diff --git a/client/internal/routemanager/client.go b/client/internal/routemanager/client.go
index 62937056e..93174be93 100644
--- a/client/internal/routemanager/client.go
+++ b/client/internal/routemanager/client.go
@@ -86,12 +86,6 @@ func (c *clientNetwork) getBestRouteFromStatuses(routePeerStatuses map[string]ro
 			continue
 		}
 
-		if chosen == "" && currID == "" {
-			chosen = r.ID
-			chosenScore = 0
-			continue
-		}
-
 		if r.Metric < route.MaxMetric {
 			metricDiff := route.MaxMetric - r.Metric
 			tempScore = metricDiff * 10
@@ -105,7 +99,7 @@ func (c *clientNetwork) getBestRouteFromStatuses(routePeerStatuses map[string]ro
 			tempScore++
 		}
 
-		if tempScore > chosenScore {
+		if tempScore > chosenScore || (tempScore == chosenScore && r.ID > currID) {
 			chosen = r.ID
 			chosenScore = tempScore
 		}
diff --git a/client/internal/routemanager/client_test.go b/client/internal/routemanager/client_test.go
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..52db3a335
--- /dev/null
+++ b/client/internal/routemanager/client_test.go
@@ -0,0 +1,172 @@
+package routemanager
+
+import (
+	"net/netip"
+	"testing"
+
+	"github.com/netbirdio/netbird/route"
+)
+
+// unit test for getBestrouteFromStatuses
+func TestGetBestrouteFromStatuses(t *testing.T) {
+
+	testCases := []struct {
+		name            string
+		statuses        map[string]routerPeerStatus
+		expectedRouteID string
+		currentRoute    *route.Route
+		existingRoutes  map[string]*route.Route
+	}{
+		{
+			name: "one route",
+			statuses: map[string]routerPeerStatus{
+				"peer1": {
+					connected: true,
+					relayed:   false,
+					direct:    true,
+				},
+			},
+			existingRoutes: map[string]*route.Route{
+				"peer1": {
+					ID:     "peer1",
+					Metric: route.MaxMetric,
+				},
+			},
+			currentRoute:    nil,
+			expectedRouteID: "peer1",
+		},
+		{
+			name: "one connected routes with relayed and direct",
+			statuses: map[string]routerPeerStatus{
+				"peer1": {
+					connected: true,
+					relayed:   true,
+					direct:    true,
+				},
+			},
+			existingRoutes: map[string]*route.Route{
+				"peer1": {
+					ID:     "peer1",
+					Metric: route.MaxMetric,
+				},
+			},
+			currentRoute:    nil,
+			expectedRouteID: "peer1",
+		},
+		{
+			name: "no connected peers",
+			statuses: map[string]routerPeerStatus{
+				"peer1": {
+					connected: false,
+					relayed:   false,
+					direct:    false,
+				},
+			},
+			existingRoutes: map[string]*route.Route{
+				"peer1": {
+					ID:     "peer1",
+					Metric: route.MaxMetric,
+				},
+			},
+			currentRoute:    nil,
+			expectedRouteID: "",
+		},
+		{
+			name: "multiple connected peers with different metrics",
+			statuses: map[string]routerPeerStatus{
+				"peer1": {
+					connected: true,
+					relayed:   false,
+					direct:    true,
+				},
+				"peer2": {
+					connected: true,
+					relayed:   false,
+					direct:    true,
+				},
+			},
+			existingRoutes: map[string]*route.Route{
+				"peer1": {
+					ID:     "peer1",
+					Metric: 9000,
+				},
+				"peer2": {
+					ID:     "peer2",
+					Metric: route.MaxMetric,
+				},
+			},
+			currentRoute:    nil,
+			expectedRouteID: "peer1",
+		},
+		{
+			name: "multiple connected peers with one relayed",
+			statuses: map[string]routerPeerStatus{
+				"peer1": {
+					connected: true,
+					relayed:   false,
+					direct:    true,
+				},
+				"peer2": {
+					connected: true,
+					relayed:   true,
+					direct:    true,
+				},
+			},
+			existingRoutes: map[string]*route.Route{
+				"peer1": {
+					ID:     "peer1",
+					Metric: route.MaxMetric,
+				},
+				"peer2": {
+					ID:     "peer2",
+					Metric: route.MaxMetric,
+				},
+			},
+			currentRoute:    nil,
+			expectedRouteID: "peer1",
+		},
+		{
+			name: "multiple connected peers with one direct",
+			statuses: map[string]routerPeerStatus{
+				"peer1": {
+					connected: true,
+					relayed:   false,
+					direct:    true,
+				},
+				"peer2": {
+					connected: true,
+					relayed:   false,
+					direct:    false,
+				},
+			},
+			existingRoutes: map[string]*route.Route{
+				"peer1": {
+					ID:     "peer1",
+					Metric: route.MaxMetric,
+				},
+				"peer2": {
+					ID:     "peer2",
+					Metric: route.MaxMetric,
+				},
+			},
+			currentRoute:    nil,
+			expectedRouteID: "peer1",
+		},
+	}
+
+	for _, tc := range testCases {
+		t.Run(tc.name, func(t *testing.T) {
+			// create new clientNetwork
+			client := &clientNetwork{
+				network:     netip.MustParsePrefix("192.168.0.0/24"),
+				routes:      tc.existingRoutes,
+				chosenRoute: tc.currentRoute,
+			}
+
+			chosenRoute := client.getBestRouteFromStatuses(tc.statuses)
+			if chosenRoute != tc.expectedRouteID {
+				t.Errorf("expected routeID %s, got %s", tc.expectedRouteID, chosenRoute)
+			}
+		})
+	}
+}