diff --git a/lib/ansible/modules/cloud/vmware/vmware_guest.py b/lib/ansible/modules/cloud/vmware/vmware_guest.py
index 50e472282c..f57546ea66 100644
--- a/lib/ansible/modules/cloud/vmware/vmware_guest.py
+++ b/lib/ansible/modules/cloud/vmware/vmware_guest.py
@@ -313,6 +313,7 @@ instance:
     sample: None
 '''
 
+import re
 import time
 
 HAS_PYVMOMI = False
@@ -470,14 +471,29 @@ class PyVmomiDeviceHelper(object):
         nic.device.connectable.startConnected = True
         nic.device.connectable.allowGuestControl = True
         nic.device.connectable.connected = True
-        if 'mac' in device_infos:
-            nic.device.addressType = 'assigned'
+        if 'mac' in device_infos and self.is_valid_mac_addr(device_infos['mac']):
+            nic.device.addressType = 'manual'
             nic.device.macAddress = device_infos['mac']
         else:
             nic.device.addressType = 'generated'
 
         return nic
 
+    @staticmethod
+    def is_valid_mac_addr(mac_addr):
+        """
+        Function to validate MAC address for given string
+        Args:
+            mac_addr: string to validate as MAC address
+
+        Returns: (Boolean) True if string is valid MAC address, otherwise False
+        """
+        ret = False
+        mac_addr_regex = re.compile('[0-9a-f]{2}([-:])[0-9a-f]{2}(\\1[0-9a-f]{2}){4}$')
+        if mac_addr_regex.match(mac_addr):
+            ret = True
+        return ret
+
 
 class PyVmomiCache(object):
     """ This class caches references to objects which are requested multiples times but not modified """
diff --git a/test/integration/targets/vmware_guest/tasks/mac_address_d1_c1_f0.yml b/test/integration/targets/vmware_guest/tasks/mac_address_d1_c1_f0.yml
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..5385cb9033
--- /dev/null
+++ b/test/integration/targets/vmware_guest/tasks/mac_address_d1_c1_f0.yml
@@ -0,0 +1,61 @@
+# Test code for the vmware_guest module.
+# Copyright: (c) 2017, Abhijeet Kasurde <akasurde@redhat.com>
+# GNU General Public License v3.0+ (see COPYING or https://www.gnu.org/licenses/gpl-3.0.txt)
+
+- name: Wait for Flask controller to come up online
+  wait_for:
+    host: "{{ vcsim }}"
+    port: 5000
+    state: started
+
+- name: kill vcsim
+  uri:
+    url: http://{{ vcsim }}:5000/killall
+- name: start vcsim with no folders
+  uri:
+    url: http://{{ vcsim }}:5000/spawn?datacenter=1&cluster=1&folder=0
+  register: vcsim_instance
+
+- name: Wait for Flask controller to come up online
+  wait_for:
+    host: "{{ vcsim }}"
+    port: 443
+    state: started
+
+- debug: var=vcsim_instance
+
+- name: create new VMs with manual MAC address
+  vmware_guest:
+    validate_certs: False
+    hostname: "{{ vcsim }}"
+    username: "{{ vcsim_instance['json']['username'] }}"
+    password: "{{ vcsim_instance['json']['password'] }}"
+    name: "{{ item | basename }}"
+    guest_id: centos64Guest
+    datacenter: "{{ (item|basename).split('_')[0] }}"
+    hardware:
+        num_cpus: 1
+        memory_mb: 512
+    disk:
+        - size: 0gb
+          type: thin
+          autoselect_datastore: True
+    networks:
+        - name: VM Network
+          ip: 192.168.10.12
+          netmask: 255.255.255.0
+          gateway: 192.168.10.254
+          mac: aa:bb:cc:dd:aa:42
+    state: poweredoff
+    folder: "{{ item | dirname }}"
+  with_items:
+    - "/DC0/vm/DC0_H0_VM12"
+  register: clone_d1_c1_f0
+
+- debug: var=clone_d1_c1_f0
+
+- name: assert that changes were made
+  assert:
+    that:
+        - "clone_d1_c1_f0.results[0]['instance']['hw_eth0']['addresstype'] == 'manual'"
+        - "clone_d1_c1_f0.results[0]['instance']['hw_eth0']['macaddress'] == 'aa:bb:cc:dd:aa:42'"
diff --git a/test/integration/targets/vmware_guest/tasks/main.yml b/test/integration/targets/vmware_guest/tasks/main.yml
index 81b987a535..5f3811a9a7 100644
--- a/test/integration/targets/vmware_guest/tasks/main.yml
+++ b/test/integration/targets/vmware_guest/tasks/main.yml
@@ -20,3 +20,4 @@
 - include: cdrom_d1_c1_f0.yml
 - include: create_rp_d1_c1_f0.yml
 - include: create_guest_invalid_d1_c1_f0.yml
+- include: mac_address_d1_c1_f0.yml