diff --git a/src/runtime/virtcontainers/acrn.go b/src/runtime/virtcontainers/acrn.go
index db0f6491a..d97cf2a0c 100644
--- a/src/runtime/virtcontainers/acrn.go
+++ b/src/runtime/virtcontainers/acrn.go
@@ -356,7 +356,7 @@ func (a *Acrn) setConfig(config *HypervisorConfig) error {
 }
 
 // CreateVM is the VM creation
-func (a *Acrn) CreateVM(ctx context.Context, id string, networkNS NetworkNamespace, hypervisorConfig *HypervisorConfig) error {
+func (a *Acrn) CreateVM(ctx context.Context, id string, network *Network, hypervisorConfig *HypervisorConfig) error {
 	// Save the tracing context
 	a.ctx = ctx
 
diff --git a/src/runtime/virtcontainers/acrn_test.go b/src/runtime/virtcontainers/acrn_test.go
index bb19b45a7..45d85fb4e 100644
--- a/src/runtime/virtcontainers/acrn_test.go
+++ b/src/runtime/virtcontainers/acrn_test.go
@@ -243,7 +243,9 @@ func TestAcrnCreateVM(t *testing.T) {
 	//set PID to 1 to ignore hypercall to get UUID and set a random UUID
 	a.state.PID = 1
 	a.state.UUID = "f81d4fae-7dec-11d0-a765-00a0c91e6bf6"
-	err = a.CreateVM(context.Background(), sandbox.id, NetworkNamespace{}, &sandbox.config.HypervisorConfig)
+	network, err := NewNetwork()
+	assert.NoError(err)
+	err = a.CreateVM(context.Background(), sandbox.id, network, &sandbox.config.HypervisorConfig)
 	assert.NoError(err)
 	assert.Exactly(acrnConfig, a.config)
 }
diff --git a/src/runtime/virtcontainers/clh.go b/src/runtime/virtcontainers/clh.go
index da6e73e3e..5b48ae56b 100644
--- a/src/runtime/virtcontainers/clh.go
+++ b/src/runtime/virtcontainers/clh.go
@@ -200,7 +200,7 @@ func (clh *cloudHypervisor) setConfig(config *HypervisorConfig) error {
 
 // For cloudHypervisor this call only sets the internal structure up.
 // The VM will be created and started through StartVM().
-func (clh *cloudHypervisor) CreateVM(ctx context.Context, id string, networkNS NetworkNamespace, hypervisorConfig *HypervisorConfig) error {
+func (clh *cloudHypervisor) CreateVM(ctx context.Context, id string, network *Network, hypervisorConfig *HypervisorConfig) error {
 	clh.ctx = ctx
 
 	span, newCtx := katatrace.Trace(clh.ctx, clh.Logger(), "CreateVM", clhTracingTags, map[string]string{"sandbox_id": clh.id})
diff --git a/src/runtime/virtcontainers/clh_test.go b/src/runtime/virtcontainers/clh_test.go
index f9452cbd3..d350dd9e9 100644
--- a/src/runtime/virtcontainers/clh_test.go
+++ b/src/runtime/virtcontainers/clh_test.go
@@ -243,6 +243,9 @@ func TestClhCreateVMWithInitrd(t *testing.T) {
 	clhConfig.VMStorePath = store.RunVMStoragePath()
 	clhConfig.RunStorePath = store.RunStoragePath()
 
+	network, err := NewNetwork()
+	assert.NoError(err)
+
 	clh := &cloudHypervisor{
 		config: clhConfig,
 	}
@@ -255,7 +258,7 @@ func TestClhCreateVMWithInitrd(t *testing.T) {
 		},
 	}
 
-	err = clh.CreateVM(context.Background(), sandbox.id, NetworkNamespace{}, &sandbox.config.HypervisorConfig)
+	err = clh.CreateVM(context.Background(), sandbox.id, network, &sandbox.config.HypervisorConfig)
 	assert.NoError(err)
 	assert.Exactly(clhConfig, clh.config)
 }
@@ -273,6 +276,9 @@ func TestClhCreateVM(t *testing.T) {
 	clhConfig.VMStorePath = store.RunVMStoragePath()
 	clhConfig.RunStorePath = store.RunStoragePath()
 
+	network, err := NewNetwork()
+	assert.NoError(err)
+
 	clh := &cloudHypervisor{
 		config: clhConfig,
 	}
@@ -285,7 +291,7 @@ func TestClhCreateVM(t *testing.T) {
 		},
 	}
 
