diff --git a/net/bridge.go b/net/bridge.go
index c084d7cd..21719aa2 100644
--- a/net/bridge.go
+++ b/net/bridge.go
@@ -409,20 +409,13 @@ func configureIPTables(config *BridgeConfig) error {
 	if err != nil {
 		return errors.Wrap(err, "creating iptables object")
 	}
+
+	// The order among weave filter/FORWARD rules is important!
+	fwdRules := make([][]string, 0)
+
 	if config.DockerBridgeName != "" {
 		if config.WeaveBridgeName != config.DockerBridgeName {
-			// This is not ideal, as it does not check whether the rule is at the top
-			// of the chain.
-			found, err := ipt.Exists("filter", "FORWARD", "-i", config.DockerBridgeName, "-o", config.WeaveBridgeName, "-j", "DROP")
-			if err != nil {
-				return err
-			}
-			if !found {
-				err := ipt.Insert("filter", "FORWARD", 1, "-i", config.DockerBridgeName, "-o", config.WeaveBridgeName, "-j", "DROP")
-				if err != nil {
-					return err
-				}
-			}
+			fwdRules = append(fwdRules, []string{"-i", config.DockerBridgeName, "-o", config.WeaveBridgeName, "-j", "DROP"})
 		}
 
 		dockerBridgeIP, err := FindBridgeIP(config.DockerBridgeName, nil)
@@ -450,16 +443,15 @@ func configureIPTables(config *BridgeConfig) error {
 		}
 	}
 
-	// The order among weave filter/FORWARD rules is important!
-	fwdRules := make([][]string, 0)
-
 	if config.NPC {
 		// Steer traffic via the NPC
 		_ = ipt.NewChain("filter", "WEAVE-NPC") // ignore error because it might already exist
 		// If WEAVE-NPC chain doesn't exist then creating a rule in the chain will fail
 		fwdRules = append(fwdRules,
 			[][]string{
-				{"-o", config.WeaveBridgeName, "-j", "WEAVE-NPC"},
+				{"-o", config.WeaveBridgeName,
+					"-m", "comment", "--comment", "NOTE: this must go before '-j KUBE-FORWARD'",
+					"-j", "WEAVE-NPC"},
 				{"-o", config.WeaveBridgeName, "-m", "state", "--state", "NEW", "-j", "NFLOG", "--nflog-group", "86"},
 				{"-o", config.WeaveBridgeName, "-j", "DROP"},
 			}...)
@@ -480,7 +472,7 @@ func configureIPTables(config *BridgeConfig) error {
 	// and allow replies back
 	fwdRules = append(fwdRules, []string{"-o", config.WeaveBridgeName, "-m", "conntrack", "--ctstate", "RELATED,ESTABLISHED", "-j", "ACCEPT"})
 
-	if err := ensureRules("filter", "FORWARD", fwdRules, ipt); err != nil {
+	if err := ensureRulesAtTop("filter", "FORWARD", fwdRules, ipt); err != nil {
 		return err
 	}
 
@@ -501,11 +493,11 @@ func linkSetUpByName(linkName string) error {
 	return netlink.LinkSetUp(link)
 }
 
-// ensureRules ensures the presence of given iptables rules.
+// ensureRulesAtTop ensures the presence of given iptables rules.
 //
 // If any rule from the list is missing, the function deletes all given
-// rules and re-inserts them to ensure the order of the rules.
-func ensureRules(table, chain string, rulespecs [][]string, ipt *iptables.IPTables) error {
+// rules and re-inserts them at the top of the chain to ensure the order of the rules.
+func ensureRulesAtTop(table, chain string, rulespecs [][]string, ipt *iptables.IPTables) error {
 	allFound := true
 
 	for _, rs := range rulespecs {
diff --git a/test/191_create_bridge_2_test.sh b/test/191_create_bridge_2_test.sh
index fa26c780..abca8a9b 100755
--- a/test/191_create_bridge_2_test.sh
+++ b/test/191_create_bridge_2_test.sh
@@ -48,7 +48,7 @@ IPT_BEFORE=$(mktemp)
 IPT_AFTER=$(mktemp)
 run_on $HOST1 "sudo iptables-save | grep -i weave | grep -v '\[.*:.*\]' > $IPT_BEFORE"
 
-run_on $HOST1 sudo iptables -t filter -D FORWARD -o weave -j WEAVE-NPC
+run_on $HOST1 "sudo iptables -t filter -D FORWARD -o weave -m comment --comment \"NOTE: this must go before '-j KUBE-FORWARD'\" -j WEAVE-NPC"
 run_on $HOST1 sudo iptables -t nat -D POSTROUTING -j WEAVE
 kill_weaver # should re-create the bridge and iptables friends
 
diff --git a/tools b/tools
index 74dc626b..ca69607f 160000
--- a/tools
+++ b/tools
@@ -1 +1 @@
-Subproject commit 74dc626b6de3ffb38591510f7cb7bc2db33743c4
+Subproject commit ca69607f7936e186cee43bb4bcaede979de701e2