A method for improved load distribution in a multi-protocol label switching, MPLS, network, the method being implemented in a node of the MPLS network, wherein the node is one of a plurality of nodes in the MPLS network each of which implement a common algorithm tie-breaking process to produce minimum cost shortest path trees, the node includes a topology database to store a topology of the MPLS network, wherein the topology of the MPLS network includes a plurality of nodes and links between the nodes, the method comprising the steps of: determining a first set of one or more shortest paths between each MPLS node pair in the MPLS network by executing a shortest path search algorithm on the topology of the MPLS network stored in the topology database; selecting (303, 305) at least a first shortest path from the first set of shortest paths for each MPLS node pair, by applying the common algorithm tie-breaking process; storing the first shortest path for each MPLS node pair in a label information database, wherein the label information database indicates where to forward traffic incoming to the MPLS node, calculating a link utilization value for each link of the MPLS network based on the count of shortest paths selected that transit each link; following the determination of the first set of one or more shortest paths, further determining a second set of one or more shortest paths between each MPLS node pair in the MPLS network by executing the shortest path search algorithm on the topology of the MPLS network stored in the topology database; generating a path utilization value for each shortest path in the second set of one or more shortest paths between each MPLS node pair, based on link utilization values corresponding to each shortest path in the second set of one or more shortest paths, wherein the step of generating the path utilization value comprises summing link utilization values of each link in the shortest path, or lexicographically sorting the link utilization values corresponding to each shortest path; ranking each shortest path in the second set of one or more shortest paths for each MPLS node pair, based on the path utilization value for each shortest path; selecting (317, 321) a second shortest path from the second set of one or more shortest paths for each MPLS node pair, on the basis of the ranking, wherein the selecting (317, 321) utilizes the common algorithm tie-breaking process when multiple shortest paths having equal path utilization values are present in the set of one or more shortest paths; and updating the label information database with the selected second shortest path for each MPLS node pair, whereby the selection (317, 321) of the second shortest path from the second set of one or more shortest paths in light of path utilization minimizes the standard deviation of load distribution across the entire MPLS network. determining a first set of one or more shortest paths between each MPLS node pair in the MPLS network by executing a shortest path search algorithm on the topology of the MPLS network stored in the topology database; selecting (303, 305) at least a first shortest path from the first set of shortest paths for each MPLS node pair, by applying the common algorithm tie-breaking process; storing the first shortest path for each MPLS node pair in a label information database, wherein the label information database indicates where to forward traffic incoming to the MPLS node, calculating a link utilization value for each link of the MPLS network based on the count of shortest paths selected that transit each link; following the determination of the first set of one or more shortest paths, further determining a second set of one or more shortest paths between each MPLS node pair in the MPLS network by executing the shortest path search algorithm on the topology of the MPLS network stored in the topology database; generating a path utilization value for each shortest path in the second set of one or more shortest paths between each MPLS node pair, based on link utilization values corresponding to each shortest path in the second set of one or more shortest paths, wherein the step of generating the path utilization value comprises summing link utilization values of each link in the shortest path, or lexicographically sorting the link utilization values corresponding to each shortest path; ranking each shortest path in the second set of one or more shortest paths for each MPLS node pair, based on the path utilization value for each shortest path; selecting (317, 321) a second shortest path from the second set of one or more shortest paths for each MPLS node pair, on the basis of the ranking, wherein the selecting (317, 321) utilizes the common algorithm tie-breaking process when multiple shortest paths having equal path utilization values are present in the set of one or more shortest paths; and updating the label information database with the selected second shortest path for each MPLS node pair, whereby the selection (317, 321) of the second shortest path from the second set of one or more shortest paths in light of path utilization minimizes the standard deviation of load distribution across the entire MPLS network.