diff --git a/tripleo_common/tests/utils/test_config.py b/tripleo_common/tests/utils/test_config.py
index 8cc8a674d..dcd6b5e96 100644
--- a/tripleo_common/tests/utils/test_config.py
+++ b/tripleo_common/tests/utils/test_config.py
@@ -880,7 +880,8 @@ class TestConfig(base.TestCase):
         self.config = ooo_config.Config(heat)
         stack = mock.Mock()
         server_roles = dict(Controller='controller')
-        mock_get_network_config_data.return_value = dict(Controller='config')
+        mock_get_network_config_data.return_value = dict(
+            Controller='56f27b7a-7bb8-40bc-bfdb-a46f7f806b88')
         config_dir = '/tmp/tht'
         self.config.render_network_config(stack, config_dir, server_roles)
 
@@ -898,8 +899,9 @@ class TestConfig(base.TestCase):
         self.config = ooo_config.Config(heat)
         stack = mock.Mock()
         server_roles = dict(node1='Controller')
-        mock_get_network_config_data.return_value = dict(node1='config',
-                                                         node2='config')
+        mock_get_network_config_data.return_value = dict(
+            node1='56f27b7a-7bb8-40bc-bfdb-a46f7f806b88',
+            node2='56f27b7a-7bb8-40bc-bfdb-a46f7f806b88')
         config_dir = '/tmp/tht'
         self.config.render_network_config(stack, config_dir, server_roles)
         self.assertEqual(2, mock_open.call_count)
diff --git a/tripleo_common/utils/config.py b/tripleo_common/utils/config.py
index f0bdc09e0..a3883438e 100644
--- a/tripleo_common/utils/config.py
+++ b/tripleo_common/utils/config.py
@@ -23,6 +23,7 @@ import warnings
 import yaml
 
 import jinja2
+from oslo_utils import uuidutils
 
 from tripleo_common import constants
 from tripleo_common.utils.safe_import import git
@@ -222,6 +223,12 @@ class Config(object):
         network_config = self.get_network_config_data(stack)
         for server, config in network_config.items():
             if server in server_roles:
+                if config is None or not uuidutils.is_uuid_like(config):
+                    # config should be a valid heat resource id
+                    err_msg = ('Invalid network config for role %s. Please '
+                               'check the network config templates used.' %
+                               server_roles[server])
+                    raise ValueError(err_msg)
                 server_deployment_dir = os.path.join(
                     config_dir, server_roles[server], server)
                 self._mkdir(server_deployment_dir)