diff --git a/libnetwork/drivers/ipvlan/ipvlan_endpoint.go b/libnetwork/drivers/ipvlan/ipvlan_endpoint.go
index faeb8434ac..ef3491b4b7 100644
--- a/libnetwork/drivers/ipvlan/ipvlan_endpoint.go
+++ b/libnetwork/drivers/ipvlan/ipvlan_endpoint.go
@@ -31,7 +31,7 @@ func (d *driver) CreateEndpoint(ctx context.Context, nid, eid string, ifInfo dri
 		addr:   ifInfo.Address(),
 		addrv6: ifInfo.AddressIPv6(),
 	}
-	if ep.addr == nil {
+	if ep.addr == nil && ep.addrv6 == nil {
 		return fmt.Errorf("create endpoint was not passed an IP address")
 	}
 	// disallow port mapping -p
diff --git a/libnetwork/drivers/ipvlan/ipvlan_joinleave.go b/libnetwork/drivers/ipvlan/ipvlan_joinleave.go
index 4414d99626..71f317411e 100644
--- a/libnetwork/drivers/ipvlan/ipvlan_joinleave.go
+++ b/libnetwork/drivers/ipvlan/ipvlan_joinleave.go
@@ -65,15 +65,17 @@ func (d *driver) Join(ctx context.Context, nid, eid string, sboxKey string, jinf
 		case modeL3, modeL3S:
 			// disable gateway services to add a default gw using dev eth0 only
 			jinfo.DisableGatewayService()
-			defaultRoute, err := ifaceGateway(defaultV4RouteCidr)
-			if err != nil {
-				return err
+			if ep.addr != nil {
+				defaultRoute, err := ifaceGateway(defaultV4RouteCidr)
+				if err != nil {
+					return err
+				}
+				if err := jinfo.AddStaticRoute(defaultRoute.Destination, defaultRoute.RouteType, defaultRoute.NextHop); err != nil {
+					return fmt.Errorf("failed to set an ipvlan l3/l3s mode ipv4 default gateway: %v", err)
+				}
+				log.G(ctx).Debugf("Ipvlan Endpoint Joined with IPv4_Addr: %s, Ipvlan_Mode: %s, Parent: %s",
+					ep.addr.IP.String(), n.config.IpvlanMode, n.config.Parent)
 			}
-			if err := jinfo.AddStaticRoute(defaultRoute.Destination, defaultRoute.RouteType, defaultRoute.NextHop); err != nil {
-				return fmt.Errorf("failed to set an ipvlan l3/l3s mode ipv4 default gateway: %v", err)
-			}
-			log.G(ctx).Debugf("Ipvlan Endpoint Joined with IPv4_Addr: %s, Ipvlan_Mode: %s, Parent: %s",
-				ep.addr.IP.String(), n.config.IpvlanMode, n.config.Parent)
 			// If the endpoint has a v6 address, set a v6 default route
 			if ep.addrv6 != nil {
 				default6Route, err := ifaceGateway(defaultV6RouteCidr)
diff --git a/libnetwork/drivers/ipvlan/ipvlan_network.go b/libnetwork/drivers/ipvlan/ipvlan_network.go
index 4ffaafb04f..64f87c938d 100644
--- a/libnetwork/drivers/ipvlan/ipvlan_network.go
+++ b/libnetwork/drivers/ipvlan/ipvlan_network.go
@@ -7,6 +7,7 @@ import (
 	"fmt"
 
 	"github.com/containerd/log"
+	"github.com/docker/docker/errdefs"
 	"github.com/docker/docker/libnetwork/driverapi"
 	"github.com/docker/docker/libnetwork/netlabel"
 	"github.com/docker/docker/libnetwork/ns"
@@ -26,9 +27,17 @@ func (d *driver) CreateNetwork(nid string, option map[string]interface{}, nInfo
 		return fmt.Errorf("kernel version failed to meet the minimum ipvlan kernel requirement of %d.%d, found %d.%d.%d",
 			ipvlanKernelVer, ipvlanMajorVer, kv.Kernel, kv.Major, kv.Minor)
 	}
-	// reject a null v4 network
-	if len(ipV4Data) == 0 || ipV4Data[0].Pool.String() == "0.0.0.0/0" {
-		return fmt.Errorf("ipv4 pool is empty")
+	// reject a null v4 network if ipv4 is required
+	if v, ok := option[netlabel.EnableIPv4]; ok && v.(bool) {
+		if len(ipV4Data) == 0 || ipV4Data[0].Pool.String() == "0.0.0.0/0" {
+			return fmt.Errorf("ipv4 pool is empty")
+		}
+	}
+	// reject a null v6 network if ipv6 is required
+	if v, ok := option[netlabel.EnableIPv6]; ok && v.(bool) {
+		if len(ipV6Data) == 0 || ipV6Data[0].Pool.String() == "::/0" {
+			return errdefs.InvalidParameter(fmt.Errorf("ipv6 pool is empty"))
+		}
 	}
 	// parse and validate the config and bind to networkConfiguration
 	config, err := parseNetworkOptions(nid, option)