diff --git a/nova/compute/api.py b/nova/compute/api.py
index 0013c8f39484..87f1d52c3c3b 100644
--- a/nova/compute/api.py
+++ b/nova/compute/api.py
@@ -1143,7 +1143,9 @@ class API(base.Base):
     @staticmethod
     def _volume_size(instance_type, bdm):
         size = bdm.get('volume_size')
-        if size is None and bdm.get('source_type') == 'blank':
+        # NOTE (ndipanov): inherit flavour size only for swap and ephemeral
+        if (size is None and bdm.get('source_type') == 'blank' and
+                bdm.get('destination_type') == 'local'):
             if bdm.get('guest_format') == 'swap':
                 size = instance_type.get('swap', 0)
             else:
@@ -1257,6 +1259,12 @@ class API(base.Base):
                     raise
                 except Exception:
                     raise exception.InvalidBDMSnapshot(id=snapshot_id)
+            elif (bdm.source_type == 'blank' and
+                    bdm.destination_type == 'volume' and
+                    not bdm.volume_size):
+                raise exception.InvalidBDM(message=_("Blank volumes "
+                    "(source: 'blank', dest: 'volume') need to have non-zero "
+                    "size"))
 
         ephemeral_size = sum(bdm.volume_size or 0
                 for bdm in all_mappings
diff --git a/nova/tests/unit/compute/test_compute.py b/nova/tests/unit/compute/test_compute.py
index f55c67469e57..4fbe2719e8d3 100644
--- a/nova/tests/unit/compute/test_compute.py
+++ b/nova/tests/unit/compute/test_compute.py
@@ -1034,6 +1034,25 @@ class ComputeVolumeTestCase(BaseTestCase):
                           self.context, instance, instance_type,
                           mappings_)
 
+        # blank device without a specified size fails
+        blank_no_size = [
+            fake_block_device.FakeDbBlockDeviceDict({
+                'device_name': '/dev/sda4',
+                'source_type': 'blank',
+                'destination_type': 'volume',
+                'boot_index': -1,
+                'volume_size': None,
+            }, anon=True)
+        ]
+        blank_no_size = block_device_obj.block_device_make_list_from_dicts(
+                self.context, blank_no_size)
+        mappings_ = mappings[:]
+        mappings_.objects.extend(blank_no_size)
+        self.assertRaises(exception.InvalidBDM,
+                          self.compute_api._validate_bdm,
+                          self.context, instance, instance_type,
+                          mappings_)
+
     def test_validate_bdm_media_service_exceptions(self):
         instance_type = {'swap': 1, 'ephemeral_gb': 1}
         all_mappings = [fake_block_device.FakeDbBlockDeviceDict({
@@ -8672,9 +8691,13 @@ class ComputeAPITestCase(BaseTestCase):
         swap_size = 3
         volume_size = 5
 
-        swap_bdm = {'source_type': 'blank', 'guest_format': 'swap'}
-        ephemeral_bdm = {'source_type': 'blank', 'guest_format': None}
-        volume_bdm = {'source_type': 'volume', 'volume_size': volume_size}
+        swap_bdm = {'source_type': 'blank', 'guest_format': 'swap',
+                    'destination_type': 'local'}
+        ephemeral_bdm = {'source_type': 'blank', 'guest_format': None,
+                         'destination_type': 'local'}
+        volume_bdm = {'source_type': 'volume', 'volume_size': volume_size,
+                      'destination_type': 'volume'}
+        blank_bdm = {'source_type': 'blank', 'destination_type': 'volume'}
 
         inst_type = {'ephemeral_gb': ephemeral_size, 'swap': swap_size}
         self.assertEqual(
@@ -8692,6 +8715,8 @@ class ComputeAPITestCase(BaseTestCase):
         self.assertEqual(
             self.compute_api._volume_size(inst_type, volume_bdm),
             volume_size)
+        self.assertIsNone(
+            self.compute_api._volume_size(inst_type, blank_bdm))
 
     def test_is_volume_backed_instance(self):
         ctxt = self.context