diff --git a/engine/schema/src/com/cloud/dc/dao/DataCenterVnetDao.java b/engine/schema/src/com/cloud/dc/dao/DataCenterVnetDao.java
index de68e1e30b1..28cd0278620 100644
--- a/engine/schema/src/com/cloud/dc/dao/DataCenterVnetDao.java
+++ b/engine/schema/src/com/cloud/dc/dao/DataCenterVnetDao.java
@@ -48,4 +48,6 @@ public interface DataCenterVnetDao extends GenericDao<DataCenterVnetVO, Long> {
     public int countVnetsDedicatedToAccount(long dcId, long accountId);
 
     List<String> listVnetsByPhysicalNetworkAndDataCenter(long dcId, long physicalNetworkId);
+
+    int  countAllocatedVnets(long physicalNetworkId);
 }
diff --git a/engine/schema/src/com/cloud/dc/dao/DataCenterVnetDaoImpl.java b/engine/schema/src/com/cloud/dc/dao/DataCenterVnetDaoImpl.java
index 3ac2729853b..d3a2409dc96 100755
--- a/engine/schema/src/com/cloud/dc/dao/DataCenterVnetDaoImpl.java
+++ b/engine/schema/src/com/cloud/dc/dao/DataCenterVnetDaoImpl.java
@@ -74,6 +74,12 @@ public class DataCenterVnetDaoImpl extends GenericDaoBase<DataCenterVnetVO, Long
         return listBy(sc);
     }
 
+    @Override
+    public  int  countAllocatedVnets(long physicalNetworkId){
+        SearchCriteria<DataCenterVnetVO> sc = DcSearchAllocated.create();
+        sc.setParameters("physicalNetworkId", physicalNetworkId);
+        return listBy(sc).size();
+    }
     public List<DataCenterVnetVO> listAllocatedVnetsInRange(long dcId, long physicalNetworkId, Integer start, Integer end) {
         SearchCriteria<DataCenterVnetVO> sc = DcSearchAllocatedInRange.create();
         sc.setParameters("dc",dcId);
diff --git a/server/src/com/cloud/network/NetworkServiceImpl.java b/server/src/com/cloud/network/NetworkServiceImpl.java
index 39663e1c1f0..f8bdb4e4515 100755
--- a/server/src/com/cloud/network/NetworkServiceImpl.java
+++ b/server/src/com/cloud/network/NetworkServiceImpl.java
@@ -2713,6 +2713,10 @@ public class NetworkServiceImpl extends ManagerBase implements  NetworkService {
         if (vnetRanges.size() == 0) {
             //this implies remove all vlans.
             removeVnets.addAll(vnetsInDb);
+            int allocated_vnets = _datacneter_vnet.countAllocatedVnets(network.getId());
+            if (allocated_vnets > 0) {
+                throw new InvalidParameterValueException("physicalnetwork "+ network.getId() + " has "+ allocated_vnets + " vnets in use");
+            }
             return removeVnets;
         }
         for (Pair<Integer, Integer>vlan : vnetRanges) {
@@ -2735,7 +2739,8 @@ public class NetworkServiceImpl extends ManagerBase implements  NetworkService {
             _datacneter_vnet.lockRange(network.getDataCenterId(), network.getId(), start, end);
             List<DataCenterVnetVO> result = _datacneter_vnet.listAllocatedVnetsInRange(network.getDataCenterId(), network.getId(), start, end);
             if (!result.isEmpty()){
-                throw new InvalidParameterValueException("Some of the vnets from this range are allocated, can only remove a range which has no allocated vnets");
+                throw new InvalidParameterValueException("physicalnetwork "+ network.getId() + " has allocated vnets in the range "+ start+"-"+end);
+
             }
             // If the range is partially dedicated to an account fail the request
             List<AccountGuestVlanMapVO> maps = _accountGuestVlanMapDao.listAccountGuestVlanMapsByPhysicalNetwork(network.getId());