diff --git a/pkg/flows/flow_utils.go b/pkg/flows/flow_utils.go
index b2086cd..3139144 100644
--- a/pkg/flows/flow_utils.go
+++ b/pkg/flows/flow_utils.go
@@ -18,14 +18,15 @@
 import (
 	"bytes"
 	"crypto/md5"
-	"errors"
+	"encoding/binary"
 	"fmt"
+	"hash"
+	"sort"
+
 	"github.com/cevaris/ordered_map"
 	"github.com/gogo/protobuf/proto"
 	"github.com/opencord/voltha-lib-go/v3/pkg/log"
 	ofp "github.com/opencord/voltha-protos/v3/go/openflow_13"
-	"math/big"
-	"strings"
 )
 
 var (
@@ -677,25 +678,229 @@
 	return 0
 }
 
-// Return unique 64-bit integer hash for flow covering the following attributes:
-// 'table_id', 'priority', 'flags', 'cookie', 'match', '_instruction_string'
+// HashFlowStats returns a unique 64-bit integer hash of 'table_id', 'priority', and 'match'
+// The OF spec states that:
+// A flow table entry is identified by its match fields and priority: the match fields
+// and priority taken together identify a unique flow entry in the flow table.
 func HashFlowStats(flow *ofp.OfpFlowStats) (uint64, error) {
-	if flow == nil { // Should never happen
-		return 0, errors.New("hash-flow-stats-nil-flow")
+	// first we need to make sure the oxm fields are in a predictable order (the specific order doesn't matter)
+	sort.Slice(flow.Match.OxmFields, func(a, b int) bool {
+		fieldsA, fieldsB := flow.Match.OxmFields[a], flow.Match.OxmFields[b]
+		if fieldsA.OxmClass < fieldsB.OxmClass {
+			return true
+		}
+		switch fieldA := fieldsA.Field.(type) {
+		case *ofp.OfpOxmField_OfbField:
+			switch fieldB := fieldsB.Field.(type) {
+			case *ofp.OfpOxmField_ExperimenterField:
+				return true // ofp < experimenter
+			case *ofp.OfpOxmField_OfbField:
+				return fieldA.OfbField.Type < fieldB.OfbField.Type
+			}
+		case *ofp.OfpOxmField_ExperimenterField:
+			switch fieldB := fieldsB.Field.(type) {
+			case *ofp.OfpOxmField_OfbField:
+				return false // ofp < experimenter
+			case *ofp.OfpOxmField_ExperimenterField:
+				eFieldA, eFieldB := fieldA.ExperimenterField, fieldB.ExperimenterField
+				if eFieldA.Experimenter != eFieldB.Experimenter {
+					return eFieldA.Experimenter < eFieldB.Experimenter
+				}
+				return eFieldA.OxmHeader < eFieldB.OxmHeader
+			}
+		}
+		return false
+	})
+
+	md5Hash := md5.New() // note that write errors will never occur with md5 hashing
+	var tmp [12]byte
+
+	binary.BigEndian.PutUint32(tmp[0:4], flow.TableId)             // tableId
+	binary.BigEndian.PutUint32(tmp[4:8], flow.Priority)            // priority
+	binary.BigEndian.PutUint32(tmp[8:12], uint32(flow.Match.Type)) // match type
+	_, _ = md5Hash.Write(tmp[:12])
+
+	for _, field := range flow.Match.OxmFields { // for all match fields
+		binary.BigEndian.PutUint32(tmp[:4], uint32(field.OxmClass)) // match class
+		_, _ = md5Hash.Write(tmp[:4])
+
+		switch oxmField := field.Field.(type) {
+		case *ofp.OfpOxmField_ExperimenterField:
+			binary.BigEndian.PutUint32(tmp[0:4], oxmField.ExperimenterField.Experimenter)
+			binary.BigEndian.PutUint32(tmp[4:8], oxmField.ExperimenterField.OxmHeader)
+			_, _ = md5Hash.Write(tmp[:8])
+
+		case *ofp.OfpOxmField_OfbField:
+			if err := hashWriteOfbField(md5Hash, oxmField.OfbField); err != nil {
