diff --git a/nova/db/main/api.py b/nova/db/main/api.py
index d7ad3c39a5..90452631d9 100644
--- a/nova/db/main/api.py
+++ b/nova/db/main/api.py
@@ -1061,9 +1061,9 @@ def _virtual_interface_query(context):
 
 @require_context
 @pick_context_manager_writer
-def virtual_interface_update(context, address, values):
+def virtual_interface_update(context, vif_uuid, values):
     """Create a virtual interface record in the database."""
-    vif_ref = virtual_interface_get_by_address(context, address)
+    vif_ref = virtual_interface_get_by_uuid(context, vif_uuid)
     vif_ref.update(values)
     vif_ref.save(context.session)
     return vif_ref
diff --git a/nova/objects/virtual_interface.py b/nova/objects/virtual_interface.py
index d553c448b4..eac3ea84ac 100644
--- a/nova/objects/virtual_interface.py
+++ b/nova/objects/virtual_interface.py
@@ -110,7 +110,7 @@ class VirtualInterface(base.NovaPersistentObject, base.NovaObject):
             raise exception.ObjectActionError(action='save',
                                               reason='address is not mutable')
         db_vif = main_db_api.virtual_interface_update(
-            self._context, self.address, updates)
+            self._context, self.uuid, updates)
         return self._from_db_object(self._context, self, db_vif)
 
     @base.remotable_classmethod
diff --git a/nova/tests/unit/db/main/test_api.py b/nova/tests/unit/db/main/test_api.py
index d8dcd5734c..c544952506 100644
--- a/nova/tests/unit/db/main/test_api.py
+++ b/nova/tests/unit/db/main/test_api.py
@@ -5036,10 +5036,10 @@ class VirtualInterfaceTestCase(test.TestCase, ModelsObjectComparatorMixin):
                    'tag': 'bar',
                    'deleted': 0}
         ignored_keys = ['created_at', 'id', 'deleted_at', 'updated_at']
-        vif_addr = db.virtual_interface_create(self.ctxt, create)['address']
-        db.virtual_interface_update(self.ctxt, vif_addr, update)
-        updated_vif = db.virtual_interface_get_by_address(self.ctxt,
-                                                          updated['address'])
+        vif_uuid = db.virtual_interface_create(self.ctxt, create)['uuid']
+        db.virtual_interface_update(self.ctxt, vif_uuid, update)
+        updated_vif = db.virtual_interface_get_by_uuid(self.ctxt,
+                                                       updated['uuid'])
         self._assertEqualObjects(updated, updated_vif, ignored_keys)
 
 
diff --git a/nova/tests/unit/objects/test_virtual_interface.py b/nova/tests/unit/objects/test_virtual_interface.py
index a806668c6b..9deaefdfa4 100644
--- a/nova/tests/unit/objects/test_virtual_interface.py
+++ b/nova/tests/unit/objects/test_virtual_interface.py
@@ -108,7 +108,7 @@ class _TestVirtualInterface(object):
         vif.address = '00:00:00:00:00:00'
         vif.network_id = 123
         vif.instance_uuid = uuids.instance_uuid
-        vif.uuid = uuids.vif_uuid
+        vif.uuid = '4c461286-ff41-4e8c-a592-6afdc8f345fd'
         vif.tag = 'foo'
         vif.create()
 
@@ -116,8 +116,9 @@ class _TestVirtualInterface(object):
             update.return_value = fake_vif
             vif.tag = 'bar'
             vif.save()
-            update.assert_called_once_with(self.context, '00:00:00:00:00:00',
-                                          {'tag': 'bar'})
+            update.assert_called_once_with(self.context,
+                                        '4c461286-ff41-4e8c-a592-6afdc8f345fd',
+                                           {'tag': 'bar'})
 
     def test_delete_by_instance_uuid(self):
         with mock.patch.object(db,