diff --git a/vmware_nsx/extensions/edge_service_gateway_bgp_peer.py b/vmware_nsx/extensions/edge_service_gateway_bgp_peer.py
index 4901630cd7..0de8085d9e 100644
--- a/vmware_nsx/extensions/edge_service_gateway_bgp_peer.py
+++ b/vmware_nsx/extensions/edge_service_gateway_bgp_peer.py
@@ -26,10 +26,12 @@ ESG_BGP_PEER_EXT_ALIAS = 'edge-service-gateway-bgp-peer'
 
 
 def _validate_edge_service_gw_id(esg_id, valid_values=None):
+    if esg_id is None:
+        return
     msg = validators.validate_string(esg_id, max_len=EDGE_ID_MAX_LEN)
     if msg:
         return msg
-    if esg_id and re.match(r'^edge-[1-9]+[0-9]*$', esg_id) is None:
+    if re.match(r'^edge-[1-9]+[0-9]*$', esg_id) is None:
         msg = _("'%s' is not a valid edge service gateway id.") % esg_id
         return msg