-	err = clh.CreateVM(context.Background(), sandbox.id, NetworkNamespace{}, &sandbox.config.HypervisorConfig)
+	err = clh.CreateVM(context.Background(), sandbox.id, network, &sandbox.config.HypervisorConfig)
 	assert.NoError(err)
 	assert.Exactly(clhConfig, clh.config)
 }
diff --git a/src/runtime/virtcontainers/fc.go b/src/runtime/virtcontainers/fc.go
index 66afb513d..f121132db 100644
--- a/src/runtime/virtcontainers/fc.go
+++ b/src/runtime/virtcontainers/fc.go
@@ -199,7 +199,7 @@ func (fc *firecracker) setConfig(config *HypervisorConfig) error {
 
 // CreateVM For firecracker this call only sets the internal structure up.
 // The sandbox will be created and started through startSandbox().
-func (fc *firecracker) CreateVM(ctx context.Context, id string, networkNS NetworkNamespace, hypervisorConfig *HypervisorConfig) error {
+func (fc *firecracker) CreateVM(ctx context.Context, id string, network *Network, hypervisorConfig *HypervisorConfig) error {
 	fc.ctx = ctx
 
 	span, _ := katatrace.Trace(ctx, fc.Logger(), "CreateVM", fcTracingTags, map[string]string{"sandbox_id": fc.id})
@@ -217,7 +217,7 @@ func (fc *firecracker) CreateVM(ctx context.Context, id string, networkNS Networ
 	fc.setPaths(&fc.config)
 
 	// So we need to repopulate this at StartVM where it is valid
-	fc.netNSPath = networkNS.NetNsPath
+	fc.netNSPath = network.NetNSPath
 
 	// Till we create lower privileged kata user run as root
 	// https://github.com/kata-containers/runtime/issues/1869
diff --git a/src/runtime/virtcontainers/hypervisor.go b/src/runtime/virtcontainers/hypervisor.go
index 1a2b8025d..d16f82d8b 100644
--- a/src/runtime/virtcontainers/hypervisor.go
+++ b/src/runtime/virtcontainers/hypervisor.go
@@ -910,7 +910,7 @@ func generateVMSocket(id string, vmStogarePath string) (interface{}, error) {
 // hypervisor is the virtcontainers hypervisor interface.
 // The default hypervisor implementation is Qemu.
 type Hypervisor interface {
-	CreateVM(ctx context.Context, id string, networkNS NetworkNamespace, hypervisorConfig *HypervisorConfig) error
+	CreateVM(ctx context.Context, id string, network *Network, hypervisorConfig *HypervisorConfig) error
 	StartVM(ctx context.Context, timeout int) error
 
 	// If wait is set, don't actively stop the sandbox:
diff --git a/src/runtime/virtcontainers/mock_hypervisor.go b/src/runtime/virtcontainers/mock_hypervisor.go
index 111707fd9..635cbbe1d 100644
--- a/src/runtime/virtcontainers/mock_hypervisor.go
+++ b/src/runtime/virtcontainers/mock_hypervisor.go
@@ -38,7 +38,7 @@ func (m *mockHypervisor) setConfig(config *HypervisorConfig) error {
 	return nil
 }
 
-func (m *mockHypervisor) CreateVM(ctx context.Context, id string, networkNS NetworkNamespace, hypervisorConfig *HypervisorConfig) error {
+func (m *mockHypervisor) CreateVM(ctx context.Context, id string, network *Network, hypervisorConfig *HypervisorConfig) error {
 	if err := m.setConfig(hypervisorConfig); err != nil {
 		return err
 	}
diff --git a/src/runtime/virtcontainers/mock_hypervisor_test.go b/src/runtime/virtcontainers/mock_hypervisor_test.go
index ad52b5d92..5e89ae8a6 100644
--- a/src/runtime/virtcontainers/mock_hypervisor_test.go
+++ b/src/runtime/virtcontainers/mock_hypervisor_test.go
@@ -28,10 +28,13 @@ func TestMockHypervisorCreateVM(t *testing.T) {
 		},
 	}
 
+	network, err := NewNetwork()
+	assert.NoError(err)
+
 	ctx := context.Background()
 
 	// wrong config
-	err := m.CreateVM(ctx, sandbox.config.ID, NetworkNamespace{}, &sandbox.config.HypervisorConfig)
+	err = m.CreateVM(ctx, sandbox.config.ID, network, &sandbox.config.HypervisorConfig)
 	assert.Error(err)
 
 	sandbox.config.HypervisorConfig = HypervisorConfig{
@@ -40,7 +43,7 @@ func TestMockHypervisorCreateVM(t *testing.T) {
 		HypervisorPath: fmt.Sprintf("%s/%s", testDir, testHypervisor),
 	}
 
