diff --git a/create.go b/create.go
index 3b6de72..f97a575 100644
--- a/create.go
+++ b/create.go
@@ -38,19 +38,16 @@ func create(w http.ResponseWriter, r *http.Request) error {
 		fmt.Fprintln(w, result)
 		return errors.New(result)
 	}
+
 	if d.Uuid == "" {
 		u := uuid.New()
 		d.Uuid = u.String()
 	}
-	return nil
+
 	if len(d.Networks) == 0 {
-		mac, err := getNewMac()
-		if err != nil {
-			return err
-		}
 		var newNet *pb.Network
 		newNet = new(pb.Network)
-		newNet.Mac = mac
+		newNet.Mac = getNewMac()
 		d.Networks = append(d.Networks, newNet)
 		// d.AddDefaultNetwork(mac)
 	}
diff --git a/validate.go b/validate.go
index a4caa52..4105c6f 100644
--- a/validate.go
+++ b/validate.go
@@ -15,6 +15,7 @@ package main
 
 import (
 	"errors"
+	"fmt"
 	"path/filepath"
 
 	"github.com/google/uuid"
@@ -133,7 +134,7 @@ func ValidateDiskFilenames(cluster *pb.Cluster) []*pb.Event {
 	return alle
 }
 
-func getNewMac() (string, error) {
+func getNewMac() string {
 	// mac address map to check for duplicates
 	var macs map[string]string
 	macs = make(map[string]string)
@@ -145,21 +146,25 @@ func getNewMac() (string, error) {
 				// UUID already exists
 				log.Info("duplicate MAC", n.Mac, macs[n.Mac])
 				log.Info("duplicate MAC", n.Mac, d.Hostname)
-				return "", errors.New("duplicate MAC: " + d.Hostname + " and " + macs[n.Mac])
+				return ""
 			}
 			macs[n.Mac] = d.Hostname
 		}
 	}
 
-	var mac string = "22:22:22:22:22:09"
+	var i int = 9
+	var mac string
 	for {
+		mac = fmt.Sprintf("22:22:22:22:22:%02d", i)
 		if _, ok := macs[mac]; ok {
 			log.Info("MAC already defined", mac, macs[mac])
+			i += 1
 			continue
 		}
-		return mac, nil
+		log.Info("using new MAC:", mac)
+		return mac
 	}
-	return mac, nil
+	return ""
 }
 
 // runs on startup. dies if there are duplicates