diff --git a/pkg/controller/plan/kubevirt.go b/pkg/controller/plan/kubevirt.go
index 0d5be1f30..74dfd8317 100644
--- a/pkg/controller/plan/kubevirt.go
+++ b/pkg/controller/plan/kubevirt.go
@@ -2,11 +2,13 @@ package plan
 
 import (
 	"context"
+	"encoding/json"
 	"encoding/xml"
 	"errors"
 	"fmt"
 	"io"
 	"math/rand"
+	"net"
 	"net/http"
 	"os"
 	"path"
@@ -15,6 +17,7 @@ import (
 	"strings"
 	"time"
 
+	k8snet "github.com/k8snetworkplumbingwg/network-attachment-definition-client/pkg/apis/k8s.cni.cncf.io/v1"
 	planbase "github.com/konveyor/forklift-controller/pkg/controller/plan/adapter/base"
 	"github.com/konveyor/forklift-controller/pkg/controller/plan/util"
 	"github.com/konveyor/forklift-controller/pkg/controller/provider/web"
@@ -53,8 +56,15 @@ import (
 
 // Annotations
 const (
+	// Legacy transfer network annotation (value=network-attachment-definition name)
+	// FIXME: this should be phased out and replaced with the
+	// k8s.v1.cni.cncf.io/networks annotation.
+	AnnLegacyTransferNetwork = "v1.multus-cni.io/default-network"
 	// Transfer network annotation (value=network-attachment-definition name)
 	AnnTransferNetwork = "k8s.v1.cni.cncf.io/networks"
+	// Annotation to specify the default route for the transfer network.
+	// To be set on the transfer network NAD by the end user.
+	AnnForkliftNetworkRoute = "forklift.konveyor.io/route"
 	// Contains validations for a Kubevirt VM. Needs to be removed when
 	// creating a VM from a template.
 	AnnKubevirtValidations = "vm.kubevirt.io/validations"
@@ -1227,9 +1237,12 @@ func (r *KubeVirt) dataVolumes(vm *plan.VMStatus, secret *core.Secret, configMap
 		annotations[planbase.AnnRetainAfterCompletion] = "true"
 	}
 	if r.Plan.Spec.TransferNetwork != nil {
-		annotations[AnnTransferNetwork] = path.Join(
-			r.Plan.Spec.TransferNetwork.Namespace, r.Plan.Spec.TransferNetwork.Name)
+		err = r.setTransferNetwork(annotations)
+		if err != nil {
+			return
+		}
 	}
+
 	if r.Plan.Spec.Warm || !r.Destination.Provider.IsHost() || r.Plan.IsSourceProviderOCP() {
 		// Set annotation for WFFC storage classes. Note that we create data volumes while
 		// running a cold migration to the local cluster only when the source is either OpenShift
@@ -1757,8 +1770,10 @@ func (r *KubeVirt) guestConversionPod(vm *plan.VMStatus, vmVolumes []cnv.Volume,
 	// pod annotations
 	annotations := map[string]string{}
 	if r.Plan.Spec.TransferNetwork != nil {
-		annotations[AnnTransferNetwork] = path.Join(
-			r.Plan.Spec.TransferNetwork.Namespace, r.Plan.Spec.TransferNetwork.Name)
+		err = r.setTransferNetwork(annotations)
+		if err != nil {
+			return
+		}
 	}
 	// pod
 	pod = &core.Pod{
@@ -2351,6 +2366,52 @@ func (r *KubeVirt) vmAllButMigrationLabels(vmRef ref.Ref) (labels map[string]str
 	return
 }
 
