diff --git a/e2e/client/types.go b/e2e/client/types.go
index 17cfdee8..9b6d40ec 100644
--- a/e2e/client/types.go
+++ b/e2e/client/types.go
@@ -230,14 +230,14 @@ func podMeta(podName string, namespace string, label map[string]string, annotati
 }
 
 func dynamicNetworksAnnotation(pod *corev1.Pod, newIfaceConfigs ...*nettypes.NetworkSelectionElement) string {
+	var currentNetworkSelectionElements []*nettypes.NetworkSelectionElement
 	currentNetworkSelectionElementsString, wasFound := pod.ObjectMeta.Annotations[nettypes.NetworkAttachmentAnnot]
-	if !wasFound {
-		return ""
-	}
-
-	currentNetworkSelectionElements, err := annotations.ParsePodNetworkAnnotations(currentNetworkSelectionElementsString, pod.GetNamespace())
-	if err != nil {
-		return ""
+	if wasFound {
+		var err error
+		currentNetworkSelectionElements, err = annotations.ParsePodNetworkAnnotations(currentNetworkSelectionElementsString, pod.GetNamespace())
+		if err != nil {
+			return ""
+		}
 	}
 
 	updatedNetworkSelectionElements := append(
diff --git a/e2e/e2e_test.go b/e2e/e2e_test.go
index a7077b47..ab80eb27 100644
--- a/e2e/e2e_test.go
+++ b/e2e/e2e_test.go
@@ -173,7 +173,7 @@ var _ = Describe("Multus dynamic networks controller", func() {
 			})
 		})
 
-		XContext("a provisioned pod featuring *only* the cluster's default network", func() {
+		Context("a provisioned pod featuring *only* the cluster's default network", func() {
 			var pod *corev1.Pod
 
 			BeforeEach(func() {
diff --git a/pkg/controller/pod.go b/pkg/controller/pod.go
index f5dd87a1..d8ec69c4 100644
--- a/pkg/controller/pod.go
+++ b/pkg/controller/pod.go
@@ -347,7 +347,10 @@ func (pnc *PodNetworksController) updatePodNetworkStatus(pod *corev1.Pod, newIfa
 func networkSelectionElements(podAnnotations map[string]string, podNamespace string) ([]*nadv1.NetworkSelectionElement, error) {
 	podNetworks, ok := podAnnotations[nadv1.NetworkAttachmentAnnot]
 	if !ok {
-		return nil, fmt.Errorf("the pod is missing the \"%s\" annotation on its annotations: %+v", nadv1.NetworkAttachmentAnnot, podAnnotations)
+		return []*nadv1.NetworkSelectionElement{}, nil
+	}
+	if podNetworks == "" {
+		podNetworks = "[]"
 	}
 	podNetworkSelectionElements, err := annotations.ParsePodNetworkAnnotations(podNetworks, podNamespace)
 	if err != nil {