diff --git a/nova/tests/unit/virt/vmwareapi/test_network_util.py b/nova/tests/unit/virt/vmwareapi/test_network_util.py
index 76680c22a0..9d6533ebfb 100644
--- a/nova/tests/unit/virt/vmwareapi/test_network_util.py
+++ b/nova/tests/unit/virt/vmwareapi/test_network_util.py
@@ -208,3 +208,16 @@ class GetVlanIdAndVswitchForPortgroupTestCase(test.NoDBTestCase):
         response = fake.DataObject()
         response.HostPortGroup = [port_group]
         return response
+
+
+class GetDVSNetworkNameTestCase(test.NoDBTestCase):
+
+    def test__get_name_from_dvs_name(self):
+        vxw = 'vxw-dvs-22-virtualwire-89-sid-5008-'
+        uuid = '2425c130-fd39-45a6-91d8-bf7ebe66b77c'
+        cases = [('name', 'name'),
+                 ('%sname' % vxw, 'name'),
+                 ('%s%s' % (vxw, uuid), uuid)]
+        for (dvsname, expected) in cases:
+            self.assertEqual(expected,
+                             network_util._get_name_from_dvs_name(dvsname))
diff --git a/nova/tests/unit/virt/vmwareapi/test_vif.py b/nova/tests/unit/virt/vmwareapi/test_vif.py
index 901fef2a5d..5aaed61e84 100644
--- a/nova/tests/unit/virt/vmwareapi/test_vif.py
+++ b/nova/tests/unit/virt/vmwareapi/test_vif.py
@@ -366,3 +366,22 @@ class VMwareVifTestCase(test.NoDBTestCase):
                 version_arg_found = True
                 break
         self.assertTrue(version_arg_found)
+
+    @mock.patch.object(network_util, 'get_network_with_the_name')
+    def test_get_neutron_network_dvs_provider(self, mock_network_name):
+        fake_network_obj = {'type': 'DistributedVirtualPortgroup',
+                            'dvpg': 'fake-key',
+                            'dvsw': 'fake-props'}
+        mock_network_name.side_effect = [None, fake_network_obj]
+        vif_info = network_model.NetworkInfo([
+                network_model.VIF(type=network_model.VIF_TYPE_DVS,
+                                  address='DE:AD:BE:EF:00:00',
+                                  network=self._network)]
+        )[0]
+        network_ref = vif._get_neutron_network('fake-session',
+                                               'fake-cluster',
+                                               vif_info)
+        calls = [mock.call('fake-session', 'fa0', 'fake-cluster'),
+                 mock.call('fake-session', 'fake', 'fake-cluster')]
+        mock_network_name.assert_has_calls(calls)
+        self.assertEqual(fake_network_obj, network_ref)
diff --git a/nova/virt/vmwareapi/network_util.py b/nova/virt/vmwareapi/network_util.py
index 3a00cd8c92..c3169a8b5e 100644
--- a/nova/virt/vmwareapi/network_util.py
+++ b/nova/virt/vmwareapi/network_util.py
@@ -17,6 +17,8 @@
 """
 Utility functions for ESX Networking.
 """
+import re
+
 from oslo_log import log as logging
 from oslo_vmware import exceptions as vexc
 from oslo_vmware import vim_util as vutil
@@ -28,6 +30,20 @@ from nova.virt.vmwareapi import vm_util
 
 LOG = logging.getLogger(__name__)
 
+# a virtual wire will have the following format:
+# vxw-<dvs-moref>-<virtualwire-moref>-<sid-moref>-<name>
+# Examples:
+# - vxw-dvs-22-virtualwire-89-sid-5008-NAME
+# - vxw-dvs-22-virtualwire-89-sid-5008-UUID
+VWIRE_REGEX = re.compile('vxw-dvs-(\d+)-virtualwire-(\d+)-sid-(\d+)-(.*)')
+
+
+def _get_name_from_dvs_name(dvs_name):
+    vwire = VWIRE_REGEX.match(dvs_name)
+    if not vwire:
+        return dvs_name
+    return vwire.group(4)
+
 
 def _get_network_obj(session, network_objects, network_name):
     """Gets the network object for the requested network.
@@ -64,10 +80,8 @@ def _get_network_obj(session, network_objects, network_name):
                                                  "config")
                     # NOTE(asomya): This only works on ESXi if the port binding
                     # is set to ephemeral
-                    # For a VLAN the network name will be the UUID. For a VXLAN
-                    # network this will have a VXLAN prefix and then the
-                    # network name.
-                    if network_name in props.name:
+                    net_name = _get_name_from_dvs_name(props.name)
+                    if network_name in net_name:
                         network_obj['type'] = 'DistributedVirtualPortgroup'
                         network_obj['dvpg'] = props.key
                         dvs_props = session._call_method(vutil,
diff --git a/nova/virt/vmwareapi/vif.py b/nova/virt/vmwareapi/vif.py
index ebcf873de6..dce87bcb6e 100644
--- a/nova/virt/vmwareapi/vif.py
+++ b/nova/virt/vmwareapi/vif.py
@@ -138,6 +138,13 @@ def _get_neutron_network(session, cluster, vif):
             network_id = vif['network']['bridge']
         network_ref = network_util.get_network_with_the_name(
                 session, network_id, cluster)
+        if not network_ref:
+            # We may have a provider network for a portgroup. The portgroup
+            # will have the same name as the network 'label'. This is enforced
+            # when the provider network is created
+            network_id = vif['network']['label']
+            network_ref = network_util.get_network_with_the_name(
+                    session, network_id, cluster)
         if not network_ref:
             raise exception.NetworkNotFoundForBridge(bridge=network_id)
         if vif.get('details') and vif['details'].get('dvs_port_key'):