diff --git a/ironic/conductor/manager.py b/ironic/conductor/manager.py
index ce71cf2cc3..cea2afe12b 100644
--- a/ironic/conductor/manager.py
+++ b/ironic/conductor/manager.py
@@ -2335,13 +2335,16 @@ class ConductorManager(base_manager.BaseConductorManager):
         with task_manager.acquire(context, port.node_id,
                                   purpose='port deletion') as task:
             node = task.node
+            vif = task.driver.network.get_current_vif(task, port)
             if ((node.provision_state == states.ACTIVE or node.instance_uuid)
-                and not node.maintenance):
+                and not node.maintenance and vif):
                     msg = _("Cannot delete the port %(port)s as node "
                             "%(node)s is active or has "
-                            "instance UUID assigned")
+                            "instance UUID assigned or port is bound "
+                            "to vif %(vif)s")
                     raise exception.InvalidState(msg % {'node': node.uuid,
-                                                        'port': port.uuid})
+                                                        'port': port.uuid,
+                                                        'vif': vif})
             port.destroy()
             LOG.info('Successfully deleted port %(port)s. '
                      'The node associated with the port was %(node)s',
diff --git a/ironic/tests/unit/conductor/test_manager.py b/ironic/tests/unit/conductor/test_manager.py
index 3a101b5d7a..44a4c3e61c 100644
--- a/ironic/tests/unit/conductor/test_manager.py
+++ b/ironic/tests/unit/conductor/test_manager.py
@@ -8150,9 +8150,10 @@ class DestroyPortTestCase(mgr_utils.ServiceSetUpMixin, db_base.DbTestCase):
         node = obj_utils.create_test_node(self.context, driver='fake-hardware',
                                           instance_uuid=instance_uuid,
                                           provision_state='active')
-        port = obj_utils.create_test_port(self.context,
-                                          node_id=node.id,
-                                          extra={'vif_port_id': 'fake-id'})
+        port = obj_utils.create_test_port(
+            self.context,
+            node_id=node.id,
+            internal_info={'tenant_vif_port_id': 'foo'})
         exc = self.assertRaises(messaging.rpc.ExpectedException,
                                 self.service.destroy_port,
                                 self.context, port)
@@ -8172,18 +8173,44 @@ class DestroyPortTestCase(mgr_utils.ServiceSetUpMixin, db_base.DbTestCase):
                           self.dbapi.get_port_by_uuid,
                           port.uuid)
 
-    def test_destroy_port_with_instance_not_in_active(self):
+    def test_destroy_port_with_instance_not_in_active_port_unbound(self):
         instance_uuid = uuidutils.generate_uuid()
         node = obj_utils.create_test_node(self.context, driver='fake-hardware',
                                           instance_uuid=instance_uuid,
                                           provision_state='deploy failed')
         port = obj_utils.create_test_port(self.context,
                                           node_id=node.id)
+        self.service.destroy_port(self.context, port)
+        self.assertRaises(exception.PortNotFound,
+                          self.dbapi.get_port_by_uuid,
+                          port.uuid)
+
+    def test_destroy_port_with_instance_not_in_active_port_bound(self):
+        instance_uuid = uuidutils.generate_uuid()
+        node = obj_utils.create_test_node(self.context, driver='fake-hardware',
+                                          instance_uuid=instance_uuid,
+                                          provision_state='deploy failed')
+        port = obj_utils.create_test_port(
+            self.context,
+            node_id=node.id,
+            internal_info={'tenant_vif_port_id': 'foo'})
         exc = self.assertRaises(messaging.rpc.ExpectedException,
                                 self.service.destroy_port,
                                 self.context, port)
         self.assertEqual(exception.InvalidState, exc.exc_info[0])
 
+    def test_destroy_port_node_active_port_unbound(self):
+        instance_uuid = uuidutils.generate_uuid()
+        node = obj_utils.create_test_node(self.context, driver='fake-hardware',
+                                          instance_uuid=instance_uuid,
+                                          provision_state='active')
+        port = obj_utils.create_test_port(self.context,
+                                          node_id=node.id)
+        self.service.destroy_port(self.context, port)
+        self.assertRaises(exception.PortNotFound,
+                          self.dbapi.get_port_by_uuid,
+                          port.uuid)
+
 
 @mgr_utils.mock_record_keepalive
 class DestroyPortgroupTestCase(mgr_utils.ServiceSetUpMixin,
diff --git a/releasenotes/notes/allow-deleting-unbound-ports-fa78069b52f099ac.yaml b/releasenotes/notes/allow-deleting-unbound-ports-fa78069b52f099ac.yaml
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..1d1bdd8b23
--- /dev/null
+++ b/releasenotes/notes/allow-deleting-unbound-ports-fa78069b52f099ac.yaml
@@ -0,0 +1,5 @@
+---
+fixes:
+  - |
+    Allows deleting unbound ports on an active node. See
+    https://storyboard.openstack.org/#!/story/2006385 for details.