diff --git a/app/models/manageiq/providers/vmware/infra_manager/inventory/parser/host_system.rb b/app/models/manageiq/providers/vmware/infra_manager/inventory/parser/host_system.rb
index f7902ed96..cd2b1c973 100644
--- a/app/models/manageiq/providers/vmware/infra_manager/inventory/parser/host_system.rb
+++ b/app/models/manageiq/providers/vmware/infra_manager/inventory/parser/host_system.rb
@@ -113,9 +113,7 @@ def parse_host_system_product(host_hash, props)
       product = props.fetch_path(:summary, :config, :product)
       return if product.nil?
 
-      vendor = product[:vendor].split(",").first.to_s.downcase
-      vendor = "unknown" unless Host::VENDOR_TYPES.include?(vendor)
-      host_hash[:vmm_vendor] = vendor
+      host_hash[:vmm_vendor] = host_system_vendor(product[:vendor])
 
       product_name = product[:name]
       host_hash[:vmm_product]     = product_name.nil? ? nil : product_name.to_s.gsub(/^VMware\s*/i, "")
@@ -123,6 +121,15 @@ def parse_host_system_product(host_hash, props)
       host_hash[:vmm_buildnumber] = product[:build]
     end
 
+    def host_system_vendor(vendor)
+      return "unknown" if vendor.nil?
+
+      vendor = vendor.split(",").first.to_s.downcase
+      vendor = "unknown" unless Host::VENDOR_TYPES.include?(vendor)
+
+      vendor
+    end
+
     def parse_host_system_runtime(host_hash, props)
       runtime = props.fetch_path(:summary, :runtime)
       return if runtime.nil?
diff --git a/spec/models/manageiq/providers/vmware/infra_manager/refresher_spec.rb b/spec/models/manageiq/providers/vmware/infra_manager/refresher_spec.rb
index d0003a200..012cc7c2f 100644
--- a/spec/models/manageiq/providers/vmware/infra_manager/refresher_spec.rb
+++ b/spec/models/manageiq/providers/vmware/infra_manager/refresher_spec.rb
@@ -506,6 +506,15 @@
         expect(custom_attrs.first).to have_attributes(:name => "foo", :value => "baz", :source => "VC")
       end
 
+      it "with a host without a vendor sets vmm_vendor to unknown" do
+        host_system = RbVmomi::VIM.HostSystem(vim, "host-41")
+        host_config_storage_device_stub(host_system)
+        run_targeted_refresh(targeted_update_set([host_missing_vendor_object_update(host_system)]))
+
+        host = ems.hosts.find_by(:ems_ref => "host-41")
+        expect(host).to have_attributes(:vmm_vendor => "unknown")
+      end
+
       it "deleting a host" do
         managed_object_not_found_fault = RbVmomi::Fault.new(
           "The object 'vim.HostSystem:host-41' has already been deleted or has not been completely created",
@@ -1078,6 +1087,18 @@ def host_create_object_update(host)
       )
     end
 
+    def host_missing_vendor_object_update(host)
+      RbVmomi::VIM.ObjectUpdate(
+        :kind       => "enter",
+        :obj        => host,
+        :changeSet  => [
+          RbVmomi::VIM.PropertyChange(:name => "config.network.dnsConfig", :op => "assign", :val => {:domainName => "example.com", :hostName => "myhost"}),
+          RbVmomi::VIM.PropertyChange(:name => "summary.config.product",   :op => "assign", :val => {:build => "5.0.0.19", :name => "VMware ESX", :osType => "vmnix-x86", :version => "5.0.0"}),
+        ],
+        :missingSet => []
+      )
+    end
+
     def host_delete_object_update(host)
       RbVmomi::VIM.ObjectUpdate(
         :kind => "leave",