diff --git a/nova/tests/unit/virt/test_hardware.py b/nova/tests/unit/virt/test_hardware.py
index 980b8703d2bf..23a3ff010d34 100644
--- a/nova/tests/unit/virt/test_hardware.py
+++ b/nova/tests/unit/virt/test_hardware.py
@@ -5836,6 +5836,7 @@ class VIFVirtioEnabledTest(test.NoDBTestCase):
         ('yes', True, True),
         # fail: mismatched image and flavor configuration
         ('no', True, exception.FlavorImageConflict),
+        ('yes', 'true', True),
     )
     def test_get_vif_virtio_constraint(
         self, flavor_policy, image_policy, expected,
diff --git a/nova/virt/hardware.py b/nova/virt/hardware.py
index 6e5681ea4e02..c8c1ea1d3f12 100644
--- a/nova/virt/hardware.py
+++ b/nova/virt/hardware.py
@@ -1982,15 +1982,19 @@ def get_packed_virtqueue_constraint(
         flavor_key = ':'.join(['hw', key_value])
         image_key = '_'.join(['hw', key_value])
         flavor_value_str = flavor.get('extra_specs', {}).get(flavor_key, None)
-        image_value = image_meta.get('properties', {}).get(image_key, None)
+        image_value_str = image_meta.get('properties', {}).get(image_key, None)
     else:
-        flavor_value_str, image_value = _get_flavor_image_meta(
+        flavor_value_str, image_value_str = _get_flavor_image_meta(
             key_value, flavor, image_meta)
 
     flavor_value = None
     if flavor_value_str is not None:
         flavor_value = strutils.bool_from_string(flavor_value_str)
 
+    image_value = None
+    if image_value_str is not None:
+        image_value = strutils.bool_from_string(image_value_str)
+
     if (
         image_value is not None and
         flavor_value is not None and