diff --git a/pkg/specgen/container_validate.go b/pkg/specgen/container_validate.go
index dc9e6b9d82..43771cc411 100644
--- a/pkg/specgen/container_validate.go
+++ b/pkg/specgen/container_validate.go
@@ -28,7 +28,7 @@ func exclusiveOptions(opt1, opt2 string) error {
 // input for creating a container.
 func (s *SpecGenerator) Validate() error {
 
-	if rootless.IsRootless() {
+	if rootless.IsRootless() && len(s.CNINetworks) == 0 {
 		if s.StaticIP != nil || s.StaticIPv6 != nil {
 			return ErrNoStaticIPRootless
 		}