diff --git a/rally/plugins/openstack/scenarios/neutron/utils.py b/rally/plugins/openstack/scenarios/neutron/utils.py
index e1af7092..e1f81215 100644
--- a/rally/plugins/openstack/scenarios/neutron/utils.py
+++ b/rally/plugins/openstack/scenarios/neutron/utils.py
@@ -283,7 +283,8 @@ class NeutronScenario(scenario.OpenStackScenario):
         :returns: Network dict
         """
         if "networks" in self.context["tenant"]:
-            return random.choice(self.context["tenant"]["networks"])
+            return {"network":
+                    random.choice(self.context["tenant"]["networks"])}
         else:
             LOG.warning(_("Running this scenario without either the 'network' "
                           "or 'existing_network' context is deprecated"))
diff --git a/tests/unit/plugins/openstack/scenarios/neutron/test_utils.py b/tests/unit/plugins/openstack/scenarios/neutron/test_utils.py
index 746020b1..a5eb36d4 100644
--- a/tests/unit/plugins/openstack/scenarios/neutron/test_utils.py
+++ b/tests/unit/plugins/openstack/scenarios/neutron/test_utils.py
@@ -437,12 +437,17 @@ class NeutronScenarioTestCase(test.ScenarioTestCase):
         if context is None:
             context = {"tenant": {}}
         scenario = utils.NeutronScenario(context=context)
-        scenario._create_network = mock.Mock()
+        scenario._create_network = mock.Mock(
+            return_value={"network": mock.Mock()})
 
         network = scenario._get_or_create_network(network_create_args)
 
+        # ensure that the return value is the proper type either way
+        self.assertIn("network", network)
+
         if "networks" in context["tenant"]:
-            self.assertEqual(network, context["tenant"]["networks"][0])
+            self.assertEqual(network,
+                             {"network": context["tenant"]["networks"][0]})
             self.assertFalse(scenario._create_network.called)
         else:
             self.assertEqual(network, scenario._create_network.return_value)