diff --git a/pkg/config/config.go b/pkg/config/config.go
index 361fbbba8..e15fa3829 100644
--- a/pkg/config/config.go
+++ b/pkg/config/config.go
@@ -86,43 +86,50 @@ func LoadConf(bytes []byte) (*sriovtypes.NetConf, error) {
 	}
 
 	if n.Vlan == nil {
-		vlan := 0
-		n.Vlan = &vlan
-	}
+		// validate non-nil value for vlan qos
+		if n.VlanQoS != nil {
+			return nil, fmt.Errorf("LoadConf(): vlan id must be configured to set vlan QoS to a non-nil value")
+		}
 
-	// validate vlan id range
-	if *n.Vlan < 0 || *n.Vlan > 4094 {
-		return nil, fmt.Errorf("LoadConf(): vlan id %d invalid: value must be in the range 0-4094", *n.Vlan)
-	}
+		// validate non-nil value for vlan proto
+		if n.VlanProto != nil {
+			return nil, fmt.Errorf("LoadConf(): vlan id must be configured to set vlan proto to a non-nil value")
+		}
+	} else {
+		// validate vlan id range
+		if *n.Vlan < 0 || *n.Vlan > 4094 {
+			return nil, fmt.Errorf("LoadConf(): vlan id %d invalid: value must be in the range 0-4094", *n.Vlan)
+		}
 
-	if n.VlanQoS == nil {
-		qos := 0
-		n.VlanQoS = &qos
-	}
+		if n.VlanQoS == nil {
+			qos := 0
+			n.VlanQoS = &qos
+		}
 
-	// validate that VLAN QoS is in the 0-7 range
-	if *n.VlanQoS < 0 || *n.VlanQoS > 7 {
-		return nil, fmt.Errorf("LoadConf(): vlan QoS PCP %d invalid: value must be in the range 0-7", *n.VlanQoS)
-	}
+		// validate that VLAN QoS is in the 0-7 range
+		if *n.VlanQoS < 0 || *n.VlanQoS > 7 {
+			return nil, fmt.Errorf("LoadConf(): vlan QoS PCP %d invalid: value must be in the range 0-7", *n.VlanQoS)
+		}
 
-	// validate non-zero value for vlan id if vlan qos is set to a non-zero value
-	if *n.VlanQoS != 0 && *n.Vlan == 0 {
-		return nil, fmt.Errorf("LoadConf(): non-zero vlan id must be configured to set vlan QoS to a non-zero value")
-	}
+		// validate non-zero value for vlan id if vlan qos is set to a non-zero value
+		if *n.VlanQoS != 0 && *n.Vlan == 0 {
+			return nil, fmt.Errorf("LoadConf(): non-zero vlan id must be configured to set vlan QoS to a non-zero value")
+		}
 
-	if n.VlanProto == nil {
-		proto := sriovtypes.Proto8021q
-		n.VlanProto = &proto
-	}
+		if n.VlanProto == nil {
+			proto := sriovtypes.Proto8021q
+			n.VlanProto = &proto
+		}
 
-	*n.VlanProto = strings.ToLower(*n.VlanProto)
-	if *n.VlanProto != sriovtypes.Proto8021ad && *n.VlanProto != sriovtypes.Proto8021q {
-		return nil, fmt.Errorf("LoadConf(): vlan Proto %s invalid: value must be '802.1Q' or '802.1ad'", *n.VlanProto)
-	}
+		*n.VlanProto = strings.ToLower(*n.VlanProto)
+		if *n.VlanProto != sriovtypes.Proto8021ad && *n.VlanProto != sriovtypes.Proto8021q {
+			return nil, fmt.Errorf("LoadConf(): vlan Proto %s invalid: value must be '802.1Q' or '802.1ad'", *n.VlanProto)
+		}
 
-	// validate non-zero value for vlan id if vlan proto is set to 802.1ad
-	if *n.VlanProto == sriovtypes.Proto8021ad && *n.Vlan == 0 {
-		return nil, fmt.Errorf("LoadConf(): non-zero vlan id must be configured to set vlan proto 802.1ad")
+		// validate non-zero value for vlan id if vlan proto is set to 802.1ad
+		if *n.VlanProto == sriovtypes.Proto8021ad && *n.Vlan == 0 {
+			return nil, fmt.Errorf("LoadConf(): non-zero vlan id must be configured to set vlan proto 802.1ad")
+		}
 	}
 
