diff --git a/server/src/com/cloud/offerings/dao/NetworkOfferingDao.java b/server/src/com/cloud/offerings/dao/NetworkOfferingDao.java
index 245f6e41bac..9195c621c59 100644
--- a/server/src/com/cloud/offerings/dao/NetworkOfferingDao.java
+++ b/server/src/com/cloud/offerings/dao/NetworkOfferingDao.java
@@ -5,6 +5,7 @@ package com.cloud.offerings.dao;
 
 import java.util.List;
 
+import com.cloud.offering.NetworkOffering.Availability;
 import com.cloud.offerings.NetworkOfferingVO;
 import com.cloud.utils.db.GenericDao;
 
@@ -35,4 +36,6 @@ public interface NetworkOfferingDao extends GenericDao<NetworkOfferingVO, Long>
     
     List<NetworkOfferingVO> listSystemNetworkOfferings();
     
+    List<NetworkOfferingVO> listByAvailability(Availability availability, boolean isSystem);
+    
 }
diff --git a/server/src/com/cloud/offerings/dao/NetworkOfferingDaoImpl.java b/server/src/com/cloud/offerings/dao/NetworkOfferingDaoImpl.java
index 63bbaaa630c..fe62f233ea1 100644
--- a/server/src/com/cloud/offerings/dao/NetworkOfferingDaoImpl.java
+++ b/server/src/com/cloud/offerings/dao/NetworkOfferingDaoImpl.java
@@ -11,6 +11,7 @@ import javax.persistence.EntityExistsException;
 
 import org.apache.log4j.Logger;
 
+import com.cloud.offering.NetworkOffering.Availability;
 import com.cloud.offerings.NetworkOfferingVO;
 import com.cloud.utils.db.DB;
 import com.cloud.utils.db.GenericDaoBase;
@@ -24,6 +25,7 @@ public class NetworkOfferingDaoImpl extends GenericDaoBase<NetworkOfferingVO, Lo
     
     final SearchBuilder<NetworkOfferingVO> NameSearch;
     final SearchBuilder<NetworkOfferingVO> SystemOfferingSearch;
+    final SearchBuilder<NetworkOfferingVO> AvailabilitySearch;
     
     protected NetworkOfferingDaoImpl() {
         super();
@@ -35,6 +37,11 @@ public class NetworkOfferingDaoImpl extends GenericDaoBase<NetworkOfferingVO, Lo
         SystemOfferingSearch = createSearchBuilder();
         SystemOfferingSearch.and("system", SystemOfferingSearch.entity().isSystemOnly(), SearchCriteria.Op.EQ);
         SystemOfferingSearch.done();
+        
+        AvailabilitySearch = createSearchBuilder();
+        AvailabilitySearch.and("availability", AvailabilitySearch.entity().getAvailability(), SearchCriteria.Op.EQ);
+        AvailabilitySearch.and("isSystem", AvailabilitySearch.entity().isSystemOnly(), SearchCriteria.Op.EQ);
+        AvailabilitySearch.done();
     }
     
