diff --git a/docs/formatnetwork.html.in b/docs/formatnetwork.html.in
index 49206dda19..a3a5ced3e1 100644
--- a/docs/formatnetwork.html.in
+++ b/docs/formatnetwork.html.in
@@ -33,7 +33,7 @@
     </p>
 
     <pre>
-      &lt;network&gt;
+      &lt;network ipv6='yes'&gt;
         &lt;name&gt;default&lt;/name&gt;
         &lt;uuid&gt;3e3fce45-4f53-4fa7-bb32-11f34168b82b&lt;/uuid&gt;
         ...</pre>
@@ -52,6 +52,12 @@
         The format must be RFC 4122 compliant, eg <code>3e3fce45-4f53-4fa7-bb32-11f34168b82b</code>.
         If omitted when defining/creating a new network, a random
         UUID is generated. <span class="since">Since 0.3.0</span></dd>
+      <dt><code>ipv6='yes'</code></dt>
+      <dd>The new, optional parameter <code>ipv6='yes'</code> enables
+        a network definition with no IPv6 gateway addresses specified
+        to have guest-to-guest communications.  For further information,
+        see the example below for the example with no gateway addresses.
+        <span class="since">Since 1.0.1</span></dd>
     </dl>
 
     <h3><a name="elementsConnect">Connectivity</a></h3>
@@ -773,5 +779,25 @@
         &lt;/forward&gt;
       &lt;/network&gt;</pre>
 
+    <h3><a name="examplesNoGateway">Network config with no gateway addresses</a></h3>
+
+    <p>
+    A valid network definition can contain no IPv4 or IPv6 addresses.  Such a definition
+    can be used for a "very private" or "very isolated" network since it will not be
+    possible to communicate with the virtualization host via this network.  However,
+    this virtual network interface can be used for communication between virtual guest
+    systems.  This works for IPv4 and <span class="since">(Since 1.0.1)</span> IPv6.
+    However, the new ipv6='yes' must be added for guest-to-guest IPv6
+    communication.
+    </p>
+
+    <pre>
+      &lt;network ipv6='yes'&gt;
+        &lt;name&gt;nogw&lt;/name&gt;
+        &lt;uuid&gt;7a3b7497-1ec7-8aef-6d5c-38dff9109e93&lt;/uuid&gt;
+        &lt;bridge name="virbr2" stp="on" delay="0" /&gt;
+        &lt;mac address='00:16:3E:5D:C7:9E'/&gt;
+      &lt;/network&gt;</pre>
+
   </body>
 </html>
diff --git a/docs/schemas/network.rng b/docs/schemas/network.rng
index 4abfd915dd..0d67f7f902 100644
--- a/docs/schemas/network.rng
+++ b/docs/schemas/network.rng
@@ -17,6 +17,16 @@
           <data type="unsignedInt"/>
         </attribute>
       </optional>
+      <!-- Enables IPv6 guest-to-guest communications on a network
+           with no gateways addresses specified -->
+      <optional>
+        <attribute name="ipv6">
+         <choice>
+          <value>yes</value>
+          <value>no</value>
+          </choice>
+         </attribute>
+       </optional>
       <interleave>
 
         <!-- The name of the network, used to refer to it through the API
diff --git a/src/conf/network_conf.c b/src/conf/network_conf.c
index 6ce2e638bb..8c77c50a8c 100644
--- a/src/conf/network_conf.c
+++ b/src/conf/network_conf.c
@@ -1226,6 +1226,7 @@ virNetworkDefParseXML(xmlXPathContextPtr ctxt)
     xmlNodePtr virtPortNode = NULL;
     xmlNodePtr forwardNode = NULL;
     int nIps, nPortGroups, nForwardIfs, nForwardPfs, nForwardAddrs;
+    char *ipv6nogwStr = NULL;
     char *forwardDev = NULL;
     char *forwardManaged = NULL;
     char *type = NULL;
@@ -1264,6 +1265,22 @@ virNetworkDefParseXML(xmlXPathContextPtr ctxt)
         def->uuid_specified = true;
     }
 
