diff --git a/drivers/macvlan/macvlan.go b/drivers/macvlan/macvlan.go
index 49b9fbae00..70bec82024 100644
--- a/drivers/macvlan/macvlan.go
+++ b/drivers/macvlan/macvlan.go
@@ -46,6 +46,7 @@ type endpoint struct {
 	srcName  string
 	dbIndex  uint64
 	dbExists bool
+	runtime  string
 }
 
 type network struct {
diff --git a/drivers/macvlan/macvlan_endpoint.go b/drivers/macvlan/macvlan_endpoint.go
index 3e5ccb29f8..a55fe31bdb 100644
--- a/drivers/macvlan/macvlan_endpoint.go
+++ b/drivers/macvlan/macvlan_endpoint.go
@@ -40,6 +40,7 @@ func (d *driver) CreateEndpoint(nid, eid string, ifInfo driverapi.InterfaceInfo,
 			return err
 		}
 	}
+
 	// disallow portmapping -p
 	if opt, ok := epOptions[netlabel.PortMap]; ok {
 		if _, ok := opt.([]types.PortBinding); ok {
@@ -57,6 +58,18 @@ func (d *driver) CreateEndpoint(nid, eid string, ifInfo driverapi.InterfaceInfo,
 		}
 	}
 
+	// Setup the runtime to default to namespace, override if specified
+	ep.runtime = "namespace"
+	if opt, ok := epOptions["runtime"]; ok {
+		if runtime, ok := opt.(string); ok {
+			if runtime != "namespace" && runtime != "vm" {
+				logrus.Warnf("driver does not support [%s] runtime", runtime)
+			} else {
+				ep.runtime = runtime
+			}
+		}
+	}
+
 	if err := d.storeUpdate(ep); err != nil {
 		return fmt.Errorf("failed to save macvlan endpoint %s to store: %v", ep.id[0:7], err)
 	}
diff --git a/drivers/macvlan/macvlan_joinleave.go b/drivers/macvlan/macvlan_joinleave.go
index cf5c2a4bf9..bdd80b8995 100644
--- a/drivers/macvlan/macvlan_joinleave.go
+++ b/drivers/macvlan/macvlan_joinleave.go
@@ -28,7 +28,7 @@ func (d *driver) Join(nid, eid string, sboxKey string, jinfo driverapi.JoinInfo,
 		return fmt.Errorf("error generating an interface name: %s", err)
 	}
 	// create the netlink macvlan interface
-	vethName, err := createMacVlan(containerIfName, n.config.Parent, n.config.MacvlanMode)
+	vethName, err := createMacVlan(containerIfName, n.config.Parent, n.config.MacvlanMode, endpoint.runtime)
 	if err != nil {
 		return err
 	}
diff --git a/drivers/macvlan/macvlan_setup.go b/drivers/macvlan/macvlan_setup.go
index b5b4be3499..88322531ca 100644
--- a/drivers/macvlan/macvlan_setup.go
+++ b/drivers/macvlan/macvlan_setup.go
@@ -16,8 +16,8 @@ const (
 	macvlanMajorVer  = 9     // minimum macvlan major kernel support
 )
 
-// Create the macvlan slave specifying the source name
-func createMacVlan(containerIfName, parent, macvlanMode string) (string, error) {
+// Create the macvlan slave specifying the source name and the runtime type
+func createMacVlan(containerIfName, parent, macvlanMode, runtime string) (string, error) {
 	// Set the macvlan mode. Default is bridge mode
 	mode, err := setMacVlanMode(macvlanMode)
 	if err != nil {
@@ -32,20 +32,40 @@ func createMacVlan(containerIfName, parent, macvlanMode string) (string, error)
 	if err != nil {
 		return "", fmt.Errorf("error occoured looking up the %s parent iface %s error: %s", macvlanType, parent, err)
 	}
-	// Create a macvlan link
-	macvlan := &netlink.Macvlan{
-		LinkAttrs: netlink.LinkAttrs{
-			Name:        containerIfName,
-			ParentIndex: parentLink.Attrs().Index,
-		},
-		Mode: mode,
-	}
-	if err := ns.NlHandle().LinkAdd(macvlan); err != nil {
-		// If a user creates a macvlan and ipvlan on same parent, only one slave iface can be active at a time.
-		return "", fmt.Errorf("failed to create the %s port: %v", macvlanType, err)
-	}
 
-	return macvlan.Attrs().Name, nil
+	if runtime == "vm" {
+		// Create a macvtap link
+		macvtap := &netlink.Macvtap{
+			Macvlan: netlink.Macvlan{
+				LinkAttrs: netlink.LinkAttrs{
+					Name:        containerIfName,
+					ParentIndex: parentLink.Attrs().Index,
+				},
+				Mode: mode,
+			},
+		}
+
+		if err := ns.NlHandle().LinkAdd(macvtap); err != nil {
+			return "", fmt.Errorf("failed to create the %s port: %v", macvlanType, err)
+		}
+
+		return macvtap.Attrs().Name, nil
+	} else {
+		// Create a macvlan link
+		macvlan := &netlink.Macvlan{
+			LinkAttrs: netlink.LinkAttrs{
+				Name:        containerIfName,
+				ParentIndex: parentLink.Attrs().Index,
+			},
+			Mode: mode,
+		}
+		if err := ns.NlHandle().LinkAdd(macvlan); err != nil {
+			// If a user creates a macvlan and ipvlan on same parent, only one slave iface can be active at a time.
+			return "", fmt.Errorf("failed to create the %s port: %v", macvlanType, err)
+		}
+
+		return macvlan.Attrs().Name, nil
+	}
 }
 
 // setMacVlanMode setter for one of the four macvlan port types
diff --git a/drivers/macvlan/macvlan_store.go b/drivers/macvlan/macvlan_store.go
index 3fd92786bf..1d23bb89de 100644
--- a/drivers/macvlan/macvlan_store.go
+++ b/drivers/macvlan/macvlan_store.go
@@ -255,6 +255,7 @@ func (ep *endpoint) MarshalJSON() ([]byte, error) {
 	epMap["id"] = ep.id
 	epMap["nid"] = ep.nid
 	epMap["SrcName"] = ep.srcName
+	epMap["runtime"] = ep.runtime
 	if len(ep.mac) != 0 {
 		epMap["MacAddress"] = ep.mac.String()
 	}
@@ -295,6 +296,7 @@ func (ep *endpoint) UnmarshalJSON(b []byte) error {
 	ep.id = epMap["id"].(string)
 	ep.nid = epMap["nid"].(string)
 	ep.srcName = epMap["SrcName"].(string)
+	ep.runtime = epMap["runtime"].(string)
 
 	return nil
 }