-	err = m.CreateVM(ctx, sandbox.config.ID, NetworkNamespace{}, &sandbox.config.HypervisorConfig)
+	err = m.CreateVM(ctx, sandbox.config.ID, network, &sandbox.config.HypervisorConfig)
 	assert.NoError(err)
 }
 
diff --git a/src/runtime/virtcontainers/network.go b/src/runtime/virtcontainers/network.go
index d2f7af072..1313e1bf8 100644
--- a/src/runtime/virtcontainers/network.go
+++ b/src/runtime/virtcontainers/network.go
@@ -196,7 +196,17 @@ type Network struct {
 	NetmonPID int
 }
 
-func NewNetwork(config *NetworkConfig) (*Network, error) {
+func NewNetwork(configs ...*NetworkConfig) (*Network, error) {
+	if len(configs) > 1 {
+		return nil, fmt.Errorf("Too many network configurations")
+	}
+
+	// Empty constructor
+	if len(configs) == 0 {
+		return &Network{}, nil
+	}
+
+	config := configs[0]
 	if config == nil {
 		return nil, fmt.Errorf("Missing network configuration")
 	}
diff --git a/src/runtime/virtcontainers/qemu.go b/src/runtime/virtcontainers/qemu.go
index 28b97dfba..9f5fdb295 100644
--- a/src/runtime/virtcontainers/qemu.go
+++ b/src/runtime/virtcontainers/qemu.go
@@ -468,7 +468,7 @@ func (q *qemu) setConfig(config *HypervisorConfig) error {
 }
 
 // CreateVM is the Hypervisor VM creation implementation for govmmQemu.
-func (q *qemu) CreateVM(ctx context.Context, id string, networkNS NetworkNamespace, hypervisorConfig *HypervisorConfig) error {
+func (q *qemu) CreateVM(ctx context.Context, id string, network *Network, hypervisorConfig *HypervisorConfig) error {
 	// Save the tracing context
 	q.ctx = ctx
 
diff --git a/src/runtime/virtcontainers/qemu_test.go b/src/runtime/virtcontainers/qemu_test.go
index 2add4a45c..ee1b6a253 100644
--- a/src/runtime/virtcontainers/qemu_test.go
+++ b/src/runtime/virtcontainers/qemu_test.go
@@ -99,7 +99,9 @@ func TestQemuCreateVM(t *testing.T) {
 	parentDir := filepath.Join(store.RunStoragePath(), sandbox.id)
 	assert.NoError(os.MkdirAll(parentDir, DirMode))
 
-	err = q.CreateVM(context.Background(), sandbox.id, NetworkNamespace{}, &sandbox.config.HypervisorConfig)
+	network, err := NewNetwork()
+	assert.NoError(err)
+	err = q.CreateVM(context.Background(), sandbox.id, network, &sandbox.config.HypervisorConfig)
 	assert.NoError(err)
 	assert.NoError(os.RemoveAll(parentDir))
 	assert.Exactly(qemuConfig, q.config)
@@ -134,7 +136,9 @@ func TestQemuCreateVMMissingParentDirFail(t *testing.T) {
 	parentDir := filepath.Join(store.RunStoragePath(), sandbox.id)
 	assert.NoError(os.RemoveAll(parentDir))
 
-	err = q.CreateVM(context.Background(), sandbox.id, NetworkNamespace{}, &sandbox.config.HypervisorConfig)
+	network, err := NewNetwork()
+	assert.NoError(err)
+	err = q.CreateVM(context.Background(), sandbox.id, network, &sandbox.config.HypervisorConfig)
 	assert.NoError(err)
 }
 
@@ -202,7 +206,9 @@ func TestQemuKnobs(t *testing.T) {
 			RunStorePath: sandbox.store.RunStoragePath(),
 		},
 	}
-	err = q.CreateVM(context.Background(), sandbox.id, NetworkNamespace{}, &sandbox.config.HypervisorConfig)
+	network, err := NewNetwork()
+	assert.NoError(err)
+	err = q.CreateVM(context.Background(), sandbox.id, network, &sandbox.config.HypervisorConfig)
 	assert.NoError(err)
 
 	assert.Equal(q.qemuConfig.Knobs.NoUserConfig, true)
@@ -470,6 +476,9 @@ func TestQemuFileBackedMem(t *testing.T) {
 	sandbox, err := createQemuSandboxConfig()
 	assert.NoError(err)
 