+    /* check if definitions with no IPv6 gateway addresses is to
+     * allow guest-to-guest communications.
+     */
+    ipv6nogwStr = virXPathString("string(./@ipv6)", ctxt);
+    if (ipv6nogwStr) {
+        if (STREQ(ipv6nogwStr, "yes")) {
+            def->ipv6nogw = true;
+        } else if (STRNEQ(ipv6nogwStr, "no")) {
+            virReportError(VIR_ERR_XML_ERROR,
+                           _("Invalid ipv6 setting '%s' in network '%s'"),
+                           ipv6nogwStr, def->name);
+            goto error;
+        }
+        VIR_FREE(ipv6nogwStr);
+    }
+
     /* Parse network domain information */
     def->domain = virXPathString("string(./domain[1]/@name)", ctxt);
 
@@ -1591,6 +1608,7 @@ virNetworkDefParseXML(xmlXPathContextPtr ctxt)
     VIR_FREE(portGroupNodes);
     VIR_FREE(forwardIfNodes);
     VIR_FREE(forwardPfNodes);
+    VIR_FREE(ipv6nogwStr);
     VIR_FREE(forwardDev);
     ctxt->node = save;
     return NULL;
@@ -1839,6 +1857,8 @@ char *virNetworkDefFormat(const virNetworkDefPtr def, unsigned int flags)
     if (!(flags & VIR_NETWORK_XML_INACTIVE) && (def->connections > 0)) {
         virBufferAsprintf(&buf, " connections='%d'", def->connections);
     }
+    if (def->ipv6nogw)
+        virBufferAddLit(&buf, " ipv6='yes'");
     virBufferAddLit(&buf, ">\n");
     virBufferAdjustIndent(&buf, 2);
     virBufferEscapeString(&buf, "<name>%s</name>\n", def->name);
diff --git a/src/conf/network_conf.h b/src/conf/network_conf.h
index 3e463047f8..949b3d280a 100644
--- a/src/conf/network_conf.h
+++ b/src/conf/network_conf.h
@@ -184,6 +184,11 @@ struct _virNetworkDef {
     virMacAddr mac; /* mac address of bridge device */
     bool mac_specified;
 
+    /* specified if ip6tables rules added
+     * when no ipv6 gateway addresses specified.
+     */
+    bool ipv6nogw;
+
     int forwardType;    /* One of virNetworkForwardType constants */
     int managed;        /* managed attribute for hostdev mode */
 
diff --git a/src/network/bridge_driver.c b/src/network/bridge_driver.c
index e8be00adb5..e8ea77f387 100644
--- a/src/network/bridge_driver.c
+++ b/src/network/bridge_driver.c
@@ -1593,14 +1593,22 @@ networkRemoveRoutingIptablesRules(struct network_driver *driver,
     }
 }
 
-/* Add all once/network rules required for IPv6 (if any IPv6 addresses are defined) */
+/* Add all once/network rules required for IPv6.
+
+ * If no IPv6 addresses are defined and <network ipv6='yes'> is
+ * specified, then allow IPv6 commuinications between guests connected
+ * to this network. If any IPv6 addresses are defined, then add all
+ * rules for regular operation (including inter-guest communication).
+ */
 static int
 networkAddGeneralIp6tablesRules(struct network_driver *driver,
                                virNetworkObjPtr network)
 {
 
-    if (!virNetworkDefGetIpByIndex(network->def, AF_INET6, 0))
+    if (!virNetworkDefGetIpByIndex(network->def, AF_INET6, 0) &&
+        !network->def->ipv6nogw) {
         return 0;
+    }
 
     /* Catch all rules to block forwarding to/from bridges */
 
@@ -1629,6 +1637,10 @@ networkAddGeneralIp6tablesRules(struct network_driver *driver,
         goto err3;
     }
 
