diff --git a/manager/controlapi/service.go b/manager/controlapi/service.go
index 1731205d23..d484ced37e 100644
--- a/manager/controlapi/service.go
+++ b/manager/controlapi/service.go
@@ -165,6 +165,12 @@ func validateEndpointSpec(epSpec *api.EndpointSpec) error {
 
 	portSet := make(map[portSpec]struct{})
 	for _, port := range epSpec.Ports {
+		// If published port is not specified, it does not conflict
+		// with any others.
+		if port.PublishedPort == 0 {
+			continue
+		}
+
 		portSpec := portSpec{publishedPort: port.PublishedPort, protocol: port.Protocol}
 		if _, ok := portSet[portSpec]; ok {
 			return grpc.Errorf(codes.InvalidArgument, "EndpointSpec: duplicate published ports provided")
diff --git a/manager/controlapi/service_test.go b/manager/controlapi/service_test.go
index 40add8a5a7..fadcc30602 100644
--- a/manager/controlapi/service_test.go
+++ b/manager/controlapi/service_test.go
@@ -576,6 +576,47 @@ func TestValidateEndpointSpec(t *testing.T) {
 		},
 	}
 
+	// duplicated published port but different protocols, valid
+	endPointSpec4 := &api.EndpointSpec{
+		Mode: api.ResolutionModeVirtualIP,
+		Ports: []*api.PortConfig{
+			{
+				Name:          "dns",
+				TargetPort:    53,
+				PublishedPort: 8002,
+				Protocol:      api.ProtocolTCP,
+			},
+			{
+				Name:          "dns",
+				TargetPort:    53,
+				PublishedPort: 8002,
+				Protocol:      api.ProtocolUDP,
+			},
+		},
+	}
+
+	// multiple randomly assigned published ports
+	endPointSpec5 := &api.EndpointSpec{
+		Mode: api.ResolutionModeVirtualIP,
+		Ports: []*api.PortConfig{
+			{
+				Name:       "http",
+				TargetPort: 80,
+				Protocol:   api.ProtocolTCP,
+			},
+			{
+				Name:       "dns",
+				TargetPort: 53,
+				Protocol:   api.ProtocolUDP,
+			},
+			{
+				Name:       "dns",
+				TargetPort: 53,
+				Protocol:   api.ProtocolTCP,
+			},
+		},
+	}
+
 	err := validateEndpointSpec(endPointSpec1)
 	assert.Error(t, err)
 	assert.Equal(t, codes.InvalidArgument, grpc.Code(err))
@@ -586,6 +627,12 @@ func TestValidateEndpointSpec(t *testing.T) {
 	err = validateEndpointSpec(endPointSpec3)
 	assert.Error(t, err)
 	assert.Equal(t, codes.InvalidArgument, grpc.Code(err))
+
+	err = validateEndpointSpec(endPointSpec4)
+	assert.NoError(t, err)
+
+	err = validateEndpointSpec(endPointSpec5)
+	assert.NoError(t, err)
 }
 
 func TestServiceEndpointSpecUpdate(t *testing.T) {