diff --git a/ironic_inspector/test/unit/test_process.py b/ironic_inspector/test/unit/test_process.py
index af14e1d94..09027b668 100644
--- a/ironic_inspector/test/unit/test_process.py
+++ b/ironic_inspector/test/unit/test_process.py
@@ -101,6 +101,17 @@ class TestProcess(BaseProcessTest):
         self.process_mock.assert_called_once_with(self.node_info, self.node,
                                                   self.data)
 
+    def test_ipmi_not_detected(self):
+        self.inventory['bmc_address'] = '0.0.0.0'
+        process.process(self.data)
+
+        self.find_mock.assert_called_once_with(bmc_address=None, mac=mock.ANY)
+        actual_macs = self.find_mock.call_args[1]['mac']
+        self.assertEqual(sorted(self.all_macs), sorted(actual_macs))
+        self.cli.node.get.assert_called_once_with(self.uuid)
+        self.process_mock.assert_called_once_with(self.node_info, self.node,
+                                                  self.data)
+
     def test_not_found_in_cache(self):
         self.find_mock.side_effect = utils.Error('not found')
         self.assertRaisesRegex(utils.Error,
diff --git a/ironic_inspector/utils.py b/ironic_inspector/utils.py
index d5eeb3eb2..7c33cac03 100644
--- a/ironic_inspector/utils.py
+++ b/ironic_inspector/utils.py
@@ -32,9 +32,15 @@ _EXECUTOR = None
 
 def get_ipmi_address_from_data(introspection_data):
     try:
-        return introspection_data['inventory']['bmc_address']
+        result = introspection_data['inventory']['bmc_address']
     except KeyError:
-        return introspection_data.get('ipmi_address')
+        result = introspection_data.get('ipmi_address')
+
+    if result in ('', '0.0.0.0'):
+        # ipmitool can return these values, if it does not know the address
+        return None
+    else:
+        return result
 
 
 def get_pxe_mac(introspection_data):
diff --git a/releasenotes/notes/empty-ipmi-address-5b5ca186a066ed32.yaml b/releasenotes/notes/empty-ipmi-address-5b5ca186a066ed32.yaml
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..32bb2ecd3
--- /dev/null
+++ b/releasenotes/notes/empty-ipmi-address-5b5ca186a066ed32.yaml
@@ -0,0 +1,5 @@
+---
+fixes:
+  - |
+    ``0.0.0.0`` and an empty string in the ``bmc_address`` inventory field
+    are now correctly treated as missing BMC address.