Source identification preservation in multiprotocol label switching networks

A Multiprotocol Label Switching (MPLS) method, a MPLS network element, and a MPLS network include receiving a packet destined for a destination node at a source node in an MPLS network; pushing an identifier in an MPLS label on an MPLS label stack associated with the packet, wherein the identifier denotes the source node as the source of the packet and is pushed prior to any other MPLS labels on the MPLS stack; pushing one or more labels on the MPLS stack indicative of a route of the packet to the destination node; and transmitting the packet from the source node into the MPLS network. The identifier is located at the bottom of the MPLS stack thereby being a last item popped in the MPLS stack at the destination node, and the identifier can be used for updating OAM data efficiently without requiring deep packet inspection.