diff --git a/api/src/com/cloud/network/Network.java b/api/src/com/cloud/network/Network.java
index f54154b926f..c77644de057 100644
--- a/api/src/com/cloud/network/Network.java
+++ b/api/src/com/cloud/network/Network.java
@@ -120,9 +120,6 @@ public interface Network extends ControlledEntity {
         public static final Provider ElasticLoadBalancerVm = new Provider("ElasticLoadBalancerVm", false);
         public static final Provider SecurityGroupProvider = new Provider("SecurityGroupProvider", false);
         public static final Provider None = new Provider("None", false);
-        
-        //the default provider
-        public static final Provider defaultProvider = VirtualRouter;
 
         private String name;
         private boolean isExternal;
diff --git a/server/src/com/cloud/api/ApiResponseHelper.java b/server/src/com/cloud/api/ApiResponseHelper.java
index fbb09528c93..e1104224985 100755
--- a/server/src/com/cloud/api/ApiResponseHelper.java
+++ b/server/src/com/cloud/api/ApiResponseHelper.java
@@ -2608,9 +2608,11 @@ public class ApiResponseHelper implements ResponseGenerator {
             svcRsp.setName(service.getName());
             List<ProviderResponse> providers = new ArrayList<ProviderResponse>();
             for (Provider provider : serviceProviderMap.get(service)) {
-                ProviderResponse providerRsp = new ProviderResponse();
-                providerRsp.setName(provider.getName());
-                providers.add(providerRsp);
+                if (provider != null) {
+                	ProviderResponse providerRsp = new ProviderResponse();
+                	providerRsp.setName(provider.getName());
+                    providers.add(providerRsp);
+                }
             }
             svcRsp.setProviders(providers);
 
diff --git a/server/src/com/cloud/configuration/ConfigurationManagerImpl.java b/server/src/com/cloud/configuration/ConfigurationManagerImpl.java
index b1071c1887f..ed55d59d753 100755
--- a/server/src/com/cloud/configuration/ConfigurationManagerImpl.java
+++ b/server/src/com/cloud/configuration/ConfigurationManagerImpl.java
@@ -2950,7 +2950,6 @@ public class ConfigurationManagerImpl implements ConfigurationManager, Configura
         // configure service provider map
         Map<Network.Service, Set<Network.Provider>> serviceProviderMap = new HashMap<Network.Service, Set<Network.Provider>>();
         Set<Network.Provider> defaultProviders = new HashSet<Network.Provider>();
-        defaultProviders.add(Network.Provider.defaultProvider);
         
         //populate the services first
         for (String serviceName : cmd.getSupportedServices()) {
@@ -2993,8 +2992,7 @@ public class ConfigurationManagerImpl implements ConfigurationManager, Configura
                     }
                     for (String prvNameStr : svcPrv.get(serviceStr)) {
                         // check if provider is supported
-                        Network.Provider provider;
-                        provider = Network.Provider.getProvider(prvNameStr);
+                        Network.Provider provider = Network.Provider.getProvider(prvNameStr);
                         if (provider == null) {
                             throw new InvalidParameterValueException("Invalid service provider: " + prvNameStr);
                         }
@@ -3155,11 +3153,18 @@ public class ConfigurationManagerImpl implements ConfigurationManager, Configura
         // populate services and providers
         if (serviceProviderMap != null) {
             for (Network.Service service : serviceProviderMap.keySet()) {
-                for (Network.Provider provider : serviceProviderMap.get(service)) {
-                    NetworkOfferingServiceMapVO offService = new NetworkOfferingServiceMapVO(offering.getId(), service, provider);
+            	Set<Provider> providers = serviceProviderMap.get(service);
+            	if (providers != null && !providers.isEmpty()) {
+            		for (Network.Provider provider : providers) {
+                        NetworkOfferingServiceMapVO offService = new NetworkOfferingServiceMapVO(offering.getId(), service, provider);
+                        _ntwkOffServiceMapDao.persist(offService);
+                        s_logger.trace("Added service for the network offering: " + offService + " with provider " + provider.getName());
+                    }
+            	} else {
+                    NetworkOfferingServiceMapVO offService = new NetworkOfferingServiceMapVO(offering.getId(), service, null);
                     _ntwkOffServiceMapDao.persist(offService);
-                    s_logger.trace("Added service for the network offering: " + offService);
-                }
+                    s_logger.trace("Added service for the network offering: " + offService + " with null provider");
+            	}
             }
         }
 
diff --git a/server/src/com/cloud/network/NetworkManager.java b/server/src/com/cloud/network/NetworkManager.java
index 013f81d3f9b..ded421d67f0 100755
--- a/server/src/com/cloud/network/NetworkManager.java
+++ b/server/src/com/cloud/network/NetworkManager.java
@@ -276,4 +276,6 @@ public interface NetworkManager extends NetworkService {
 
 	void checkCapabilityForProvider(Set<Provider> providers, Service service,
 			Capability cap, String capValue);
+
+	Provider getDefaultUniqueProviderForService(String serviceName);
 }
diff --git a/server/src/com/cloud/network/NetworkManagerImpl.java b/server/src/com/cloud/network/NetworkManagerImpl.java
index 376484a2a58..fb625fa7e75 100755
--- a/server/src/com/cloud/network/NetworkManagerImpl.java
+++ b/server/src/com/cloud/network/NetworkManagerImpl.java
@@ -4640,6 +4640,19 @@ public class NetworkManagerImpl implements NetworkManager, NetworkService, Manag
 
         return new ArrayList<Provider>(supportedProviders);
     }
+    
+    @Override
+    public Provider getDefaultUniqueProviderForService(String serviceName) {
+    	List<? extends Provider> providers = listSupportedNetworkServiceProviders(serviceName);
+    	if (providers.isEmpty()) {
+    		throw new CloudRuntimeException("No providers supporting service " + serviceName + " found in cloudStack");
+    	}
+    	if (providers.size() > 1) {
+    		throw new CloudRuntimeException("More than 1 provider supporting service " + serviceName + " found in cloudStack");
+    	}
+    	
+    	return providers.get(0);
+    }
 
     @Override
     @DB
@@ -5568,6 +5581,10 @@ public class NetworkManagerImpl implements NetworkManager, NetworkService, Manag
 
             String service = serviceMap.getService();
             String provider = serviceMap.getProvider();
+            
+            if (provider == null) {
+            	provider = getDefaultUniqueProviderForService(service).getName();
+            }
 
             //check that provider is supported
             if (checkPhysicalNetwork) {
diff --git a/server/src/com/cloud/offerings/NetworkOfferingServiceMapVO.java b/server/src/com/cloud/offerings/NetworkOfferingServiceMapVO.java
index f53656cd90f..223b7202af4 100644
--- a/server/src/com/cloud/offerings/NetworkOfferingServiceMapVO.java
+++ b/server/src/com/cloud/offerings/NetworkOfferingServiceMapVO.java
@@ -77,7 +77,9 @@ public class NetworkOfferingServiceMapVO {
     public NetworkOfferingServiceMapVO(long networkOfferingId, Service service, Provider provider) {
         this.networkOfferingId = networkOfferingId;
         this.service = service.getName();
-        this.provider = provider.getName();
+        if (provider != null) {
+            this.provider = provider.getName();
+        }
     }
     
     public String toString() {