diff --git a/api/src/com/cloud/api/commands/CreateFirewallRuleCmd.java b/api/src/com/cloud/api/commands/CreateFirewallRuleCmd.java
index 81817dcfdf3..b437568311f 100644
--- a/api/src/com/cloud/api/commands/CreateFirewallRuleCmd.java
+++ b/api/src/com/cloud/api/commands/CreateFirewallRuleCmd.java
@@ -52,7 +52,7 @@ public class CreateFirewallRuleCmd extends BaseAsyncCreateCmd implements Firewal
     // ///////////////////////////////////////////////////
 
     @IdentityMapper(entityTableName="user_ip_address")
-    @Parameter(name = ApiConstants.IP_ADDRESS_ID, type = CommandType.LONG, description = "the IP address id of the port forwarding rule")
+    @Parameter(name = ApiConstants.IP_ADDRESS_ID, type = CommandType.LONG, required=true, description = "the IP address id of the port forwarding rule")
     private Long ipAddressId;
 
     @Parameter(name = ApiConstants.PROTOCOL, type = CommandType.STRING, required = true, description = "the protocol for the firewall rule. Valid values are TCP/UDP/ICMP.")