diff --git a/etc/quantum.conf b/etc/quantum.conf
index e55bca08cf..643b0be9e2 100644
--- a/etc/quantum.conf
+++ b/etc/quantum.conf
@@ -23,3 +23,10 @@ core_plugin = quantum.plugins.sample.SamplePlugin.FakePlugin
 
 # Paste configuration file
 api_paste_config = api-paste.ini
+
+# Base MAC address. The first 3 bytes will remain unchanged. The
+# lower 3 bytes will be randomly generated.
+# base_mac = fa:16:3e:00:00:00
+
+# Maximum amount of retries to generate a unique MAC address
+# mac_generation_retries = 16
diff --git a/quantum/common/config.py b/quantum/common/config.py
index 505bf233bd..73f5a8926c 100644
--- a/quantum/common/config.py
+++ b/quantum/common/config.py
@@ -39,6 +39,8 @@ bind_opts = [
     cfg.StrOpt('api_extensions_path', default=""),
     cfg.StrOpt('core_plugin',
                default='quantum.plugins.sample.SamplePlugin.FakePlugin'),
+    cfg.StrOpt('base_mac', default="fa:16:3e:00:00:00"),
+    cfg.IntOpt('mac_generation_retries', default=16)
 ]
 
 # Register the configuration options
diff --git a/quantum/db/db_base_plugin_v2.py b/quantum/db/db_base_plugin_v2.py
index a2072dcc74..e72cc328a2 100644
--- a/quantum/db/db_base_plugin_v2.py
+++ b/quantum/db/db_base_plugin_v2.py
@@ -24,6 +24,7 @@ from quantum.api.v2 import router as api_router
 from quantum.common import exceptions as q_exc
 from quantum.db import api as db
 from quantum.db import models_v2
+from quantum.openstack.common import cfg
 from quantum import quantum_plugin_base_v2
 
 
@@ -132,11 +133,11 @@ class QuantumDbPluginV2(quantum_plugin_base_v2.QuantumPluginBaseV2):
 
     @staticmethod
     def _generate_mac(context, network_id):
-        # TODO(garyk) read from configuration file (CONF)
-        max_retries = 16
+        base_mac = cfg.CONF.base_mac.split(':')
+        max_retries = cfg.CONF.mac_generation_retries
         for i in range(max_retries):
-            # TODO(garyk) read base mac from configuration file (CONF)
-            mac = [0xfa, 0x16, 0x3e, random.randint(0x00, 0x7f),
+            mac = [int(base_mac[0], 16), int(base_mac[1], 16),
+                   int(base_mac[2], 16), random.randint(0x00, 0x7f),
                    random.randint(0x00, 0xff), random.randint(0x00, 0xff)]
             mac_address = ':'.join(map(lambda x: "%02x" % x, mac))
             if QuantumDbPluginV2._check_unique_mac(context, network_id,
diff --git a/quantum/tests/unit/test_db_plugin.py b/quantum/tests/unit/test_db_plugin.py
index 621d95e93d..e97145ec46 100644
--- a/quantum/tests/unit/test_db_plugin.py
+++ b/quantum/tests/unit/test_db_plugin.py
@@ -61,6 +61,7 @@ class QuantumDbPluginV2TestCase(unittest.TestCase):
         config.parse(args=args)
         # Update the plugin
         cfg.CONF.set_override('core_plugin', plugin)
+        cfg.CONF.set_override('base_mac', "12:34:56:78:90:ab")
         self.api = APIRouter()
 
     def tearDown(self):
@@ -267,10 +268,8 @@ class TestPortsV2(QuantumDbPluginV2TestCase):
         with self.port() as port:
             mac = port['port']['mac_address']
             # check that MAC address matches base MAC
-            # TODO(garyk) read base mac from configuration file (CONF)
-            base_mac = [0xfa, 0x16, 0x3e]
-            base_mac_address = ':'.join(map(lambda x: "%02x" % x, base_mac))
-            self.assertTrue(mac.startswith(base_mac_address))
+            base_mac = cfg.CONF.base_mac[0:2]
+            self.assertTrue(mac.startswith(base_mac))
             kwargs = {"mac_address": mac}
             net_id = port['port']['network_id']
             res = self._create_port(fmt, net_id=net_id, **kwargs)