+// setTransferNetwork sets the transfer network annotation on the DataVolume so
+// that it can be used by the importer pod. If the `forklift.konveyor.io/route` annotation
+// is present on the referenced NAD, then it will be used with the `k8s.v1.cni.cncf.io/networks` annotation
+// to set the default route. If not, this will fall back to setting the `v1.multus-cni.io/default-network` annotation
+// with the namespaced name of the NAD.
+// FIXME: the codepath using the multus annotation should be phased out.
+func (r *KubeVirt) setTransferNetwork(annotations map[string]string) (err error) {
+	key := client.ObjectKey{
+		Namespace: r.Plan.Spec.TransferNetwork.Namespace,
+		Name:      r.Plan.Spec.TransferNetwork.Name,
+	}
+	netAttachDef := &k8snet.NetworkAttachmentDefinition{}
+	err = r.Get(context.TODO(), key, netAttachDef)
+	if err != nil {
+		err = liberr.Wrap(err)
+		return
+	}
+
+	route, found := netAttachDef.Annotations[AnnForkliftNetworkRoute]
+	if found {
+		nse := k8snet.NetworkSelectionElement{
+			Namespace: key.Namespace,
+			Name:      key.Name,
+		}
+		ip := net.ParseIP(route)
+		if ip != nil {
+			nse.GatewayRequest = []net.IP{ip}
+		} else {
+			err = liberr.New(
+				"Transfer network default route annotation is not a valid IP address.",
+				"route", route)
+			return
+		}
+		transferNetwork, jErr := json.Marshal([]k8snet.NetworkSelectionElement{nse})
+		if jErr != nil {
+			err = liberr.Wrap(jErr)
+			return
+		}
+		annotations[AnnTransferNetwork] = string(transferNetwork)
+	} else {
+		annotations[AnnLegacyTransferNetwork] = path.Join(key.Namespace, key.Name)
+	}
+
+	return
+}
+
 // Represents a CDI DataVolume, its associated PVC, and added behavior.
 type ExtendedDataVolume struct {
 	*cdi.DataVolume
diff --git a/pkg/controller/plan/validation.go b/pkg/controller/plan/validation.go
index 49dd1a71f..cbdb61dec 100644
--- a/pkg/controller/plan/validation.go
+++ b/pkg/controller/plan/validation.go
@@ -6,10 +6,11 @@ import (
 	"encoding/hex"
 	"errors"
 	"fmt"
+	"net"
 	"path"
 	"strconv"
 
-	net "github.com/k8snetworkplumbingwg/network-attachment-definition-client/pkg/apis/k8s.cni.cncf.io/v1"
+	k8snet "github.com/k8snetworkplumbingwg/network-attachment-definition-client/pkg/apis/k8s.cni.cncf.io/v1"
 	api "github.com/konveyor/forklift-controller/pkg/apis/forklift/v1beta1"
 	refapi "github.com/konveyor/forklift-controller/pkg/apis/forklift/v1beta1/ref"
 	"github.com/konveyor/forklift-controller/pkg/controller/plan/adapter"
@@ -640,11 +641,18 @@ func (r *Reconciler) validateTransferNetwork(plan *api.Plan) (err error) {
 		Reason:   NotFound,
 		Message:  "Transfer network is not valid.",
 	}
+	notValid := libcnd.Condition{
+		Type:     TransferNetNotValid,
+		Status:   True,
+		Category: Critical,
+		Reason:   NotValid,
+		Message:  "Transfer network default route annotation is not a valid IP address.",
+	}
 	key := client.ObjectKey{
 		Namespace: plan.Spec.TransferNetwork.Namespace,
 		Name:      plan.Spec.TransferNetwork.Name,
 	}
-	netAttachDef := &net.NetworkAttachmentDefinition{}
+	netAttachDef := &k8snet.NetworkAttachmentDefinition{}
 	err = r.Get(context.TODO(), key, netAttachDef)
 	if k8serr.IsNotFound(err) {
 		err = nil
@@ -653,6 +661,15 @@ func (r *Reconciler) validateTransferNetwork(plan *api.Plan) (err error) {
 	}
 	if err != nil {
 		err = liberr.Wrap(err)
+		return
+	}
+	route, found := netAttachDef.Annotations[AnnForkliftNetworkRoute]
+	if !found {
+		return
+	}
+	ip := net.ParseIP(route)
+	if ip == nil {
+		plan.Status.SetCondition(notValid)
 	}
 
 	return