diff --git a/api/src/com/cloud/network/NetworkModel.java b/api/src/com/cloud/network/NetworkModel.java
index ea39d835eb7..01c0e2195d4 100644
--- a/api/src/com/cloud/network/NetworkModel.java
+++ b/api/src/com/cloud/network/NetworkModel.java
@@ -276,4 +276,6 @@ public interface NetworkModel {
     Nic getNicInNetworkIncludingRemoved(long vmId, long networkId);
 
     boolean getExecuteInSeqNtwkElmtCmd();
+
+    boolean isNetworkReadyForGc(long networkId);
 }
\ No newline at end of file
diff --git a/server/src/com/cloud/network/NetworkManagerImpl.java b/server/src/com/cloud/network/NetworkManagerImpl.java
index cb3cbbfca37..938d9b1e646 100755
--- a/server/src/com/cloud/network/NetworkManagerImpl.java
+++ b/server/src/com/cloud/network/NetworkManagerImpl.java
@@ -2975,6 +2975,11 @@ public class NetworkManagerImpl extends ManagerBase implements NetworkManager, L
 
                 List<Long> networkIds = _networksDao.findNetworksToGarbageCollect();
                 for (Long networkId : networkIds) {
+
+                    if (!_networkModel.isNetworkReadyForGc(networkId)) {
+                        continue;
+                    }
+
                     Long time = _lastNetworkIdsToFree.remove(networkId);
                     if (time == null) {
                         if (s_logger.isDebugEnabled()) {
diff --git a/server/src/com/cloud/network/NetworkModelImpl.java b/server/src/com/cloud/network/NetworkModelImpl.java
index 9ab8f3f0e2a..21ef8bcf0ea 100755
--- a/server/src/com/cloud/network/NetworkModelImpl.java
+++ b/server/src/com/cloud/network/NetworkModelImpl.java
@@ -2126,4 +2126,25 @@ public class NetworkModelImpl extends ManagerBase implements NetworkModel {
     public boolean getExecuteInSeqNtwkElmtCmd() {
         return _executeInSequenceNtwkElmtCmd;
     }
+
+    @Override
+    public boolean isNetworkReadyForGc(long networkId) {
+        Network network = getNetwork(networkId);
+        List<Long> networkIds = _networksDao.findNetworksToGarbageCollect();
+        List<String> secondaryIps = _nicSecondaryIpDao.listSecondaryIpAddressInNetwork(networkId);
+        if (!networkIds.contains(networkId)) {
+            return false;
+        }
+
+        // add an exception for networks that use external networking devices and has secondary guest IP's allocated.
+        // On network GC, when network goes through implement phase a new vlan is allocated, based on the acquired VLAN
+        // id cidr of the network is decided in case of external networking case. While NIC uses reservation strategy 'Start'
+        // which ensures that new primary ip is allocated for the NiC from the new CIDR. Secondary IP's have hardcoded IP's in
+        // network rules. So prevent network GC.
+        if (secondaryIps != null && !secondaryIps.isEmpty() &&
+                networkIsConfiguredForExternalNetworking(network.getDataCenterId(), networkId)) {
+        }
+
+        return true;
+    }
 }
diff --git a/server/test/com/cloud/network/MockNetworkModelImpl.java b/server/test/com/cloud/network/MockNetworkModelImpl.java
index bab9df8dd6d..92e4cb1c5bf 100644
--- a/server/test/com/cloud/network/MockNetworkModelImpl.java
+++ b/server/test/com/cloud/network/MockNetworkModelImpl.java
@@ -885,4 +885,9 @@ public class MockNetworkModelImpl extends ManagerBase implements NetworkModel {
         // TODO Auto-generated method stub
         return false;
     }
+
+    @Override
+    public boolean isNetworkReadyForGc(long networkId) {
+        return true;
+    }
 }
diff --git a/server/test/com/cloud/vpc/MockNetworkModelImpl.java b/server/test/com/cloud/vpc/MockNetworkModelImpl.java
index a6ab1261c3c..9fbc65a8cb9 100644
--- a/server/test/com/cloud/vpc/MockNetworkModelImpl.java
+++ b/server/test/com/cloud/vpc/MockNetworkModelImpl.java
@@ -898,4 +898,8 @@ public class MockNetworkModelImpl extends ManagerBase implements NetworkModel {
         return false;
     }
 
+    @Override
+    public boolean isNetworkReadyForGc(long networkId) {
+        return true;
+    }
 }