diff --git a/bin/xen-create-image b/bin/xen-create-image
index 6f38006..ad69b1c 100755
--- a/bin/xen-create-image
+++ b/bin/xen-create-image
@@ -1560,6 +1560,10 @@ sub checkOption
             check   => qr/^(?:(?:25[0-5]|2[0-4][0-9]|[01]?[0-9][0-9]?)\.){3}(?:25[0-5]|2[0-4][0-9]|[01]?[0-9][0-9]?)$/,
             message => "must be valid IPv4.\n",
         },
+        ipv4_or_auto => {
+            check   => qr/^(?:auto|(?:(?:25[0-5]|2[0-4][0-9]|[01]?[0-9][0-9]?)\.){3}(?:25[0-5]|2[0-4][0-9]|[01]?[0-9][0-9]?))$/,
+            message => "must be valid IPv4 or the keyword 'auto'.\n",
+        },
         hostname => {
             check   => qr/^[a-z0-9][a-z0-9.-]{0,254}$/i,
             message => "must be a valid hostname.\n",
@@ -1624,7 +1628,7 @@ sub checkOption
         output        => 'existingDir',
         extension     => 'filename',
         mac           => 'mac',
-        ip            => 'ipv4',
+        ip            => 'ipv4_or_auto',
         hash_method   => 'hashMethod',
     );
 
diff --git a/debian/changelog b/debian/changelog
index 1b03674..4f782bc 100644
--- a/debian/changelog
+++ b/debian/changelog
@@ -6,6 +6,7 @@ xen-tools (4.2+dev-1) UNRELEASED; urgency=low
     - Fixes missing architecture check in Sarge amd64 special case. Thanks
       to Guillaume Pernot! (Closes: #611397) Also changes default Sarge
       amd64 mirror to http://archive.debian.org/debian-amd64/.
+    - Allows --ip=auto again (Closes: #611407)
 
  -- Axel Beckert <abe@debian.org>  Tue, 08 Mar 2011 23:24:06 +0100