diff --git a/ironic_inspector/plugins/standard.py b/ironic_inspector/plugins/standard.py
index 37089e77d..33b47eafc 100644
--- a/ironic_inspector/plugins/standard.py
+++ b/ironic_inspector/plugins/standard.py
@@ -222,9 +222,9 @@ class ValidateInterfacesHook(base.ProcessingHook):
         """Validate information about network interfaces."""
 
         bmc_address = utils.get_ipmi_address_from_data(introspection_data)
-        if bmc_address:
-            introspection_data['ipmi_address'] = bmc_address
-        else:
+        # Overwrite the old ipmi_address field to avoid inconsistency
+        introspection_data['ipmi_address'] = bmc_address
+        if not bmc_address:
             LOG.debug('No BMC address provided in introspection data, '
                       'assuming virtual environment', data=introspection_data)
 
diff --git a/ironic_inspector/process.py b/ironic_inspector/process.py
index 068070d57..f68b72115 100644
--- a/ironic_inspector/process.py
+++ b/ironic_inspector/process.py
@@ -83,7 +83,7 @@ def _store_logs(introspection_data, node_info):
 def _find_node_info(introspection_data, failures):
     try:
         return node_cache.find_node(
-            bmc_address=introspection_data.get('ipmi_address'),
+            bmc_address=utils.get_ipmi_address_from_data(introspection_data),
             mac=utils.get_valid_macs(introspection_data))
     except utils.NotFoundInCacheError as exc:
         not_found_hook = plugins_base.node_not_found_hook_manager()
diff --git a/ironic_inspector/test/unit/test_process.py b/ironic_inspector/test/unit/test_process.py
index 09027b668..b983a7640 100644
--- a/ironic_inspector/test/unit/test_process.py
+++ b/ironic_inspector/test/unit/test_process.py
@@ -112,6 +112,18 @@ class TestProcess(BaseProcessTest):
         self.process_mock.assert_called_once_with(self.node_info, self.node,
                                                   self.data)
 
+    def test_ipmi_not_detected_with_old_field(self):
+        self.inventory['bmc_address'] = '0.0.0.0'
+        self.data['ipmi_address'] = '0.0.0.0'
+        process.process(self.data)
+
+        self.find_mock.assert_called_once_with(bmc_address=None, mac=mock.ANY)
+        actual_macs = self.find_mock.call_args[1]['mac']
+        self.assertEqual(sorted(self.all_macs), sorted(actual_macs))
+        self.cli.node.get.assert_called_once_with(self.uuid)
+        self.process_mock.assert_called_once_with(self.node_info, self.node,
+                                                  self.data)
+
     def test_not_found_in_cache(self):
         self.find_mock.side_effect = utils.Error('not found')
         self.assertRaisesRegex(utils.Error,
diff --git a/releasenotes/notes/empty-ipmi-address-2-4d57c34aec7d14e2.yaml b/releasenotes/notes/empty-ipmi-address-2-4d57c34aec7d14e2.yaml
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..6588769ef
--- /dev/null
+++ b/releasenotes/notes/empty-ipmi-address-2-4d57c34aec7d14e2.yaml
@@ -0,0 +1,8 @@
+---
+fixes:
+  - |
+    The older ``ipmi_address`` field in the introspection data no longer has
+    priority over the newer ``bmc_address`` inventory field during lookup.
+    This fixes lookup based on MAC addresses, when the BMC address is reported
+    as ``0.0.0.0`` for any reason (see `bug 1714944
+    <https://bugs.launchpad.net/ironic-python-agent/+bug/1714944>`_).