diff --git a/framework/python/src/api/api.py b/framework/python/src/api/api.py
index 0ae7becd4..2bba5e62f 100644
--- a/framework/python/src/api/api.py
+++ b/framework/python/src/api/api.py
@@ -277,7 +277,9 @@ async def start_testrun(self, request: Request, response: Response):
     if self._testrun.get_session().get_status() in [
         TestrunStatus.IN_PROGRESS,
         TestrunStatus.WAITING_FOR_DEVICE,
-        TestrunStatus.MONITORING
+        TestrunStatus.MONITORING,
+        TestrunStatus.VALIDATING
+
     ]:
       LOGGER.debug("Testrun is already running. Cannot start another instance")
       response.status_code = status.HTTP_409_CONFLICT
@@ -338,7 +340,8 @@ async def stop_testrun(self, response: Response):
     if (self._testrun.get_session().get_status()
         not in [TestrunStatus.IN_PROGRESS,
                 TestrunStatus.WAITING_FOR_DEVICE,
-                TestrunStatus.MONITORING]):
+                TestrunStatus.MONITORING,
+                TestrunStatus.VALIDATING]):
       response.status_code = 404
       return self._generate_msg(False, "Testrun is not currently running")
 
diff --git a/framework/python/src/common/statuses.py b/framework/python/src/common/statuses.py
index 4817d7cf8..c7487868a 100644
--- a/framework/python/src/common/statuses.py
+++ b/framework/python/src/common/statuses.py
@@ -23,6 +23,7 @@ class TestrunStatus:
   COMPLIANT =  "Compliant"
   NON_COMPLIANT = "Non-Compliant"
   STOPPING = "Stopping"
+  VALIDATING = "Validating Network"
 
 
 class TestResult:
diff --git a/framework/python/src/net_orc/network_orchestrator.py b/framework/python/src/net_orc/network_orchestrator.py
index b2429275c..37858c4e1 100644
--- a/framework/python/src/net_orc/network_orchestrator.py
+++ b/framework/python/src/net_orc/network_orchestrator.py
@@ -136,10 +136,16 @@ def start_network(self):
     self.create_net()
     self.start_network_services()
 
-    if 'validate' in self._session.get_runtime_params():
-      # Start the validator after network is ready
-      self.validator.start()
-
+    try:
+      if 'validate' in self._session.get_runtime_params():
+        # Start the validator after network is ready
+        self._session.set_status(TestrunStatus.VALIDATING)
+        self.validator.start()
+        self.validator.stop()
+    except Exception as e:
+      LOGGER.error(f'Validation failed {e}')
+
+    self._session.set_status('Waiting for Device')
     # Get network ready (via Network orchestrator)
     LOGGER.debug('Network is ready')
 
diff --git a/framework/python/src/net_orc/network_validator.py b/framework/python/src/net_orc/network_validator.py
index d760970a3..c50d2463d 100644
--- a/framework/python/src/net_orc/network_validator.py
+++ b/framework/python/src/net_orc/network_validator.py
@@ -22,6 +22,7 @@
 import getpass
 from common import logger
 from common import util
+from net_orc.ovs_control import OVSControl
 
 LOGGER = logger.get_logger('validator')
 OUTPUT_DIR = 'runtime/validation'
@@ -46,6 +47,8 @@ def __init__(self):
 
     shutil.rmtree(os.path.join(self._path, OUTPUT_DIR), ignore_errors=True)
 
+    self._ovs = OVSControl(session=None)
+
   def start(self):
     """Start the network validator."""
     LOGGER.debug('Starting validator')
@@ -87,6 +90,8 @@ def _build_device(self, net_device):
   def _load_devices(self):
 
     LOGGER.info(f'Loading validators from {self._device_dir}')
+    # Reset device list before loading
+    self._net_devices = []
 
     loaded_devices = 'Loaded the following validators: '
 
@@ -286,7 +291,6 @@ def _stop_network_device(self, net_device, kill=False):
       LOGGER.error(e)
 
   def _get_device_container(self, net_device):
-    LOGGER.debug('Resolving device container: ' + net_device.container_name)
     container = None
     try:
       client = docker.from_env()
@@ -305,6 +309,9 @@ def _stop_network_devices(self, kill=False):
       if not net_device.enable_container:
         continue
       self._stop_network_device(net_device, kill)
+      # Remove the device port form the ovs bridge once validation is done
+      bridge_intf = DEVICE_BRIDGE + 'i-' + net_device.dir_name
+      self._ovs.delete_port(DEVICE_BRIDGE,bridge_intf)
 
 
 class FauxDevice:  # pylint: disable=too-few-public-methods,too-many-instance-attributes
diff --git a/framework/python/src/net_orc/ovs_control.py b/framework/python/src/net_orc/ovs_control.py
index 08faa52c1..2c1e17776 100644
--- a/framework/python/src/net_orc/ovs_control.py
+++ b/framework/python/src/net_orc/ovs_control.py
@@ -59,6 +59,14 @@ def delete_flow(self, bridge_name, flow):
     success = util.run_command(f'ovs-ofctl del-flows {bridge_name} \'{flow}\'')
     return success
 
