diff --git a/neutron/agent/linux/ip_lib.py b/neutron/agent/linux/ip_lib.py
index 353164b2ac4..f3f80c32ced 100644
--- a/neutron/agent/linux/ip_lib.py
+++ b/neutron/agent/linux/ip_lib.py
@@ -1353,7 +1353,8 @@ def _make_pyroute2_args(ip, iif, table, priority, to):
 
     :param ip: (string) source IP or CIDR address (IPv4, IPv6)
     :param iif: (string) input interface name
-    :param table: (string, int) table number
+    :param table: (string, int) table number (as an int or a string) or table
+                  name ('default', 'main', 'local')
     :param priority: (string, int) rule priority
     :param to: (string) destination IP or CIDR address (IPv4, IPv6)
     :return: a dictionary with the kwargs needed in pyroute rule commands
@@ -1372,7 +1373,7 @@ def _make_pyroute2_args(ip, iif, table, priority, to):
         cmd_args['dst'] = common_utils.cidr_to_ip(to)
         cmd_args['dst_len'] = common_utils.cidr_mask(to)
     if table:
-        cmd_args['table'] = RULE_TABLES.get(int(table), int(table))
+        cmd_args['table'] = RULE_TABLES.get(table) or int(table)
     if priority:
         cmd_args['priority'] = int(priority)
     return cmd_args
diff --git a/neutron/tests/unit/agent/linux/test_ip_lib.py b/neutron/tests/unit/agent/linux/test_ip_lib.py
index adaaac081a0..9bef3c04b56 100644
--- a/neutron/tests/unit/agent/linux/test_ip_lib.py
+++ b/neutron/tests/unit/agent/linux/test_ip_lib.py
@@ -620,7 +620,8 @@ class TestIpRuleCommand(TestIPCmdBase):
     def _test_add_rule(self, ip, iif, table, priority):
         ip_version = netaddr.IPNetwork(ip).version
         ip_family = common_utils.get_socket_address_family(ip_version)
-        cmd_args = {'table': table,
+        table_num = ip_lib.RULE_TABLES.get(table) or int(table)
+        cmd_args = {'table': table_num,
                     'priority': priority,
                     'family': ip_family}
         if iif:
@@ -694,6 +695,12 @@ class TestIpRuleCommand(TestIPCmdBase):
     def test_add_rule_v6(self):
         self._test_add_rule('2001:db8::1', None, 3, 200)
 
+    def test_add_rule_table_string(self):
+        self._test_add_rule('2001:db8::1', None, 'default', 200)
+        self._test_add_rule('2001:db8::1', None, 'main', 200)
+        self._test_add_rule('2001:db8::1', None, 'local', 200)
+        self._test_add_rule('2001:db8::1', None, '100', 200)
+
     def test_delete_rule_v4(self):
         self._test_delete_rule('192.168.45.100', 2, 100)