diff --git a/neutron/agent/linux/interface.py b/neutron/agent/linux/interface.py
index 9207503e7ac..ebebb00d0a6 100644
--- a/neutron/agent/linux/interface.py
+++ b/neutron/agent/linux/interface.py
@@ -25,6 +25,7 @@ from neutron.agent.linux import ip_lib
 from neutron.agent.linux import utils
 from neutron.common import constants as n_const
 from neutron.common import exceptions
+from neutron.common import ipv6_utils
 from neutron.i18n import _LE, _LI
 
 
@@ -51,6 +52,17 @@ class LinuxInterfaceDriver(object):
 
     def __init__(self, conf):
         self.conf = conf
+        if self.conf.network_device_mtu:
+            self._validate_network_device_mtu()
+
+    def _validate_network_device_mtu(self):
+        if (ipv6_utils.is_enabled() and
+            self.conf.network_device_mtu < n_const.IPV6_MIN_MTU):
+            LOG.error(_LE("IPv6 protocol requires a minimum MTU of "
+                          "%(min_mtu)s, while the configured value is "
+                          "%(current_mtu)s"), {'min_mtu': n_const.IPV6_MIN_MTU,
+                          'current_mtu': self.conf.network_device_mtu})
+            raise SystemExit(1)
 
     def init_l3(self, device_name, ip_cidrs, namespace=None,
                 preserve_ips=[], gateway_ips=None,
diff --git a/neutron/common/constants.py b/neutron/common/constants.py
index e9424b2378b..acea508f09b 100644
--- a/neutron/common/constants.py
+++ b/neutron/common/constants.py
@@ -190,6 +190,7 @@ RPC_NAMESPACE_RESOURCES = None
 
 # Default network MTU value when not configured
 DEFAULT_NETWORK_MTU = 0
+IPV6_MIN_MTU = 1280
 
 ROUTER_MARK_MASK = "0xffff"
 
diff --git a/neutron/tests/unit/agent/common/test_utils.py b/neutron/tests/unit/agent/common/test_utils.py
index 7c89b1e2b5e..a4cf6680204 100644
--- a/neutron/tests/unit/agent/common/test_utils.py
+++ b/neutron/tests/unit/agent/common/test_utils.py
@@ -27,6 +27,7 @@ class TestLoadInterfaceDriver(base.BaseTestCase):
     def setUp(self):
         super(TestLoadInterfaceDriver, self).setUp()
         self.conf = config.setup_conf()
+        self.conf.register_opts(interface.OPTS)
         config.register_interface_driver_opts_helper(self.conf)
 
     def test_load_interface_driver_not_set(self):
diff --git a/neutron/tests/unit/agent/linux/test_interface.py b/neutron/tests/unit/agent/linux/test_interface.py
index a46354a1a5c..3bd6b0ceb94 100644
--- a/neutron/tests/unit/agent/linux/test_interface.py
+++ b/neutron/tests/unit/agent/linux/test_interface.py
@@ -15,6 +15,7 @@
 
 import mock
 from oslo_utils import uuidutils
+import testtools
 
 from neutron.agent.common import config
 from neutron.agent.common import ovs_lib
@@ -335,6 +336,13 @@ class TestOVSInterfaceDriver(TestBase):
         self.conf.set_override('network_device_mtu', 9000)
         self.assertEqual(self.conf.network_device_mtu, 9000)
 
+    def test_validate_min_ipv6_mtu(self):
+        self.conf.set_override('network_device_mtu', 1200)
+        with mock.patch('neutron.common.ipv6_utils.is_enabled') as ipv6_status:
+            with testtools.ExpectedException(SystemExit):
+                ipv6_status.return_value = True
+                BaseChild(self.conf)
+
     def test_plug_mtu(self):
         self.conf.set_override('network_device_mtu', 9000)
         self._test_plug([mock.call().device().link.set_mtu(9000)])