 	// validate that link state is one of supported values
diff --git a/pkg/sriov/sriov.go b/pkg/sriov/sriov.go
index f13887832..452257e1f 100644
--- a/pkg/sriov/sriov.go
+++ b/pkg/sriov/sriov.go
@@ -241,8 +241,10 @@ func (s *sriovManager) ApplyVFConfig(conf *sriovtypes.NetConf) error {
 		return fmt.Errorf("failed to lookup master %q: %v", conf.Master, err)
 	}
 	// 1. Set vlan
-	if err = s.nLink.LinkSetVfVlanQosProto(pfLink, conf.VFID, *conf.Vlan, *conf.VlanQoS, sriovtypes.VlanProtoInt[*conf.VlanProto]); err != nil {
-		return fmt.Errorf("failed to set vf %d vlan configuration - id %d, qos %d and proto %s: %v", conf.VFID, *conf.Vlan, *conf.VlanQoS, *conf.VlanProto, err)
+	if conf.Vlan != nil {
+		if err = s.nLink.LinkSetVfVlanQosProto(pfLink, conf.VFID, *conf.Vlan, *conf.VlanQoS, sriovtypes.VlanProtoInt[*conf.VlanProto]); err != nil {
+			return fmt.Errorf("failed to set vf %d vlan configuration - id %d, qos %d and proto %s: %v", conf.VFID, *conf.Vlan, *conf.VlanQoS, *conf.VlanProto, err)
+		}
 	}
 
 	// 2. Set mac address
@@ -345,8 +347,10 @@ func (s *sriovManager) ResetVFConfig(conf *sriovtypes.NetConf) error {
 		conf.OrigVfState.VlanProto = sriovtypes.VlanProtoInt[sriovtypes.Proto8021q]
 	}
 
-	if err = s.nLink.LinkSetVfVlanQosProto(pfLink, conf.VFID, conf.OrigVfState.Vlan, conf.OrigVfState.VlanQoS, conf.OrigVfState.VlanProto); err != nil {
-		return fmt.Errorf("failed to set vf %d vlan configuration - id %d, qos %d and proto %d: %v", conf.VFID, conf.OrigVfState.Vlan, conf.OrigVfState.VlanQoS, conf.OrigVfState.VlanProto, err)
+	if conf.Vlan != nil {
+		if err = s.nLink.LinkSetVfVlanQosProto(pfLink, conf.VFID, conf.OrigVfState.Vlan, conf.OrigVfState.VlanQoS, conf.OrigVfState.VlanProto); err != nil {
+			return fmt.Errorf("failed to set vf %d vlan configuration - id %d, qos %d and proto %d: %v", conf.VFID, conf.OrigVfState.Vlan, conf.OrigVfState.VlanQoS, conf.OrigVfState.VlanProto, err)
+		}
 	}
 
 	// Restore spoofchk
diff --git a/pkg/sriov/sriov_test.go b/pkg/sriov/sriov_test.go
index 3e0d11c57..a41ca5c36 100644
--- a/pkg/sriov/sriov_test.go
+++ b/pkg/sriov/sriov_test.go
@@ -358,7 +358,6 @@ var _ = Describe("Sriov", func() {
 			fakeLink := &utils.FakeLink{LinkAttrs: netlink.LinkAttrs{Index: 1000, Name: "dummylink"}}
 
 			mocked.On("LinkByName", netconf.Master).Return(fakeLink, nil)
-			mocked.On("LinkSetVfVlanQosProto", fakeLink, netconf.VFID, netconf.OrigVfState.Vlan, netconf.OrigVfState.VlanQoS, sriovtypes.VlanProtoInt[sriovtypes.Proto8021q]).Return(nil)
 			sm := sriovManager{nLink: mocked}
 			err := sm.ResetVFConfig(netconf)
 			Expect(err).NotTo(HaveOccurred())