+  def delete_port(self, bridge_name, port):
+    # Delete a port from the bridge using ovs-ofctl commands
+    success=True
+    if self.port_exists(bridge_name, port):
+      LOGGER.debug(f'Deleting port {port} from bridge: {bridge_name}')
+      success = util.run_command(f'ovs-vsctl del-port {bridge_name} \'{port}\'')
+    return success
+
   def get_bridge_ports(self, bridge_name):
     # Get a list of all the ports on a bridge
     response = util.run_command(f'ovs-vsctl list-ports {bridge_name}',
diff --git a/modules/ui/src/app/mocks/testrun.mock.ts b/modules/ui/src/app/mocks/testrun.mock.ts
index c90927cd3..3decf9973 100644
--- a/modules/ui/src/app/mocks/testrun.mock.ts
+++ b/modules/ui/src/app/mocks/testrun.mock.ts
@@ -159,6 +159,12 @@ export const MOCK_PROGRESS_DATA_WAITING_FOR_DEVICE: TestrunStatus = {
   started: null,
 };
 
+export const MOCK_PROGRESS_DATA_VALIDATING: TestrunStatus = {
+  ...MOCK_PROGRESS_DATA_IN_PROGRESS,
+  status: StatusOfTestrun.Validating,
+  started: null,
+};
+
 export const MOCK_PROGRESS_DATA_WITH_ERROR: TestrunStatus =
   PROGRESS_DATA_RESPONSE(StatusOfTestrun.InProgress, null, {
     ...TEST_DATA,
diff --git a/modules/ui/src/app/model/testrun-status.ts b/modules/ui/src/app/model/testrun-status.ts
index faa707f92..f14dce652 100644
--- a/modules/ui/src/app/model/testrun-status.ts
+++ b/modules/ui/src/app/model/testrun-status.ts
@@ -66,6 +66,7 @@ export enum StatusOfTestrun {
   Idle = 'Idle',
   Monitoring = 'Monitoring',
   Error = 'Error',
+  Validating = 'Validating Network',
 }
 
 export enum StatusOfTestResult {
diff --git a/modules/ui/src/app/pages/testrun/components/testrun-status-card/testrun-status-card.component.html b/modules/ui/src/app/pages/testrun/components/testrun-status-card/testrun-status-card.component.html
index be4d3b259..9ca1d80b2 100644
--- a/modules/ui/src/app/pages/testrun/components/testrun-status-card/testrun-status-card.component.html
+++ b/modules/ui/src/app/pages/testrun/components/testrun-status-card/testrun-status-card.component.html
@@ -27,6 +27,10 @@
       </p>
     </div>
     <div *ngIf="!data.finished" [ngSwitch]="data.status">
+      <ng-container
+        *ngSwitchCase="StatusOfTestrun.Validating"
+        [ngTemplateOutlet]="Validating">
+      </ng-container>
       <ng-container
         *ngSwitchCase="StatusOfTestrun.WaitingForDevice"
         [ngTemplateOutlet]="WaitingForDevice">
@@ -105,6 +109,12 @@
   </div>
 </ng-template>
 
+<ng-template #Validating>
+  <div>
+    <p class="progress-card-result-title">Validating virtual network</p>
+  </div>
+</ng-template>
+
 <ng-template #Monitoring>
   <div>
     <p class="progress-card-result-title">
diff --git a/modules/ui/src/app/pages/testrun/components/testrun-status-card/testrun-status-card.component.ts b/modules/ui/src/app/pages/testrun/components/testrun-status-card/testrun-status-card.component.ts
index d84b692e1..101591c98 100644
--- a/modules/ui/src/app/pages/testrun/components/testrun-status-card/testrun-status-card.component.ts
+++ b/modules/ui/src/app/pages/testrun/components/testrun-status-card/testrun-status-card.component.ts
@@ -92,7 +92,8 @@ export class TestrunStatusCardComponent {
     return (
       status === StatusOfTestrun.Monitoring ||
       status === StatusOfTestrun.InProgress ||
-      status === StatusOfTestrun.WaitingForDevice
+      status === StatusOfTestrun.WaitingForDevice ||
+      status === StatusOfTestrun.Validating
     );
   }
 
