diff --git a/pkg/services/govmomi/ipam/parse.go b/pkg/services/govmomi/ipam/parse.go
index 74d01f70aa..bef844c90d 100644
--- a/pkg/services/govmomi/ipam/parse.go
+++ b/pkg/services/govmomi/ipam/parse.go
@@ -51,10 +51,10 @@ func parseAddressWithPrefix(ipamAddress *ipamv1.IPAddress) (netip.Prefix, error)
 // does not conflict with the gateway addresses parsed from other
 // ipamv1.IPAddresses on the current device. Gateway addresses must be the same
 // family as the address on the ipamv1.IPAddress. Gateway addresses of one
-// family must match the other addresses of the same family. IPv4 Gateways are
-// required, but IPv6 gateways are not.
+// family must match the other addresses of the same family. A gateway address
+// is optional. If it is not set this function returns `nil, nil`.
 func parseGateway(ipamAddress *ipamv1.IPAddress, addressWithPrefix netip.Prefix, ipamDeviceConfig ipamDeviceConfig) (*netip.Addr, error) {
-	if ipamAddress.Spec.Gateway == "" && addressWithPrefix.Addr().Is6() {
+	if ipamAddress.Spec.Gateway == "" {
 		return nil, nil
 	}
 
diff --git a/pkg/services/govmomi/ipam/status_test.go b/pkg/services/govmomi/ipam/status_test.go
index a37d4c374f..ebac048356 100644
--- a/pkg/services/govmomi/ipam/status_test.go
+++ b/pkg/services/govmomi/ipam/status_test.go
@@ -723,8 +723,7 @@ func Test_BuildState(t *testing.T) {
 			g.Expect(ctx.Client.Update(ctx, address1)).NotTo(gomega.HaveOccurred())
 
 			_, err := BuildState(ctx, networkStatus)
-			g.Expect(err).To(gomega.HaveOccurred())
-			g.Expect(err).To(gomega.MatchError("IPAddress my-namespace/vsphereVM1-0-0 has invalid gateway: \"\""))
+			g.Expect(err).NotTo(gomega.HaveOccurred())
 		})
 
 		t.Run("when a provider assigns an IPv6 IPAddress without a Gateway field", func(_ *testing.T) {