+				return 0, err
+			}
+
+		default:
+			return 0, fmt.Errorf("unknown OfpOxmField type: %T", field.Field)
+		}
 	}
-	// Create string with the instructions field first
-	var instructionString bytes.Buffer
-	for _, instruction := range flow.Instructions {
-		instructionString.WriteString(instruction.String())
+
+	ret := md5Hash.Sum(nil)
+	return binary.BigEndian.Uint64(ret[0:8]), nil
+}
+
+func hashWriteOfbField(md5Hash hash.Hash, field *ofp.OfpOxmOfbField) error {
+	var tmp [8]byte
+	binary.BigEndian.PutUint32(tmp[:4], uint32(field.Type)) // type
+	_, _ = md5Hash.Write(tmp[:4])
+
+	// value
+	valType, val32, val64, valSlice := uint8(0), uint32(0), uint64(0), []byte(nil)
+	switch val := field.Value.(type) {
+	case *ofp.OfpOxmOfbField_Port:
+		valType, val32 = 4, val.Port
+	case *ofp.OfpOxmOfbField_PhysicalPort:
+		valType, val32 = 4, val.PhysicalPort
+	case *ofp.OfpOxmOfbField_TableMetadata:
+		valType, val64 = 8, val.TableMetadata
+	case *ofp.OfpOxmOfbField_EthDst:
+		valType, valSlice = 1, val.EthDst
+	case *ofp.OfpOxmOfbField_EthSrc:
+		valType, valSlice = 1, val.EthSrc
+	case *ofp.OfpOxmOfbField_EthType:
+		valType, val32 = 4, val.EthType
+	case *ofp.OfpOxmOfbField_VlanVid:
+		valType, val32 = 4, val.VlanVid
+	case *ofp.OfpOxmOfbField_VlanPcp:
+		valType, val32 = 4, val.VlanPcp
+	case *ofp.OfpOxmOfbField_IpDscp:
+		valType, val32 = 4, val.IpDscp
+	case *ofp.OfpOxmOfbField_IpEcn:
+		valType, val32 = 4, val.IpEcn
+	case *ofp.OfpOxmOfbField_IpProto:
+		valType, val32 = 4, val.IpProto
+	case *ofp.OfpOxmOfbField_Ipv4Src:
+		valType, val32 = 4, val.Ipv4Src
+	case *ofp.OfpOxmOfbField_Ipv4Dst:
+		valType, val32 = 4, val.Ipv4Dst
+	case *ofp.OfpOxmOfbField_TcpSrc:
+		valType, val32 = 4, val.TcpSrc
+	case *ofp.OfpOxmOfbField_TcpDst:
+		valType, val32 = 4, val.TcpDst
+	case *ofp.OfpOxmOfbField_UdpSrc:
+		valType, val32 = 4, val.UdpSrc
+	case *ofp.OfpOxmOfbField_UdpDst:
+		valType, val32 = 4, val.UdpDst
+	case *ofp.OfpOxmOfbField_SctpSrc:
+		valType, val32 = 4, val.SctpSrc
+	case *ofp.OfpOxmOfbField_SctpDst:
+		valType, val32 = 4, val.SctpDst
+	case *ofp.OfpOxmOfbField_Icmpv4Type:
+		valType, val32 = 4, val.Icmpv4Type
+	case *ofp.OfpOxmOfbField_Icmpv4Code:
+		valType, val32 = 4, val.Icmpv4Code
+	case *ofp.OfpOxmOfbField_ArpOp:
+		valType, val32 = 4, val.ArpOp
+	case *ofp.OfpOxmOfbField_ArpSpa:
+		valType, val32 = 4, val.ArpSpa
+	case *ofp.OfpOxmOfbField_ArpTpa:
+		valType, val32 = 4, val.ArpTpa
+	case *ofp.OfpOxmOfbField_ArpSha:
+		valType, valSlice = 1, val.ArpSha
+	case *ofp.OfpOxmOfbField_ArpTha:
+		valType, valSlice = 1, val.ArpTha
+	case *ofp.OfpOxmOfbField_Ipv6Src:
+		valType, valSlice = 1, val.Ipv6Src
+	case *ofp.OfpOxmOfbField_Ipv6Dst:
+		valType, valSlice = 1, val.Ipv6Dst
+	case *ofp.OfpOxmOfbField_Ipv6Flabel:
+		valType, val32 = 4, val.Ipv6Flabel
+	case *ofp.OfpOxmOfbField_Icmpv6Type:
+		valType, val32 = 4, val.Icmpv6Type
+	case *ofp.OfpOxmOfbField_Icmpv6Code:
+		valType, val32 = 4, val.Icmpv6Code
+	case *ofp.OfpOxmOfbField_Ipv6NdTarget:
+		valType, valSlice = 1, val.Ipv6NdTarget
+	case *ofp.OfpOxmOfbField_Ipv6NdSsl:
+		valType, valSlice = 1, val.Ipv6NdSsl
+	case *ofp.OfpOxmOfbField_Ipv6NdTll:
+		valType, valSlice = 1, val.Ipv6NdTll
