diff --git a/nova/network/os_vif_util.py b/nova/network/os_vif_util.py
index 61bc1257eddc..11a4997d0065 100644
--- a/nova/network/os_vif_util.py
+++ b/nova/network/os_vif_util.py
@@ -440,7 +440,11 @@ def _nova_to_osvif_vif_vhostuser(vif):
         _set_vhostuser_settings(vif, obj)
         return obj
     else:
-        raise NotImplementedError()
+        obj = _get_vif_instance(vif, objects.vif.VIFVHostUser,
+                                plugin="noop",
+                                vif_name=_get_vif_name(vif))
+        _set_vhostuser_settings(vif, obj)
+        return obj
 
 
 # VIF_TYPE_IVS = 'ivs'
diff --git a/nova/tests/unit/network/test_os_vif_util.py b/nova/tests/unit/network/test_os_vif_util.py
index 97d0955383e1..90466e09cc40 100644
--- a/nova/tests/unit/network/test_os_vif_util.py
+++ b/nova/tests/unit/network/test_os_vif_util.py
@@ -802,7 +802,27 @@ class OSVIFUtilTestCase(test.NoDBTestCase):
             }
         )
 
-        self.assertIsNone(os_vif_util.nova_to_osvif_vif(vif))
+        actual = os_vif_util.nova_to_osvif_vif(vif)
+
+        expect = osv_objects.vif.VIFVHostUser(
+            id="dc065497-3c8d-4f44-8fb4-e1d33c16a536",
+            active=False,
+            address="22:52:25:62:e2:aa",
+            plugin="noop",
+            vif_name="nicdc065497-3c",
+            path='/fake/socket',
+            mode='client',
+            has_traffic_filtering=False,
+            preserve_on_delete=False,
+            network=osv_objects.network.Network(
+                id="b82c1929-051e-481d-8110-4669916c7915",
+                bridge_interface=None,
+                label="Demo Net",
+                mtu=None,
+                subnets=osv_objects.subnet.SubnetList(
+                    objects=[])))
+
+        self.assertObjEqual(expect, actual)
 
     def test_nova_to_osvif_vhostuser_fp_ovs_hybrid(self):
         vif = model.VIF(
diff --git a/nova/virt/libvirt/vif.py b/nova/virt/libvirt/vif.py
index c5b5a308e1b4..7982a89c0b77 100644
--- a/nova/virt/libvirt/vif.py
+++ b/nova/virt/libvirt/vif.py
@@ -417,34 +417,6 @@ class LibvirtGenericVIFDriver(object):
 
         return conf
 
-    def _get_vhostuser_settings(self, vif):
-        vif_details = vif['details']
-        mode = vif_details.get(network_model.VIF_DETAILS_VHOSTUSER_MODE,
-                               'server')
-        sock_path = vif_details.get(network_model.VIF_DETAILS_VHOSTUSER_SOCKET)
-        if sock_path is None:
-            raise exception.VifDetailsMissingVhostuserSockPath(
-                                                        vif_id=vif['id'])
-        return mode, sock_path
-
-    def get_config_vhostuser(self, instance, vif, image_meta,
-                            inst_type, virt_type, host):
-        conf = self.get_base_config(instance, vif['address'], image_meta,
-                                    inst_type, virt_type, vif['vnic_type'],
-                                    host)
-        # TODO(sahid): We should never configure a driver backend for
-        # vhostuser interface. Specifically override driver to use
-        # None. This can be removed when get_base_config will be fixed
-        # and rewrite to set the correct backend.
-        conf.driver_name = None
-
-        mode, sock_path = self._get_vhostuser_settings(vif)
-        rx_queue_size, tx_queue_size = self._get_virtio_queue_sizes(host)
-        designer.set_vif_host_backend_vhostuser_config(
-            conf, mode, sock_path, rx_queue_size, tx_queue_size)
-
-        return conf
-
     def _get_virtio_queue_sizes(self, host):
         """Returns rx/tx queue sizes configured or (None, None)