diff --git a/magnum/api/controllers/v1/nodegroup.py b/magnum/api/controllers/v1/nodegroup.py
index c6e9ed55a7..449a7db4d3 100644
--- a/magnum/api/controllers/v1/nodegroup.py
+++ b/magnum/api/controllers/v1/nodegroup.py
@@ -292,6 +292,10 @@ class NodeGroupController(base.Controller):
         policy.enforce(context, 'nodegroup:create', action='nodegroup:create')
 
         cluster = api_utils.get_resource('Cluster', cluster_id)
+        # Before we start, we need to check that the cluster has an
+        # api_address. If not, just fail.
+        if 'api_address' not in cluster or not cluster.api_address:
+            raise exception.ClusterAPIAddressUnavailable()
         cluster_ngs = [ng.name for ng in cluster.nodegroups]
         if nodegroup.name in cluster_ngs:
             raise exception.NodeGroupAlreadyExists(name=nodegroup.name,
diff --git a/magnum/common/exception.py b/magnum/common/exception.py
index f4a1a22024..d9467fc855 100755
--- a/magnum/common/exception.py
+++ b/magnum/common/exception.py
@@ -466,3 +466,7 @@ class NgOperationInProgress(Invalid):
 
 class InvalidClusterTemplateForUpgrade(Conflict):
     message = _("Cluster Template is not valid for upgrade: %(reason)s")
+
+
+class ClusterAPIAddressUnavailable(Conflict):
+    message = _("Cluster API address is not available yet")
diff --git a/magnum/tests/unit/api/controllers/v1/test_nodegroup.py b/magnum/tests/unit/api/controllers/v1/test_nodegroup.py
index 9e958ce8f9..cd460d6940 100644
--- a/magnum/tests/unit/api/controllers/v1/test_nodegroup.py
+++ b/magnum/tests/unit/api/controllers/v1/test_nodegroup.py
@@ -353,6 +353,16 @@ class TestPost(NodeGroupControllerTest):
         self.assertEqual('application/json', response.content_type)
         self.assertEqual(406, response.status_int)
 
+    def test_create_ng_cluster_no_api_address(self):
+        # Remove the api address from the cluster and make sure
+        # that the request is not accepted.
+        self.cluster.api_address = None
+        self.cluster.save()
+        ng_dict = apiutils.nodegroup_post_data()
+        response = self.post_json(self.url, ng_dict, expect_errors=True)
+        self.assertEqual('application/json', response.content_type)
+        self.assertEqual(409, response.status_int)
+
 
 class TestDelete(NodeGroupControllerTest):