+	case *ofp.OfpOxmOfbField_MplsLabel:
+		valType, val32 = 4, val.MplsLabel
+	case *ofp.OfpOxmOfbField_MplsTc:
+		valType, val32 = 4, val.MplsTc
+	case *ofp.OfpOxmOfbField_MplsBos:
+		valType, val32 = 4, val.MplsBos
+	case *ofp.OfpOxmOfbField_PbbIsid:
+		valType, val32 = 4, val.PbbIsid
+	case *ofp.OfpOxmOfbField_TunnelId:
+		valType, val64 = 8, val.TunnelId
+	case *ofp.OfpOxmOfbField_Ipv6Exthdr:
+		valType, val32 = 4, val.Ipv6Exthdr
+	default:
+		return fmt.Errorf("unknown OfpOxmField value type: %T", val)
 	}
-	var flowString = fmt.Sprintf("%d%d%d%d%s%s", flow.TableId, flow.Priority, flow.Flags, flow.Cookie, flow.Match.String(), instructionString.String())
-	h := md5.New()
-	if _, err := h.Write([]byte(flowString)); err != nil {
-		return 0, fmt.Errorf("hash-flow-stats-failed-hash: %v", err)
+	switch valType {
+	case 1: // slice
+		_, _ = md5Hash.Write(valSlice)
+	case 4: // uint32
+		binary.BigEndian.PutUint32(tmp[:4], val32)
+		_, _ = md5Hash.Write(tmp[:4])
+	case 8: // uint64
+		binary.BigEndian.PutUint64(tmp[:8], val64)
+		_, _ = md5Hash.Write(tmp[:8])
 	}
-	hash := big.NewInt(0)
-	hash.SetBytes(h.Sum(nil))
-	return hash.Uint64(), nil
+
+	// mask
+	if !field.HasMask {
+		tmp[0] = 0x00
+		_, _ = md5Hash.Write(tmp[:1]) // match hasMask = false
+	} else {
+		tmp[0] = 0x01
+		_, _ = md5Hash.Write(tmp[:1]) // match hasMask = true
+
+		maskType, mask32, mask64, maskSlice := uint8(0), uint32(0), uint64(0), []byte(nil)
+		switch mask := field.Mask.(type) {
+		case *ofp.OfpOxmOfbField_TableMetadataMask:
+			maskType, mask64 = 8, mask.TableMetadataMask
+		case *ofp.OfpOxmOfbField_EthDstMask:
+			maskType, maskSlice = 1, mask.EthDstMask
+		case *ofp.OfpOxmOfbField_EthSrcMask:
+			maskType, maskSlice = 1, mask.EthSrcMask
+		case *ofp.OfpOxmOfbField_VlanVidMask:
+			maskType, mask32 = 4, mask.VlanVidMask
+		case *ofp.OfpOxmOfbField_Ipv4SrcMask:
+			maskType, mask32 = 4, mask.Ipv4SrcMask
+		case *ofp.OfpOxmOfbField_Ipv4DstMask:
+			maskType, mask32 = 4, mask.Ipv4DstMask
+		case *ofp.OfpOxmOfbField_ArpSpaMask:
+			maskType, mask32 = 4, mask.ArpSpaMask
+		case *ofp.OfpOxmOfbField_ArpTpaMask:
+			maskType, mask32 = 4, mask.ArpTpaMask
+		case *ofp.OfpOxmOfbField_Ipv6SrcMask:
+			maskType, maskSlice = 1, mask.Ipv6SrcMask
+		case *ofp.OfpOxmOfbField_Ipv6DstMask:
+			maskType, maskSlice = 1, mask.Ipv6DstMask
+		case *ofp.OfpOxmOfbField_Ipv6FlabelMask:
+			maskType, mask32 = 4, mask.Ipv6FlabelMask
+		case *ofp.OfpOxmOfbField_PbbIsidMask:
+			maskType, mask32 = 4, mask.PbbIsidMask
+		case *ofp.OfpOxmOfbField_TunnelIdMask:
+			maskType, mask64 = 8, mask.TunnelIdMask
+		case *ofp.OfpOxmOfbField_Ipv6ExthdrMask:
+			maskType, mask32 = 4, mask.Ipv6ExthdrMask
+		case nil:
+			return fmt.Errorf("hasMask set to true, but no mask present")
+		default:
+			return fmt.Errorf("unknown OfpOxmField mask type: %T", mask)
+		}
+		switch maskType {
+		case 1: // slice
+			_, _ = md5Hash.Write(maskSlice)
+		case 4: // uint32
+			binary.BigEndian.PutUint32(tmp[:4], mask32)
+			_, _ = md5Hash.Write(tmp[:4])
+		case 8: // uint64
+			binary.BigEndian.PutUint64(tmp[:8], mask64)
+			_, _ = md5Hash.Write(tmp[:8])
+		}
+	}
+	return nil
 }
 
