diff --git a/ui/jsp/ipaddress.jsp b/ui/jsp/ipaddress.jsp
index 9fb982c5aac..fedf6cea4c4 100644
--- a/ui/jsp/ipaddress.jsp
+++ b/ui/jsp/ipaddress.jsp
@@ -195,6 +195,7 @@
 	                <div class="grid_row_cell" style="width: 39%;">                   
 	                    <select class="select" id="vm">
 	                    </select>
+	                    <div id="vm_errormsg" class="errormsg" style="display: none;"></div>	                    
 	                </div>
 	                <div class="grid_row_cell" style="width: 15%;">
 	                    <div class="row_celltitles">
diff --git a/ui/scripts/cloud.core.ipaddress.js b/ui/scripts/cloud.core.ipaddress.js
index a96748d7579..7037f6b3fd1 100644
--- a/ui/scripts/cloud.core.ipaddress.js
+++ b/ui/scripts/cloud.core.ipaddress.js
@@ -86,10 +86,11 @@ function afterLoadIpJSP() {
     //*** Acquire New IP (end) ***
     
     //Port Fowording tab
-    var $createPortForwardingRow = $("#tab_content_port_forwarding #create_port_forwarding_row");     
+    var $createPortForwardingRow = $("#tab_content_port_forwarding").find("#create_port_forwarding_row");     
     
     $createPortForwardingRow.find("#add_link").bind("click", function(event){	        
-		var isValid = true;				
+		var isValid = true;		
+		isValid &= validateDropDownBox("Instance", $createPortForwardingRow.find("#vm"), $createPortForwardingRow.find("#vm_errormsg"));				
 		isValid &= validateNumber("Public Port", $createPortForwardingRow.find("#public_port"), $createPortForwardingRow.find("#public_port_errormsg"), 1, 65535);
 		isValid &= validateNumber("Private Port", $createPortForwardingRow.find("#private_port"), $createPortForwardingRow.find("#private_port_errormsg"), 1, 65535);				
 		if (!isValid) return;			
diff --git a/ui/scripts/cloud.core.js b/ui/scripts/cloud.core.js
index c8032becf28..d2f8195275b 100644
--- a/ui/scripts/cloud.core.js
+++ b/ui/scripts/cloud.core.js
@@ -1544,6 +1544,20 @@ function showError2(isValid, field, errMsgField, errMsg, appendErrMsg) {
 	}
 }
 
+function showErrorInDropdown(isValid, field, errMsgField, errMsg, appendErrMsg) {    
+	if(isValid) {
+	    errMsgField.text("").hide();
+	    field.addClass("select").removeClass("error_select");
+	}
+	else {
+	    if(appendErrMsg) //append text
+	        errMsgField.text(errMsgField.text()+errMsg).show();  
+	    else  //reset text
+	        errMsgField.text(errMsg).show();  
+	    field.removeClass("select").addClass("error_select");	
+	}
+}
+
 function validateDropDownBox(label, field, errMsgField, appendErrMsg) {  
     var isValid = true;
     var errMsg = "";   
@@ -1552,7 +1566,7 @@ function validateDropDownBox(label, field, errMsgField, appendErrMsg) {
 	    errMsg = label + " is a required value. ";	   
 		isValid = false;		
 	} 		
-	showError2(isValid, field, errMsgField, errMsg, appendErrMsg);	
+	showErrorInDropdown(isValid, field, errMsgField, errMsg, appendErrMsg);	
 	return isValid;
 }