diff --git a/cni/azure-windows-swift-overlay-dualstack.conflist b/cni/azure-windows-swift-overlay-dualstack.conflist
index cd5003c8d1..4b4e06e594 100644
--- a/cni/azure-windows-swift-overlay-dualstack.conflist
+++ b/cni/azure-windows-swift-overlay-dualstack.conflist
@@ -5,7 +5,6 @@
     "plugins": [
         {
             "type": "azure-vnet",
-            "mode": "bridge",
             "bridge": "azure0",
             "capabilities": {
                 "portMappings": true,
diff --git a/cni/azure-windows-swift-overlay.conflist b/cni/azure-windows-swift-overlay.conflist
index cd5003c8d1..4b4e06e594 100644
--- a/cni/azure-windows-swift-overlay.conflist
+++ b/cni/azure-windows-swift-overlay.conflist
@@ -5,7 +5,6 @@
     "plugins": [
         {
             "type": "azure-vnet",
-            "mode": "bridge",
             "bridge": "azure0",
             "capabilities": {
                 "portMappings": true,
diff --git a/cni/azure-windows-swift.conflist b/cni/azure-windows-swift.conflist
index 8f9fafee37..962a9cab69 100644
--- a/cni/azure-windows-swift.conflist
+++ b/cni/azure-windows-swift.conflist
@@ -5,7 +5,6 @@
     "plugins": [
         {
             "type": "azure-vnet",
-            "mode": "bridge",
             "bridge": "azure0",
             "executionMode": "v4swift",
             "capabilities": {
diff --git a/cns/hnsclient/hnsclient_windows.go b/cns/hnsclient/hnsclient_windows.go
index 58bf884b74..991e2c4908 100644
--- a/cns/hnsclient/hnsclient_windows.go
+++ b/cns/hnsclient/hnsclient_windows.go
@@ -30,7 +30,6 @@ const (
 
 	// HNS network types
 	hnsL2Bridge = "l2bridge"
-	hnsL2Tunnel = "l2tunnel"
 
 	// hcnSchemaVersionMajor indicates major version number for hcn schema
 	hcnSchemaVersionMajor = 2
@@ -145,7 +144,7 @@ func CreateDefaultExtNetwork(networkType string) error {
 		return nil
 	}
 
-	if networkType != hnsL2Bridge && networkType != hnsL2Tunnel {
+	if networkType != hnsL2Bridge {
 		return fmt.Errorf("Invalid hns network type %s", networkType)
 	}
 
diff --git a/cns/service/main.go b/cns/service/main.go
index 20050c9a9b..f05b6df71a 100644
--- a/cns/service/main.go
+++ b/cns/service/main.go
@@ -244,7 +244,7 @@ var args = acn.ArgumentList{
 	{
 		Name:         acn.OptCreateDefaultExtNetworkType,
 		Shorthand:    acn.OptCreateDefaultExtNetworkTypeAlias,
-		Description:  "Create default external network for windows platform with the specified type (l2bridge or l2tunnel)",
+		Description:  "Create default external network for windows platform with the specified type (l2bridge)",
 		Type:         "string",
 		DefaultValue: "",
 	},
diff --git a/network/network_windows.go b/network/network_windows.go
index 4d870827ca..ecd01149e2 100644
--- a/network/network_windows.go
+++ b/network/network_windows.go
@@ -24,7 +24,6 @@ import (
 const (
 	// HNS network types.
 	hnsL2bridge            = "l2bridge"
-	hnsL2tunnel            = "l2tunnel"
 	CnetAddressSpace       = "cnetAddressSpace"
 	vEthernetAdapterPrefix = "vEthernet"
 	baseDecimal            = 10
@@ -113,6 +112,7 @@ func (nm *networkManager) newNetworkImplHnsV1(nwInfo *EndpointInfo, extIf *exter
 	// Initialize HNS network.
 	hnsNetwork := &hcsshim.HNSNetwork{
 		Name:               nwInfo.NetworkID,
+		Type:               hnsL2bridge,
 		NetworkAdapterName: networkAdapterName,
 		Policies:           policy.SerializePolicies(policy.NetworkPolicy, nwInfo.NetworkPolicies, nil, false, false),
 	}
@@ -132,16 +132,6 @@ func (nm *networkManager) newNetworkImplHnsV1(nwInfo *EndpointInfo, extIf *exter
 		vlanid = (int)(vlanPolicy.VLAN)
 	}
 
-	// Set network mode.
-	switch nwInfo.Mode {
-	case opModeBridge:
-		hnsNetwork.Type = hnsL2bridge
-	case opModeTunnel:
-		hnsNetwork.Type = hnsL2tunnel
-	default:
-		return nil, errNetworkModeInvalid
-	}
-
 	// Populate subnets.
 	for _, subnet := range nwInfo.Subnets {
 		hnsSubnet := hcsshim.Subnet{
@@ -233,6 +223,7 @@ func (nm *networkManager) configureHcnNetwork(nwInfo *EndpointInfo, extIf *exter
 	// Initialize HNS network.
 	hcnNetwork := &hcn.HostComputeNetwork{
 		Name: nwInfo.NetworkID,
+		Type: hcn.L2Bridge
 		Ipams: []hcn.Ipam{
 			{
 				Type: hcnIpamTypeStatic,
@@ -287,16 +278,6 @@ func (nm *networkManager) configureHcnNetwork(nwInfo *EndpointInfo, extIf *exter
 		vlanid = (int)(vlanID)
 	}
 
-	// Set network mode.
-	switch nwInfo.Mode {
-	case opModeBridge:
-		hcnNetwork.Type = hcn.L2Bridge
-	case opModeTunnel:
-		hcnNetwork.Type = hcn.L2Tunnel
-	default:
-		return nil, errNetworkModeInvalid
-	}
-
 	// AccelnetNIC flag: hcn.EnableIov(9216) - treat Delegated/FrontendNIC also the same as Accelnet
 	// For L1VH with accelnet, hcn.DisableHostPort and hcn.EnableIov must be configured
 	if nwInfo.NICType == cns.NodeNetworkInterfaceFrontendNIC {