop'])
-
-
 def get_configured_track(module, ctrack):
     check_track = '{0}'.format(ctrack)
     track_exists = False
diff --git a/test/integration/targets/nxos_static_route/tests/common/sanity.yaml b/test/integration/targets/nxos_static_route/tests/common/sanity.yaml
index 1b746c541a5..10d3c7cb373 100644
--- a/test/integration/targets/nxos_static_route/tests/common/sanity.yaml
+++ b/test/integration/targets/nxos_static_route/tests/common/sanity.yaml
@@ -22,6 +22,28 @@
 
 - debug: msg="Test Track Feature {{ test_track_feature }}"
 
+- name: Setup and teardown, remove test routes if present
+  nxos_static_route: &setup_teardown
+    aggregate:
+      - { prefix: "192.168.1.164/32", next_hop: "192.0.2.3" }
+      - { prefix: "192.168.20.64/24", next_hop: "192.0.2.3" }
+      - { prefix: "192.168.22.64/24", next_hop: "192.0.2.3" }
+      - { prefix: "192.168.24.64/24", next_hop: "192.0.2.3" }
+    vrf: "{{ item }}"
+    provider: "{{ connection }}"
+    state: absent
+  with_items: "{{ vrfs }}"
+  ignore_errors: yes
+
+- name: Setup noise routes to ensure testing while non-test routes present
+  nxos_static_route:
+    prefix: "192.168.1.164/32"
+    next_hop: "192.0.2.3"
+    vrf: "{{ item }}"
+    provider: "{{ connection }}"
+    state: present
+  with_items: "{{ vrfs }}"
+
 - block:
   - name: create static route
     nxos_static_route: &configure_static
@@ -178,26 +200,9 @@
     ignore_errors: yes
     when: test_track_feature
 
-  - name: remove static route
-    nxos_static_route:
-      prefix: "192.168.20.64/24"
-      next_hop: "192.0.2.3"
-      route_name: testing
-      pref: 100
-      tag: 5500
-      vrf: "{{ item }}"
-      provider: "{{ connection }}"
-      state: absent
+  - name: teardown test routes
+    nxos_static_route: *setup_teardown
     with_items: "{{ vrfs }}"
     ignore_errors: yes
 
-  - name: remove static route aggregate
-    nxos_static_route:
-      aggregate:
-        - { prefix: "192.168.22.64/24", next_hop: "192.0.2.3" }
-        - { prefix: "192.168.24.64/24", next_hop: "192.0.2.3" }
-      provider: "{{ connection }}"
-      state: absent
-    ignore_errors: yes
-
 - debug: msg="END connection={{ ansible_connection }} nxos_static_route sanity test"