diff --git a/lib/ansible/module_utils/net_tools/nios/api.py b/lib/ansible/module_utils/net_tools/nios/api.py
index 7e452edba3c..1e9037e7222 100644
--- a/lib/ansible/module_utils/net_tools/nios/api.py
+++ b/lib/ansible/module_utils/net_tools/nios/api.py
@@ -230,7 +230,8 @@ class WapiModule(WapiBase):
         if ib_obj_ref:
             if len(ib_obj_ref) > 1:
                 for each in ib_obj_ref:
-                    if each['ipv4addr'] == proposed_object['ipv4addr']:
+                    if ('ipv4addr' in each) and ('ipv4addr' in proposed_object)\
+                            and each['ipv4addr'] == proposed_object['ipv4addr']:
                         current_object = each
             else:
                 current_object = ib_obj_ref[0]