diff --git a/tests/generator/test_vlans.py b/tests/generator/test_vlans.py
index 3c859ed38..bf9590607 100644
--- a/tests/generator/test_vlans.py
+++ b/tests/generator/test_vlans.py
@@ -136,6 +136,14 @@ def test_vlan_parent_match(self):
         self.assert_nm(None)
         self.assert_nm_udev(NM_UNMANAGED % 'lan' + NM_UNMANAGED_MAC % '11:22:33:44:55:66' + NM_UNMANAGED % 'vlan20')
 
+    def test_vlan_parent_must_exist(self):
+        out = self.generate('''network:
+  version: 2
+  renderer: networkd
+  vlans:
+    vlan20: {id: 20, link: lan}''', expect_fail=True)
+        self.assertIn('vlan20: interface \'lan\' is not defined', out)
+
 
 class TestNetworkManager(TestBase):
 
@@ -300,3 +308,54 @@ def test_vlan_sriov(self):
 ip6-privacy=0
 '''})
         self.assert_nm_udev(NM_MANAGED % 'en1' + NM_MANAGED % 'enblue' + NM_MANAGED % 'engreen')
+
+    def test_vlan_parent_is_allowed_to_be_missing_for_nm(self):
+        self.generate('''network:
+  version: 2
+  renderer: NetworkManager
+  vlans:
+    vlan20: {id: 20, link: lan}''')
+
+        self.assert_nm({'vlan20': '''[connection]
+id=netplan-vlan20
+type=vlan
+interface-name=vlan20
+
+[vlan]
+id=20
+parent=lan
+
+[ipv4]
+method=link-local
+
+[ipv6]
+method=ignore
+'''})
+
+    def test_vlan_with_missing_netdef_found_in_the_next_file_wont_fail(self):
+        ''' If eth0 was registered as missing (and created as a placeholder netdef)
+        if shouldn't fail if it's defined in a file that was parsed *after* the file where
+        the VLAN is defined
+        '''
+        out = self.generate('''network:
+  renderer: NetworkManager
+  version: 2
+  vlans:
+    vlan100:
+      id: 100
+      link: eth0''', confs={'b': '''network:
+  renderer: NetworkManager
+  version: 2
+  ethernets: {eth0: {}}'''})
+
+        self.assertNotIn('Updated definition \'eth0\' changes device type', out)
+
+    def test_vlan_with_parent_uuid(self):
+        ''' Check the generate accepts a link pointing to the NM connection UUID '''
+        self.generate('''network:
+  renderer: NetworkManager
+  version: 2
+  vlans:
+    vlan100:
+      id: 100
+      link: 53125f52-f9a7-4d2a-a853-5f3b9e02299f''')
diff --git a/tests/parser/test_keyfile.py b/tests/parser/test_keyfile.py
index 5ffee69bd..ffd4b9128 100644
--- a/tests/parser/test_keyfile.py
+++ b/tests/parser/test_keyfile.py
@@ -400,9 +400,6 @@ def test_keyfile_type_bridge(self):
     def test_keyfile_type_bond(self):
         self._template_keyfile_type('bonds', 'bond')
 
-    def test_keyfile_type_vlan(self):
-        self._template_keyfile_type('nm-devices', 'vlan', False)
-
     def test_keyfile_type_tunnel(self):
         self._template_keyfile_type('tunnels', 'ip-tunnel', False)
 
@@ -824,20 +821,18 @@ def test_keyfile_vlan(self):
 '''.format(UUID))
         self.assert_netplan({UUID: '''network:
   version: 2
-  nm-devices:
+  vlans:
     NM-{}:
       renderer: NetworkManager
+      addresses:
+      - "1.2.3.4/24"
+      id: 1
+      link: "en1"
       networkmanager:
         uuid: "{}"
         name: "netplan-enblue"
         passthrough:
-          connection.type: "vlan"
           connection.interface-name: "enblue"
-          vlan.id: "1"
-          vlan.parent: "en1"
-          ipv4.method: "manual"
-          ipv4.address1: "1.2.3.4/24"
-          ipv6.method: "ignore"
 '''.format(UUID, UUID)})
 
     def test_keyfile_bridge(self):