diff --git a/nixos/lib/systemd-lib.nix b/nixos/lib/systemd-lib.nix
index eb2bcb9d3b98..61ac04eff288 100644
--- a/nixos/lib/systemd-lib.nix
+++ b/nixos/lib/systemd-lib.nix
@@ -63,7 +63,12 @@ in rec {
 
   assertMacAddress = name: group: attr:
     optional (attr ? ${name} && ! isMacAddress attr.${name})
-      "Systemd ${group} field `${name}' must be a valid mac address.";
+      "Systemd ${group} field `${name}' must be a valid MAC address.";
+
+  assertNetdevMacAddress = name: group: attr:
+    optional (attr ? ${name} && (! isMacAddress attr.${name} || attr.${name} != "none"))
+      "Systemd ${group} field `${name}` must be a valid MAC address or the special value `none`.";
+
 
   isPort = i: i >= 0 && i <= 65535;
 
diff --git a/nixos/modules/system/boot/networkd.nix b/nixos/modules/system/boot/networkd.nix
index a7183daf5e0a..9cc3541c9dcf 100644
--- a/nixos/modules/system/boot/networkd.nix
+++ b/nixos/modules/system/boot/networkd.nix
@@ -170,7 +170,7 @@ let
           "batadv"
         ])
         (assertByteFormat "MTUBytes")
-        (assertMacAddress "MACAddress")
+        (assertNetdevMacAddress "MACAddress")
       ];
 
       sectionVLAN = checkUnitConfig "VLAN" [