diff --git a/nova/network/neutron.py b/nova/network/neutron.py
index e02da93b574d..9cf07d7f2c2a 100644
--- a/nova/network/neutron.py
+++ b/nova/network/neutron.py
@@ -2366,14 +2366,24 @@ class API:
                                            neutron_client=neutron)
                     if port.get('device_id', None):
                         raise exception.PortInUse(port_id=request.port_id)
+
                     deferred_ip = port.get('ip_allocation') == 'deferred'
+                    ipless_port = port.get('ip_allocation') == 'none'
                     # NOTE(carl_baldwin) A deferred IP port doesn't have an
                     # address here. If it fails to get one later when nova
                     # updates it with host info, Neutron will error which
                     # raises an exception.
-                    if not deferred_ip and not port.get('fixed_ips'):
+                    # NOTE(sbauza): We don't need to validate the
+                    # 'connectivity' attribute of the port's
+                    # 'binding:vif_details' to ensure it's 'l2', as Neutron
+                    # already verifies it.
+                    if (
+                        not (deferred_ip or ipless_port) and
+                        not port.get('fixed_ips')
+                    ):
                         raise exception.PortRequiresFixedIP(
                             port_id=request.port_id)
+
                     request.network_id = port['network_id']
                 else:
                     ports_needed_per_instance += 1
diff --git a/nova/tests/functional/test_ip_allocation.py b/nova/tests/functional/test_ip_allocation.py
new file mode 100644
index 000000000000..a899641abe64
--- /dev/null
+++ b/nova/tests/functional/test_ip_allocation.py
@@ -0,0 +1,53 @@
+# Licensed under the Apache License, Version 2.0 (the "License"); you may
+# not use this file except in compliance with the License. You may obtain
+# a copy of the License at
+#
+#     http://www.apache.org/licenses/LICENSE-2.0
+#
+# Unless required by applicable law or agreed to in writing, software
+# distributed under the License is distributed on an "AS IS" BASIS, WITHOUT
+# WARRANTIES OR CONDITIONS OF ANY KIND, either express or implied. See the
+# License for the specific language governing permissions and limitations
+# under the License.
+
+from nova.tests.functional import integrated_helpers
+
+
+class IPAllocationTests(integrated_helpers._IntegratedTestBase):
+    """Test behavior with various IP allocation policies.
+
+    This mainly exists to test the 'deferred' and 'none' policies.
+    """
+    compute_driver = 'fake.MediumFakeDriver'
+    microversion = 'latest'
+    ADMIN_API = True
+
+    def setUp(self):
+        super().setUp()
+
+        # add a port with an ip_allocation of 'none'
+        port = {
+            'name': '',
+            'description': '',
+            'network_id': self.neutron.network_1['id'],
+            'admin_state_up': True,
+            'status': 'ACTIVE',
+            'mac_address': 'ee:94:88:57:d5:7a',
+            # The ip_allocation is 'none', so fixed_ips should be null
+            'fixed_ips': [],
+            'tenant_id': self.neutron.tenant_id,
+            'project_id': self.neutron.tenant_id,
+            'device_id': '',
+            'binding:profile': {},
+            'binding:vnic_type': 'normal',
+            'binding:vif_type': 'ovs',
+            'binding:vif_details': {},
+            'ip_allocation': 'none',
+        }
+        created_port = self.neutron.create_port({'port': port})
+        self.port_id = created_port['port']['id']
+
+    def test_boot_with_none_policy(self):
+        """Create a port with the 'none' policy."""
+        self._create_server(
+            networks=[{'port': self.port_id}])
diff --git a/nova/tests/unit/network/test_neutron.py b/nova/tests/unit/network/test_neutron.py
index 5056b70c4ec8..6c6e6ca5ee91 100644
--- a/nova/tests/unit/network/test_neutron.py
+++ b/nova/tests/unit/network/test_neutron.py
@@ -3711,6 +3711,27 @@ class TestAPI(TestAPIBase):
         count = self.api.validate_networks(self.context, requested_networks, 1)
         self.assertEqual(1, count)
 
+    @mock.patch('nova.network.neutron.API._show_port')
+    def test_deferred_ip_port_none_allocation(self, mock_show):
+        """Test behavior when the 'none' IP allocation policy is used."""
+        port = {
+            'network_id': 'my_netid1',
+            'device_id': None,
+            'id': uuids.port,
+            'fixed_ips': [],  # no fixed ip
+            'ip_allocation': 'none',
+            'binding:vif_details': {
+                'connectivity': 'l2',
+            },
+        }
+
+        mock_show.return_value = port
+
+        requested_networks = objects.NetworkRequestList(
+            objects=[objects.NetworkRequest(port_id=port['id'])])
+        count = self.api.validate_networks(self.context, requested_networks, 1)
+        self.assertEqual(1, count)
+
     @mock.patch('oslo_concurrency.lockutils.lock')
     def test_get_instance_nw_info_locks_per_instance(self, mock_lock):
         instance = objects.Instance(uuid=uuids.fake)
diff --git a/releasenotes/notes/bp-boot-vm-with-unaddressed-port-4cb05bb6dc859d98.yaml b/releasenotes/notes/bp-boot-vm-with-unaddressed-port-4cb05bb6dc859d98.yaml
new file mode 100644
index 000000000000..55c43ddd4c7b
--- /dev/null
+++ b/releasenotes/notes/bp-boot-vm-with-unaddressed-port-4cb05bb6dc859d98.yaml
@@ -0,0 +1,3 @@
+features:
+  - Nova now allows to create an instance with a non-deferred port that has
+    no fixed IP address if the network backend has level-2 connectivity.