diff --git a/neutron/extensions/allowedaddresspairs.py b/neutron/extensions/allowedaddresspairs.py
index 5189e4f3305..9b73a1542ab 100644
--- a/neutron/extensions/allowedaddresspairs.py
+++ b/neutron/extensions/allowedaddresspairs.py
@@ -49,9 +49,13 @@ class AllowedAddressPairExhausted(nexception.BadRequest):
 
 def _validate_allowed_address_pairs(address_pairs, valid_values=None):
     unique_check = {}
-    if len(address_pairs) > cfg.CONF.max_allowed_address_pair:
-        raise AllowedAddressPairExhausted(
-            quota=cfg.CONF.max_allowed_address_pair)
+    try:
+        if len(address_pairs) > cfg.CONF.max_allowed_address_pair:
+            raise AllowedAddressPairExhausted(
+                quota=cfg.CONF.max_allowed_address_pair)
+    except TypeError:
+        raise webob.exc.HTTPBadRequest(
+            _("Allowed address pairs must be a list."))
 
     for address_pair in address_pairs:
         # mac_address is optional, if not set we use the mac on the port
diff --git a/neutron/tests/unit/db/test_allowedaddresspairs_db.py b/neutron/tests/unit/db/test_allowedaddresspairs_db.py
index 2d3788a5b6e..af0ec336dc9 100644
--- a/neutron/tests/unit/db/test_allowedaddresspairs_db.py
+++ b/neutron/tests/unit/db/test_allowedaddresspairs_db.py
@@ -13,6 +13,8 @@
 # See the License for the specific language governing permissions and
 # limitations under the License.
 
+from oslo_config import cfg
+from webob import exc as web_exc
 
 from neutron.api.v2 import attributes as attr
 from neutron.db import allowedaddresspairs_db as addr_pair_db
@@ -23,7 +25,6 @@ from neutron.extensions import portsecurity as psec
 from neutron.extensions import securitygroup as secgroup
 from neutron import manager
 from neutron.tests.unit.db import test_db_base_plugin_v2
-from oslo_config import cfg
 
 
 DB_PLUGIN_KLASS = ('neutron.tests.unit.db.test_allowedaddresspairs_db.'
@@ -97,6 +98,16 @@ class AllowedAddressPairDBTestCase(AllowedAddressPairTestCase):
 
 class TestAllowedAddressPairs(AllowedAddressPairDBTestCase):
 
+    def test_create_port_allowed_address_pairs_bad_format(self):
+        with self.network() as net:
+            bad_values = [False, True, None, 1.1, 1]
+            for value in bad_values:
+                self._create_port(
+                    self.fmt, net['network']['id'],
+                    expected_res_status=web_exc.HTTPBadRequest.code,
+                    arg_list=(addr_pair.ADDRESS_PAIRS,),
+                    allowed_address_pairs=value)
+
     def test_create_port_allowed_address_pairs(self):
         with self.network() as net:
             address_pairs = [{'mac_address': '00:00:00:00:00:01',