+	network, err := NewNetwork()
+	assert.NoError(err)
+
 	q := &qemu{
 		config: HypervisorConfig{
 			VMStorePath:  sandbox.store.RunVMStoragePath(),
@@ -477,7 +486,7 @@ func TestQemuFileBackedMem(t *testing.T) {
 		},
 	}
 	sandbox.config.HypervisorConfig.SharedFS = config.VirtioFS
-	err = q.CreateVM(context.Background(), sandbox.id, NetworkNamespace{}, &sandbox.config.HypervisorConfig)
+	err = q.CreateVM(context.Background(), sandbox.id, network, &sandbox.config.HypervisorConfig)
 	assert.NoError(err)
 
 	assert.Equal(q.qemuConfig.Knobs.FileBackedMem, true)
@@ -498,7 +507,7 @@ func TestQemuFileBackedMem(t *testing.T) {
 	sandbox.config.HypervisorConfig.SharedFS = config.VirtioFS
 	sandbox.config.HypervisorConfig.MemoryPath = fallbackFileBackedMemDir
 
-	err = q.CreateVM(context.Background(), sandbox.id, NetworkNamespace{}, &sandbox.config.HypervisorConfig)
+	err = q.CreateVM(context.Background(), sandbox.id, network, &sandbox.config.HypervisorConfig)
 
 	expectErr := errors.New("VM templating has been enabled with either virtio-fs or file backed memory and this configuration will not work")
 	assert.Equal(expectErr.Error(), err.Error())
@@ -514,7 +523,7 @@ func TestQemuFileBackedMem(t *testing.T) {
 		},
 	}
 	sandbox.config.HypervisorConfig.FileBackedMemRootDir = "/tmp/xyzabc"
-	err = q.CreateVM(context.Background(), sandbox.id, NetworkNamespace{}, &sandbox.config.HypervisorConfig)
+	err = q.CreateVM(context.Background(), sandbox.id, network, &sandbox.config.HypervisorConfig)
 	assert.NoError(err)
 	assert.Equal(q.qemuConfig.Knobs.FileBackedMem, false)
 	assert.Equal(q.qemuConfig.Knobs.MemShared, false)
@@ -532,7 +541,7 @@ func TestQemuFileBackedMem(t *testing.T) {
 	}
 	sandbox.config.HypervisorConfig.EnableVhostUserStore = true
 	sandbox.config.HypervisorConfig.HugePages = true
-	err = q.CreateVM(context.Background(), sandbox.id, NetworkNamespace{}, &sandbox.config.HypervisorConfig)
+	err = q.CreateVM(context.Background(), sandbox.id, network, &sandbox.config.HypervisorConfig)
 	assert.NoError(err)
 	assert.Equal(q.qemuConfig.Knobs.MemShared, true)
 
@@ -548,7 +557,7 @@ func TestQemuFileBackedMem(t *testing.T) {
 	}
 	sandbox.config.HypervisorConfig.EnableVhostUserStore = true
 	sandbox.config.HypervisorConfig.HugePages = false
-	err = q.CreateVM(context.Background(), sandbox.id, NetworkNamespace{}, &sandbox.config.HypervisorConfig)
+	err = q.CreateVM(context.Background(), sandbox.id, network, &sandbox.config.HypervisorConfig)
 
 	expectErr = errors.New("Vhost-user-blk/scsi is enabled without HugePages. This configuration will not work")
 	assert.Equal(expectErr.Error(), err.Error())
diff --git a/src/runtime/virtcontainers/sandbox.go b/src/runtime/virtcontainers/sandbox.go
index 2a07362a2..4f4677d94 100644
--- a/src/runtime/virtcontainers/sandbox.go
+++ b/src/runtime/virtcontainers/sandbox.go
@@ -579,7 +579,7 @@ func newSandbox(ctx context.Context, sandboxConfig SandboxConfig, factory Factor
 	}
 
 	// store doesn't require hypervisor to be stored immediately
-	if err = s.hypervisor.CreateVM(ctx, s.id, s.networkNS, &sandboxConfig.HypervisorConfig); err != nil {
+	if err = s.hypervisor.CreateVM(ctx, s.id, s.network, &sandboxConfig.HypervisorConfig); err != nil {
 		return nil, err
 	}
 
diff --git a/src/runtime/virtcontainers/vm.go b/src/runtime/virtcontainers/vm.go
index b39b75563..a9db8efc0 100644
--- a/src/runtime/virtcontainers/vm.go
+++ b/src/runtime/virtcontainers/vm.go
@@ -90,6 +90,11 @@ func NewVM(ctx context.Context, config VMConfig) (*VM, error) {
 		return nil, err
 	}
 
+	network, err := NewNetwork()
+	if err != nil {
+		return nil, err
+	}
+
 	if err = config.Valid(); err != nil {
 		return nil, err
 	}
@@ -111,7 +116,7 @@ func NewVM(ctx context.Context, config VMConfig) (*VM, error) {
 		}
 	}()
 
-	if err = hypervisor.CreateVM(ctx, id, NetworkNamespace{}, &config.HypervisorConfig); err != nil {
+	if err = hypervisor.CreateVM(ctx, id, network, &config.HypervisorConfig); err != nil {
 		return nil, err
 	}