 // flowStatsEntryFromFlowModMessage maps an ofp_flow_mod message to an ofp_flow_stats message
@@ -1184,7 +1389,7 @@
 // FindFlows returns the index in flows where flow if present.  Otherwise, it returns -1
 func FindFlows(flows []*ofp.OfpFlowStats, flow *ofp.OfpFlowStats) int {
 	for idx, f := range flows {
-		if FlowMatch(f, flow) {
+		if f.Id == flow.Id {
 			return idx
 		}
 	}
@@ -1194,35 +1399,7 @@
 //FlowMatch returns true if two flows matches on the following flow attributes:
 //TableId, Priority, Flags, Cookie, Match
 func FlowMatch(f1 *ofp.OfpFlowStats, f2 *ofp.OfpFlowStats) bool {
-	if f1 == nil || f2 == nil {
-		return false
-	}
-	keysMatter := []string{"TableId", "Priority", "Flags", "Cookie", "Match"}
-	for _, key := range keysMatter {
-		switch key {
-		case "TableId":
-			if f1.TableId != f2.TableId {
-				return false
-			}
-		case "Priority":
-			if f1.Priority != f2.Priority {
-				return false
-			}
-		case "Flags":
-			if f1.Flags != f2.Flags {
-				return false
-			}
-		case "Cookie":
-			if f1.Cookie != f2.Cookie {
-				return false
-			}
-		case "Match":
-			if strings.Compare(f1.Match.String(), f2.Match.String()) != 0 {
-				return false
-			}
-		}
-	}
-	return true
+	return f1 != nil && f2 != nil && f1.Id == f2.Id
 }
 