diff --git a/modules/ui/src/app/pages/testrun/testrun.store.spec.ts b/modules/ui/src/app/pages/testrun/testrun.store.spec.ts
index 449ffb408..24ffc6ba2 100644
--- a/modules/ui/src/app/pages/testrun/testrun.store.spec.ts
+++ b/modules/ui/src/app/pages/testrun/testrun.store.spec.ts
@@ -43,6 +43,7 @@ import {
   MOCK_PROGRESS_DATA_IN_PROGRESS_EMPTY,
   MOCK_PROGRESS_DATA_MONITORING,
   MOCK_PROGRESS_DATA_WAITING_FOR_DEVICE,
+  MOCK_PROGRESS_DATA_VALIDATING,
   TEST_DATA_RESULT_WITH_RECOMMENDATIONS,
   TEST_DATA_TABLE_RESULT,
 } from '../../mocks/testrun.mock';
@@ -171,6 +172,21 @@ describe('TestrunStore', () => {
           });
         });
 
+        it('should set value with empty values for status "Validating Network"', done => {
+          const expectedResult = EMPTY_RESULT;
+
+          store.overrideSelector(
+            selectSystemStatus,
+            MOCK_PROGRESS_DATA_VALIDATING
+          );
+          store.refreshState();
+
+          testrunStore.viewModel$.pipe(take(1)).subscribe(store => {
+            expect(store.dataSource).toEqual(expectedResult);
+            done();
+          });
+        });
+
         it('should set value with empty values for status "Cancelled" and empty result', done => {
           const expectedResult = EMPTY_RESULT;
 
diff --git a/modules/ui/src/app/pages/testrun/testrun.store.ts b/modules/ui/src/app/pages/testrun/testrun.store.ts
index 2dc0c19f1..351ec10d1 100644
--- a/modules/ui/src/app/pages/testrun/testrun.store.ts
+++ b/modules/ui/src/app/pages/testrun/testrun.store.ts
@@ -99,6 +99,7 @@ export class TestrunStore extends ComponentStore<TestrunComponentState> {
       // perform some additional actions
       tap(res => {
         if (
+          res?.status === StatusOfTestrun.Validating ||
           res?.status === StatusOfTestrun.WaitingForDevice ||
           res?.status === StatusOfTestrun.Monitoring ||
           (res?.status === StatusOfTestrun.InProgress &&
@@ -119,6 +120,7 @@ export class TestrunStore extends ComponentStore<TestrunComponentState> {
       tap(res => {
         const results = (res?.tests as TestsData)?.results || [];
         if (
+          res?.status === StatusOfTestrun.Validating ||
           res?.status === StatusOfTestrun.Monitoring ||
           res?.status === StatusOfTestrun.WaitingForDevice ||
           (res?.status === StatusOfTestrun.Cancelled && !results.length)
@@ -208,7 +210,8 @@ export class TestrunStore extends ComponentStore<TestrunComponentState> {
     return (
       status === StatusOfTestrun.InProgress ||
       status === StatusOfTestrun.WaitingForDevice ||
-      status === StatusOfTestrun.Monitoring
+      status === StatusOfTestrun.Monitoring ||
+      status === StatusOfTestrun.Validating
     );
   }
 
diff --git a/modules/ui/src/app/services/test-run.service.spec.ts b/modules/ui/src/app/services/test-run.service.spec.ts
index 113f72c8f..d50a9e8fc 100644
--- a/modules/ui/src/app/services/test-run.service.spec.ts
+++ b/modules/ui/src/app/services/test-run.service.spec.ts
@@ -366,6 +366,7 @@ describe('TestRunService', () => {
       StatusOfTestrun.InProgress,
       StatusOfTestrun.WaitingForDevice,
       StatusOfTestrun.Monitoring,
+      StatusOfTestrun.Validating,
     ];
 
     const resultsNotInProgress = [
diff --git a/modules/ui/src/app/services/test-run.service.ts b/modules/ui/src/app/services/test-run.service.ts
index c517f7004..d7539d2ab 100644
--- a/modules/ui/src/app/services/test-run.service.ts
+++ b/modules/ui/src/app/services/test-run.service.ts
@@ -192,7 +192,8 @@ export class TestRunService {
     return (
       status === StatusOfTestrun.InProgress ||
       status === StatusOfTestrun.WaitingForDevice ||
-      status === StatusOfTestrun.Monitoring
+      status === StatusOfTestrun.Monitoring ||
+      status === StatusOfTestrun.Validating
     );
   }