+    /* if no IPv6 addresses are defined, we are done. */
+    if (!virNetworkDefGetIpByIndex(network->def, AF_INET6, 0))
+        return 0;
+
     /* allow DNS over IPv6 */
     if (iptablesAddTcpInput(driver->iptables, AF_INET6,
                             network->def->bridge, 53) < 0) {
@@ -1665,11 +1677,17 @@ static void
 networkRemoveGeneralIp6tablesRules(struct network_driver *driver,
                                   virNetworkObjPtr network)
 {
-    if (!virNetworkDefGetIpByIndex(network->def, AF_INET6, 0))
+    if (!virNetworkDefGetIpByIndex(network->def, AF_INET6, 0) &&
+                !network->def->ipv6nogw)
         return;
+    if (virNetworkDefGetIpByIndex(network->def, AF_INET6, 0)) {
+        iptablesRemoveUdpInput(driver->iptables, AF_INET6, network->def->bridge, 53);
+        iptablesRemoveTcpInput(driver->iptables, AF_INET6, network->def->bridge, 53);
+    }
 
-    iptablesRemoveUdpInput(driver->iptables, AF_INET6, network->def->bridge, 53);
-    iptablesRemoveTcpInput(driver->iptables, AF_INET6, network->def->bridge, 53);
+    /* the following rules are there if no IPv6 address has been defined
+     * but network->def->ipv6nogw == true
+     */
     iptablesRemoveForwardAllowCross(driver->iptables, AF_INET6, network->def->bridge);
     iptablesRemoveForwardRejectIn(driver->iptables, AF_INET6, network->def->bridge);
     iptablesRemoveForwardRejectOut(driver->iptables, AF_INET6, network->def->bridge);
diff --git a/tests/networkxml2xmlin/empty-allow-ipv6.xml b/tests/networkxml2xmlin/empty-allow-ipv6.xml
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..9d1e4e4462
--- /dev/null
+++ b/tests/networkxml2xmlin/empty-allow-ipv6.xml
@@ -0,0 +1,6 @@
+<network ipv6='yes'>
+  <name>empty</name>
+  <uuid>81ff0d90-c91e-6742-64da-4a736edb9a9c</uuid>
+  <bridge name='virbr7' />
+  <mac address='52:54:00:17:3F:47'/>
+</network>
diff --git a/tests/networkxml2xmlin/isolated-network.xml b/tests/networkxml2xmlin/isolated-network.xml
index 0d562ea202..5aa88c1274 100644
--- a/tests/networkxml2xmlin/isolated-network.xml
+++ b/tests/networkxml2xmlin/isolated-network.xml
@@ -1,4 +1,4 @@
-<network>
+<network ipv6='no'>
   <name>private</name>
   <uuid>81ff0d90-c91e-6742-64da-4a736edb9a9b</uuid>
   <bridge name="virbr2" />
diff --git a/tests/networkxml2xmlout/empty-allow-ipv6.xml b/tests/networkxml2xmlout/empty-allow-ipv6.xml
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..6ee55ad765
--- /dev/null
+++ b/tests/networkxml2xmlout/empty-allow-ipv6.xml
@@ -0,0 +1,6 @@
+<network ipv6='yes'>
+  <name>empty</name>
+  <uuid>81ff0d90-c91e-6742-64da-4a736edb9a9c</uuid>
+  <bridge name='virbr7' stp='on' delay='0' />
+  <mac address='52:54:00:17:3F:47'/>
+</network>
diff --git a/tests/networkxml2xmltest.c b/tests/networkxml2xmltest.c
index e57d190399..1cd74d1018 100644
--- a/tests/networkxml2xmltest.c
+++ b/tests/networkxml2xmltest.c
@@ -92,6 +92,7 @@ mymain(void)
     } while (0)
 #define DO_TEST(name) DO_TEST_FULL(name, 0)
 
+    DO_TEST("empty-allow-ipv6");
     DO_TEST("isolated-network");
     DO_TEST("routed-network");
     DO_TEST("nat-network");