A system for controlling packet forwarding through a point-to-point (p2p) connection between first and second end nodes of a packet network domain having a mesh topology. The system comprises a sub-ring network instantiated in the network domain, the sub-ring network comprising a pair of topologically diverse ring spans extending between the first and second end nodes. Each of the end nodes is controlled to forward packets of the p2p connection through the sub-ring network in accordance with a ring network routing scheme, and an intermediate node traversed by one of the ring spans is controlled to forward packets of the p2p connection through the ring span in accordance with a linear path routing scheme.