diff --git a/ingress/Chart.yaml b/ingress/Chart.yaml
index a0f32c9e6..7daaeda29 100644
--- a/ingress/Chart.yaml
+++ b/ingress/Chart.yaml
@@ -15,7 +15,7 @@ apiVersion: v1
 appVersion: v0.42.0
 description: OpenStack-Helm Ingress Controller
 name: ingress
-version: 0.2.5
+version: 0.2.6
 home: https://github.com/kubernetes/ingress
 sources:
   - https://github.com/kubernetes/ingress
diff --git a/ingress/templates/service-ingress.yaml b/ingress/templates/service-ingress.yaml
index eab36d3e4..a87255150 100644
--- a/ingress/templates/service-ingress.yaml
+++ b/ingress/templates/service-ingress.yaml
@@ -27,6 +27,10 @@ metadata:
 spec:
 {{- if and .Values.network.host_namespace .Values.network.vip.manage }}
   clusterIP: None
+{{- end }}
+{{- if .Values.network.vip.assign_as_external_ip }}
+  externalIPs:
+    - {{ (.Values.network.vip.addr | split "/")._0 }}
 {{- end }}
   ports:
   - name: http
diff --git a/ingress/values.yaml b/ingress/values.yaml
index b70ec2a82..18003ba82 100644
--- a/ingress/values.yaml
+++ b/ingress/values.yaml
@@ -141,6 +141,9 @@ network:
     interface: ingress-vip
     addr: 172.18.0.1/32
     keepalived_router_id: 100
+    # Use .network.vip.addr as an external IP for the service
+    # Useful if the CNI or provider can set up routes, etc.
+    assign_as_external_ip: false
   ingress:
     annotations:
       # NOTE(portdirect): if left blank this is populated from
diff --git a/releasenotes/notes/ingress.yaml b/releasenotes/notes/ingress.yaml
index cd9cd50d3..277227dfa 100644
--- a/releasenotes/notes/ingress.yaml
+++ b/releasenotes/notes/ingress.yaml
@@ -9,4 +9,5 @@ ingress:
   - 0.2.3 Uplift ingress to 0.42.0
   - 0.2.4 Update htk requirements
   - 0.2.5 Migrate Ingress resources to networking.k8s.io/v1
+  - 0.2.6 Add option to assign VIP as externalIP
 ...