diff --git a/plugins/main/ipvlan/README.md b/plugins/main/ipvlan/README.md
index 988555ef..f0abc4f5 100644
--- a/plugins/main/ipvlan/README.md
+++ b/plugins/main/ipvlan/README.md
@@ -27,7 +27,7 @@ Because all ipvlan interfaces share the MAC address with the host interface, DHC
 
 * `name` (string, required): the name of the network.
 * `type` (string, required): "ipvlan".
-* `master` (string, required): name of the host interface to enslave.
+* `master` (string, required): name of the host interface to enslave or "ipam" to enslave an interface returned by ipam.
 * `mode` (string, optional): one of "l2", "l3". Defaults to "l2".
 * `mtu` (integer, optional): explicitly set MTU to the specified value. Defaults to the value chosen by the kernel.
 * `ipam` (dictionary, required): IPAM configuration to be used for this network.
@@ -38,3 +38,4 @@ Because all ipvlan interfaces share the MAC address with the host interface, DHC
 Therefore the container will not be able to reach the host via `ipvlan` interface.
 Be sure to also have container join a network that provides connectivity to the host (e.g. `ptp`).
 * A single master interface can not be enslaved by both `macvlan` and `ipvlan`.
+* For IP allocation schemes that cannot be interface agnostic, master can be set to `ipam`. In this configuration, the ipam plugin is required to return a single interface name for the ipvlan plugin to enslave.
diff --git a/plugins/main/ipvlan/ipvlan.go b/plugins/main/ipvlan/ipvlan.go
index 74a98863..73cd5a54 100644
--- a/plugins/main/ipvlan/ipvlan.go
+++ b/plugins/main/ipvlan/ipvlan.go
@@ -138,11 +138,6 @@ func cmdAdd(args *skel.CmdArgs) error {
 	}
 	defer netns.Close()
 
-	ipvlanInterface, err := createIpvlan(n, args.IfName, netns)
-	if err != nil {
-		return err
-	}
-
 	// run the IPAM plugin and get back the config to apply
 	r, err := ipam.ExecAdd(n.IPAM.Type, args.StdinData)
 	if err != nil {
@@ -157,6 +152,21 @@ func cmdAdd(args *skel.CmdArgs) error {
 	if len(result.IPs) == 0 {
 		return errors.New("IPAM plugin returned missing IP config")
 	}
+
+	if n.Master == "ipam" {
+		// Use an IPAM supplied master interface
+		if len(result.Interfaces) == 1 && result.Interfaces[0].Name != "" {
+			n.Master = result.Interfaces[0].Name
+		} else {
+			return errors.New("IPAM plugin returned missing master interface")
+		}
+	}
+
+	ipvlanInterface, err := createIpvlan(n, args.IfName, netns)
+	if err != nil {
+		return err
+	}
+
 	for _, ipc := range result.IPs {
 		// All addresses belong to the ipvlan interface
 		ipc.Interface = current.Int(0)
diff --git a/plugins/main/ipvlan/ipvlan_test.go b/plugins/main/ipvlan/ipvlan_test.go
index a2b92179..94ac3bf9 100644
--- a/plugins/main/ipvlan/ipvlan_test.go
+++ b/plugins/main/ipvlan/ipvlan_test.go
@@ -224,4 +224,40 @@ var _ = Describe("ipvlan Operations", func() {
 		})
 		Expect(err).NotTo(HaveOccurred())
 	})
+
+	It("errors if master should originate from ipam but an ipam interface is not returned", func() {
+		const IFNAME = "ipvl0"
+
+		conf := `{
+    "cniVersion": "0.3.1",
+    "name": "mynet",
+    "type": "ipvlan",
+    "master": "ipam",
+    "ipam": {
+        "type": "host-local",
+        "subnet": "10.1.2.0/24"
+    }
+}`
+		targetNs, err := ns.NewNS()
+		Expect(err).NotTo(HaveOccurred())
+		defer targetNs.Close()
+
+		args := &skel.CmdArgs{
+			ContainerID: "dummy",
+			Netns:       targetNs.Path(),
+			IfName:      IFNAME,
+			StdinData:   []byte(conf),
+		}
+
+		err = originalNS.Do(func(ns.NetNS) error {
+			defer GinkgoRecover()
+
+			_, _, err := testutils.CmdAddWithResult(targetNs.Path(), IFNAME, []byte(conf), func() error {
+				return cmdAdd(args)
+			})
+			Expect(err.Error()).To(Equal("IPAM plugin returned missing master interface"))
+			return nil
+		})
+		Expect(err).NotTo(HaveOccurred())
+	})
 })