     @Override
@@ -76,4 +83,12 @@ public class NetworkOfferingDaoImpl extends GenericDaoBase<NetworkOfferingVO, Lo
         sc.setParameters("system", true);
         return this.listIncludingRemovedBy(sc, null);
     }
+    
+    @Override
+    public List<NetworkOfferingVO> listByAvailability(Availability availability, boolean isSystem) {
+        SearchCriteria<NetworkOfferingVO> sc = AvailabilitySearch.create();
+        sc.setParameters("availability", availability);
+        sc.setParameters("isSystem", isSystem);
+        return listBy(sc, null);
+    }
 }
diff --git a/server/src/com/cloud/vm/UserVmManagerImpl.java b/server/src/com/cloud/vm/UserVmManagerImpl.java
index 8618b01d511..e95bc68a78f 100755
--- a/server/src/com/cloud/vm/UserVmManagerImpl.java
+++ b/server/src/com/cloud/vm/UserVmManagerImpl.java
@@ -37,14 +37,13 @@ import com.cloud.agent.api.Answer;
 import com.cloud.agent.api.AttachIsoCommand;
 import com.cloud.agent.api.AttachVolumeAnswer;
 import com.cloud.agent.api.AttachVolumeCommand;
-import com.cloud.agent.api.BackupSnapshotCommand;
 import com.cloud.agent.api.CreatePrivateTemplateFromSnapshotCommand;
 import com.cloud.agent.api.CreatePrivateTemplateFromVolumeCommand;
-import com.cloud.agent.api.UpgradeSnapshotCommand;
 import com.cloud.agent.api.GetVmStatsAnswer;
 import com.cloud.agent.api.GetVmStatsCommand;
 import com.cloud.agent.api.SnapshotCommand;
 import com.cloud.agent.api.StopAnswer;
+import com.cloud.agent.api.UpgradeSnapshotCommand;
 import com.cloud.agent.api.VmStatsEntry;
 import com.cloud.agent.api.storage.CreatePrivateTemplateAnswer;
 import com.cloud.agent.api.to.VolumeTO;
@@ -122,7 +121,9 @@ import com.cloud.network.router.VirtualNetworkApplianceManager;
 import com.cloud.network.rules.RulesManager;
 import com.cloud.network.security.SecurityGroupManager;
 import com.cloud.network.vpn.PasswordResetElement;
+import com.cloud.offering.NetworkOffering.Availability;
 import com.cloud.offering.ServiceOffering;
+import com.cloud.offerings.NetworkOfferingVO;
 import com.cloud.offerings.dao.NetworkOfferingDao;
 import com.cloud.server.Criteria;
 import com.cloud.service.ServiceOfferingVO;
@@ -131,7 +132,6 @@ import com.cloud.storage.DiskOfferingVO;
 import com.cloud.storage.GuestOSVO;
 import com.cloud.storage.SnapshotVO;
 import com.cloud.storage.Storage;
-import com.cloud.storage.VMTemplateZoneVO;
 import com.cloud.storage.Storage.ImageFormat;
 import com.cloud.storage.Storage.StoragePoolType;
 import com.cloud.storage.Storage.StorageResourceType;
@@ -142,6 +142,7 @@ import com.cloud.storage.StoragePoolVO;
 import com.cloud.storage.VMTemplateHostVO;
 import com.cloud.storage.VMTemplateStorageResourceAssoc.Status;
 import com.cloud.storage.VMTemplateVO;
+import com.cloud.storage.VMTemplateZoneVO;
 import com.cloud.storage.Volume;
 import com.cloud.storage.Volume.VolumeType;
 import com.cloud.storage.VolumeVO;
@@ -2005,6 +2006,16 @@ public class UserVmManagerImpl implements UserVmManager, UserVmService, Manager
             networkList.add(guestVirtualNetwork);
             
         } else {
+            
+            boolean requiredNetworkOfferingIsPresent = false;
+            List<NetworkOfferingVO> requiredOfferings = _networkOfferingDao.listByAvailability(Availability.Required, false);
+            Long requiredOfferingId = null;
+            
+            if (!requiredOfferings.isEmpty()) {
+                //in 2.2.x there can be only one required offering - default Virtual
+                requiredOfferingId = requiredOfferings.get(0).getId();
+            }
+            
             for (Long networkId : networkIdList) {         
                 NetworkVO network = _networkDao.findById(networkId);
                 if (network == null) {
@@ -2019,8 +2030,19 @@ public class UserVmManagerImpl implements UserVmManager, UserVmService, Manager
                     }
                 } 
                 
+                if (requiredOfferingId != null && network.getNetworkOfferingId() == requiredOfferingId.longValue()) {
+                    requiredNetworkOfferingIsPresent = true;
+                }
+                
                 networkList.add(network);
             }
+            
+            //If default Virtual network offering is Required, it has to be specified in the network list
+            if (requiredOfferingId != null && !requiredNetworkOfferingIsPresent) {
+                throw new InvalidParameterValueException("Network created from the network offering id=" + requiredOfferingId + " is required; change network offering availability to be Optional to relax this requirement");
+            }
+          
+            
         }
         
         return createVirtualMachine(zone, serviceOffering, template, hostName, displayName, caller, diskOfferingId,