diff --git a/vmm/src/api/openapi/cloud-hypervisor.yaml b/vmm/src/api/openapi/cloud-hypervisor.yaml
index 3e1e57775..7c03b3691 100644
--- a/vmm/src/api/openapi/cloud-hypervisor.yaml
+++ b/vmm/src/api/openapi/cloud-hypervisor.yaml
@@ -279,18 +279,17 @@ components:
           default: false
 
     NetConfig:
-      required:
-      - ip
-      - mask
-      - mac
       type: object
       properties:
         tap:
           type: string
+          default: ""
         ip:
           type: string
+          default: "192.168.249.1"
         mask:
           type: string
+          default: "255.255.255.0"
         mac:
           type: string
         iommu:
diff --git a/vmm/src/config.rs b/vmm/src/config.rs
index 0ed5d90f4..a3e75226e 100644
--- a/vmm/src/config.rs
+++ b/vmm/src/config.rs
@@ -302,14 +302,34 @@ impl DiskConfig {
 
 #[derive(Clone, Debug, Deserialize, Serialize)]
 pub struct NetConfig {
+    #[serde(default = "default_netconfig_tap")]
     pub tap: Option<String>,
+    #[serde(default = "default_netconfig_ip")]
     pub ip: Ipv4Addr,
+    #[serde(default = "default_netconfig_mask")]
     pub mask: Ipv4Addr,
+    #[serde(default = "default_netconfig_mac")]
     pub mac: MacAddr,
     #[serde(default)]
     pub iommu: bool,
 }
 
+fn default_netconfig_tap() -> Option<String> {
+    None
+}
+
+fn default_netconfig_ip() -> Ipv4Addr {
+    Ipv4Addr::new(192, 168, 249, 1)
+}
+
+fn default_netconfig_mask() -> Ipv4Addr {
+    Ipv4Addr::new(255, 255, 255, 0)
+}
+
+fn default_netconfig_mac() -> MacAddr {
+    MacAddr::local_random()
+}
+
 impl NetConfig {
     pub fn parse(net: &str) -> Result<Self> {
         // Split the parameters based on the comma delimiter
@@ -335,10 +355,10 @@ impl NetConfig {
             }
         }
 
-        let mut tap: Option<String> = None;
-        let mut ip: Ipv4Addr = Ipv4Addr::new(192, 168, 249, 1);
-        let mut mask: Ipv4Addr = Ipv4Addr::new(255, 255, 255, 0);
-        let mut mac: MacAddr = MacAddr::local_random();
+        let mut tap: Option<String> = default_netconfig_tap();
+        let mut ip: Ipv4Addr = default_netconfig_ip();
+        let mut mask: Ipv4Addr = default_netconfig_mask();
+        let mut mac: MacAddr = default_netconfig_mac();
         let iommu = parse_on_off(iommu_str)?;
 
         if !tap_str.is_empty() {