diff --git a/server/src/com/cloud/network/guru/ExternalGuestNetworkGuru.java b/server/src/com/cloud/network/guru/ExternalGuestNetworkGuru.java
index d11f15493b0..e89dbc6f43d 100644
--- a/server/src/com/cloud/network/guru/ExternalGuestNetworkGuru.java
+++ b/server/src/com/cloud/network/guru/ExternalGuestNetworkGuru.java
@@ -259,7 +259,6 @@ public class ExternalGuestNetworkGuru extends GuestNetworkGuru {
             nic.setGateway(config.getGateway());
 
             if (nic.getIp4Address() == null) {
-
                 String guestIp = _networkMgr.acquireGuestIpAddress(config, null);
                 if (guestIp == null) {
                     throw new InsufficientVirtualNetworkCapcityException("Unable to acquire guest IP address for network " + config, DataCenter.class, dc.getId());
diff --git a/server/src/com/cloud/network/guru/GuestNetworkGuru.java b/server/src/com/cloud/network/guru/GuestNetworkGuru.java
index 995563d3b1f..50b89f3b1c1 100755
--- a/server/src/com/cloud/network/guru/GuestNetworkGuru.java
+++ b/server/src/com/cloud/network/guru/GuestNetworkGuru.java
@@ -58,6 +58,7 @@ import com.cloud.utils.component.AdapterBase;
 import com.cloud.utils.component.Inject;
 import com.cloud.utils.db.DB;
 import com.cloud.utils.db.Transaction;
+import com.cloud.utils.exception.CloudRuntimeException;
 import com.cloud.utils.net.Ip4Address;
 import com.cloud.utils.net.NetUtils;
 import com.cloud.vm.Nic.ReservationStrategy;
@@ -136,11 +137,12 @@ public class GuestNetworkGuru extends AdapterBase implements NetworkGuru {
                 network.setGateway(userSpecified.getGateway());
             } else {
                 String guestNetworkCidr = dc.getGuestNetworkCidr();
-                // guest network cidr can be null for Basic zone
                 if (guestNetworkCidr != null) {
                     String[] cidrTuple = guestNetworkCidr.split("\\/");
                     network.setGateway(NetUtils.getIpRangeStartIpFromCidr(cidrTuple[0], Long.parseLong(cidrTuple[1])));
                     network.setCidr(guestNetworkCidr);
+                } else if (dc.getNetworkType() == NetworkType.Advanced) {
+                    throw new CloudRuntimeException("Can't design network " + network + "; guest CIDR is not configured per zone " + dc);
                 }
             }
 
@@ -150,6 +152,9 @@ public class GuestNetworkGuru extends AdapterBase implements NetworkGuru {
             }
         } else {
             String guestNetworkCidr = dc.getGuestNetworkCidr();
+            if (guestNetworkCidr == null && dc.getNetworkType() == NetworkType.Advanced) {
+                throw new CloudRuntimeException("Can't design network " + network + "; guest CIDR is not configured per zone " + dc);
+            }
             String[] cidrTuple = guestNetworkCidr.split("\\/");
             network.setGateway(NetUtils.getIpRangeStartIpFromCidr(cidrTuple[0], Long.parseLong(cidrTuple[1])));
             network.setCidr(guestNetworkCidr);