 //FlowMatchesMod returns True if given flow is "covered" by the wildcard flow_mod, taking into consideration of
diff --git a/pkg/flows/flow_utils_test.go b/pkg/flows/flow_utils_test.go
index c4e481d..ec00cb1 100644
--- a/pkg/flows/flow_utils_test.go
+++ b/pkg/flows/flow_utils_test.go
@@ -37,11 +37,6 @@
 	timeoutError = status.Errorf(codes.Aborted, "timeout")
 }
 
-func TestHashFlowStatsNil(t *testing.T) {
-	_, err := HashFlowStats(nil)
-	assert.EqualError(t, err, "hash-flow-stats-nil-flow")
-}
-
 func TestFlowsAndGroups_AddFlow(t *testing.T) {
 	fg := NewFlowsAndGroups()
 	allFlows := fg.ListFlows()
@@ -261,7 +256,7 @@
 	fg.AddGroup(group)
 
 	str = fg.String()
-	assert.True(t, strings.Contains(str, "id: 1143307409938767207"))
+	assert.True(t, strings.Contains(str, "id: 11819684229970388353"))
 	assert.True(t, strings.Contains(str, "group_id: 10"))
 	assert.True(t, strings.Contains(str, "oxm_class: OFPXMC_OPENFLOW_BASICOFPXMC_OPENFLOW_BASIC"))
 	assert.True(t, strings.Contains(str, "type: OFPXMT_OFB_VLAN_VIDOFPXMT_OFB_VLAN_VID"))
@@ -503,6 +498,7 @@
 	assert.Nil(t, err)
 	assert.False(t, FlowMatch(flow1, nil))
 
+	// different table_id, cookie, flags
 	fa = &FlowArgs{
 		KV: OfpFlowModArgs{"priority": 500},
 		MatchFields: []*ofp.OfpOxmOfbField{
@@ -521,6 +517,7 @@
 	assert.False(t, FlowMatch(flow1, flow2))
 	assert.False(t, FlowMatch(nil, flow2))
 
+	// no difference
 	fa = &FlowArgs{
 		KV: OfpFlowModArgs{"priority": 500, "table_id": 1, "cookie": 38268468, "flags": 12},
 		MatchFields: []*ofp.OfpOxmOfbField{
@@ -535,6 +532,7 @@
 	assert.Nil(t, err)
 	assert.True(t, FlowMatch(flow1, flow2))
 
+	// different priority
 	fa = &FlowArgs{
 		KV: OfpFlowModArgs{"priority": 501, "table_id": 1, "cookie": 38268468, "flags": 12},
 		MatchFields: []*ofp.OfpOxmOfbField{
@@ -552,6 +550,7 @@
 	assert.Nil(t, err)
 	assert.False(t, FlowMatch(flow1, flow2))
 
+	// different table id
 	fa = &FlowArgs{
 		KV: OfpFlowModArgs{"priority": 500, "table_id": 2, "cookie": 38268468, "flags": 12},
 		MatchFields: []*ofp.OfpOxmOfbField{
@@ -566,6 +565,7 @@
 	assert.Nil(t, err)
 	assert.False(t, FlowMatch(flow1, flow2))
 
+	// different cookie
 	fa = &FlowArgs{
 		KV: OfpFlowModArgs{"priority": 500, "table_id": 1, "cookie": 38268467, "flags": 12},
 		MatchFields: []*ofp.OfpOxmOfbField{
@@ -578,8 +578,9 @@
 	}
 	flow2, err = MkFlowStat(fa)
 	assert.Nil(t, err)
-	assert.False(t, FlowMatch(flow1, flow2))
+	assert.True(t, FlowMatch(flow1, flow2))
 
+	// different flags
 	fa = &FlowArgs{
 		KV: OfpFlowModArgs{"priority": 500, "table_id": 1, "cookie": 38268468, "flags": 14},
 		MatchFields: []*ofp.OfpOxmOfbField{
@@ -592,8 +593,9 @@
 	}
 	flow2, err = MkFlowStat(fa)
 	assert.Nil(t, err)
-	assert.False(t, FlowMatch(flow1, flow2))
+	assert.True(t, FlowMatch(flow1, flow2))
 
+	// different match InPort
 	fa = &FlowArgs{
 		KV: OfpFlowModArgs{"priority": 500, "table_id": 1, "cookie": 38268468, "flags": 12},
 		MatchFields: []*ofp.OfpOxmOfbField{
@@ -608,6 +610,7 @@
 	assert.Nil(t, err)
 	assert.False(t, FlowMatch(flow1, flow2))
 
+	// different match Ipv4Dst
 	fa = &FlowArgs{
 		KV: OfpFlowModArgs{"priority": 500, "table_id": 1, "cookie": 38268468, "flags": 12},
 		MatchFields: []*ofp.OfpOxmOfbField{
@@ -621,6 +624,7 @@
 	assert.Nil(t, err)
 	assert.False(t, FlowMatch(flow1, flow2))
 
+	// different actions
 	fa = &FlowArgs{
 		KV: OfpFlowModArgs{"priority": 500, "table_id": 1, "cookie": 38268468, "flags": 12},
 		MatchFields: []*ofp.OfpOxmOfbField{