diff --git a/cinder/tests/test_vmware_volumeops.py b/cinder/tests/test_vmware_volumeops.py
index d2d91d37aa3..2a5df28b1f0 100644
--- a/cinder/tests/test_vmware_volumeops.py
+++ b/cinder/tests/test_vmware_volumeops.py
@@ -378,6 +378,24 @@ class VolumeOpsTestCase(test.TestCase):
                                                         mock.sentinel.dc,
                                                         'vmFolder')
 
+    def test_create_folder_with_empty_vmfolder(self):
+        """Test create_folder when the datacenter vmFolder is empty"""
+        child_folder = mock.sentinel.child_folder
+        self.session.invoke_api.side_effect = [None, child_folder]
+
+        parent_folder = mock.sentinel.parent_folder
+        child_name = 'child_folder'
+        ret = self.vops.create_folder(parent_folder, child_name)
+
+        self.assertEqual(child_folder, ret)
+        expected_calls = [mock.call(vim_util, 'get_object_property',
+                                    self.session.vim, parent_folder,
+                                    'childEntity'),
+                          mock.call(self.session.vim, 'CreateFolder',
+                                    parent_folder, name=child_name)]
+        self.assertEqual(expected_calls,
+                         self.session.invoke_api.call_args_list)
+
     def test_create_folder_not_present(self):
         """Test create_folder when child not present."""
         parent_folder = mock.sentinel.parent_folder
diff --git a/cinder/volume/drivers/vmware/volumeops.py b/cinder/volume/drivers/vmware/volumeops.py
index d1b20125500..57198cca08d 100644
--- a/cinder/volume/drivers/vmware/volumeops.py
+++ b/cinder/volume/drivers/vmware/volumeops.py
@@ -523,18 +523,20 @@ class VMwareVolumeOps(object):
         prop_val = self._session.invoke_api(vim_util, 'get_object_property',
                                             self._session.vim, parent_folder,
                                             'childEntity')
-        child_entities = prop_val.ManagedObjectReference
 
-        # Return if the child folder with input name is already present
-        for child_entity in child_entities:
-            if child_entity._type != 'Folder':
-                continue
-            child_entity_name = self.get_entity_name(child_entity)
-            if child_entity_name and (urllib.unquote(child_entity_name) ==
-                                      child_folder_name):
-                LOG.debug("Child folder: %s already present.",
-                          child_folder_name)
-                return child_entity
+        if prop_val and hasattr(prop_val, 'ManagedObjectReference'):
+            child_entities = prop_val.ManagedObjectReference
+
+            # Return if the child folder with input name is already present
+            for child_entity in child_entities:
+                if child_entity._type != 'Folder':
+                    continue
+                child_entity_name = self.get_entity_name(child_entity)
+                if child_entity_name and (urllib.unquote(child_entity_name) ==
+                                          child_folder_name):
+                    LOG.debug("Child folder: %s already present.",
+                              child_folder_name)
+                    return child_entity
 
         # Need to create the child folder
         child_folder = self._session.invoke_api(self._session.vim,