diff --git a/ipam/allocate.go b/ipam/allocate.go
index ebb30217..e8950e37 100644
--- a/ipam/allocate.go
+++ b/ipam/allocate.go
@@ -59,7 +59,7 @@ func (g *allocate) Try(alloc *Allocator) bool {
 }
 
 func (g *allocate) Cancel() {
-	g.resultChan <- allocateResult{0, fmt.Errorf("Allocate request for %s cancelled", g.ident)}
+	g.resultChan <- allocateResult{0, &errorCancelled{"Allocate", g.ident}}
 }
 
 func (g *allocate) ForContainer(ident string) bool {
diff --git a/ipam/allocator.go b/ipam/allocator.go
index 28f2e449..a55e35c7 100644
--- a/ipam/allocator.go
+++ b/ipam/allocator.go
@@ -184,6 +184,15 @@ func hasBeenCancelled(cancelChan <-chan bool) func() bool {
 	}
 }
 
+type errorCancelled struct {
+	kind  string
+	ident string
+}
+
+func (e *errorCancelled) Error() string {
+	return fmt.Sprintf("%s request for %s cancelled", e.kind, e.ident)
+}
+
 // Actor client API
 
 // Allocate (Sync) - get new IP address for container with given name in range
diff --git a/ipam/claim.go b/ipam/claim.go
index 5e79d7d1..2515afd2 100644
--- a/ipam/claim.go
+++ b/ipam/claim.go
@@ -95,7 +95,7 @@ func (c *claim) deniedBy(alloc *Allocator, owner router.PeerName) {
 }
 
 func (c *claim) Cancel() {
-	c.sendResult(fmt.Errorf("Operation cancelled."))
+	c.sendResult(&errorCancelled{"Claim", c.ident})
 }
 
 func (c *claim) ForContainer(ident string) bool {
diff --git a/ipam/http.go b/ipam/http.go
index a8e62880..40874108 100644
--- a/ipam/http.go
+++ b/ipam/http.go
@@ -33,12 +33,18 @@ func (alloc *Allocator) handleHTTPAllocate(dockerCli *docker.Client, w http.Resp
 	closedChan := w.(http.CloseNotifier).CloseNotify()
 	addr, err := alloc.Allocate(ident, subnet.HostRange(), closedChan)
 	if err != nil {
+		if _, ok := err.(*errorCancelled); ok { // cancellation is not really an error
+			common.Log.Infoln("[allocator]:", err.Error())
+			fmt.Fprint(w, "cancelled")
+			return
+		}
 		badRequest(w, err)
 		return
 	}
 	if checkAlive && dockerCli != nil && dockerCli.IsContainerNotRunning(ident) {
 		common.Log.Infof("[allocator] '%s' is not running: freeing %s", ident, addr)
 		alloc.Free(ident, addr)
+		fmt.Fprint(w, "cancelled")
 		return
 	}
 
diff --git a/weave b/weave
index f3220ff2..4b132a4e 100755
--- a/weave
+++ b/weave
@@ -919,6 +919,8 @@ ipam_cidrs() {
         if [ "$IPAM_CIDRS" = "404 page not found" ] ; then
             echo "No IP address supplied (use the -iprange option on 'weave launch' to enable IP address allocation)" >&2
             return 1
+        elif [ "$IPAM_CIDRS" = "cancelled" ] ; then
+            return 0
         fi
         ALL_CIDRS="$IPAM_CIDRS"
     fi
@@ -933,8 +935,9 @@ ipam_cidrs() {
             if [ "$CIDR" = "404 page not found" ] ; then
                 echo "IP address allocation must be enabled to use 'net:'" >&2
                 return 1
-            fi
-            if ! is_cidr "$CIDR" ; then
+            elif [ "$CIDR" = "cancelled" ] ; then
+                return 0
+            elif ! is_cidr "$CIDR" ; then
                 echo "$CIDR" >&2
                 return 1
             fi
@@ -1486,6 +1489,10 @@ case "$COMMAND" in
         CONTAINER=$(container_id $1)
         create_bridge
         ipam_cidrs$ATTACH_TYPE $CONTAINER $CIDR_ARGS
+        if [ "$IPAM_CIDRS" = "cancelled" ] ; then
+            echo "cancelled" >&2
+            exit 0
+        fi
         if [ -n "$REWRITE_HOSTS" ] && command_exists weavehosts ; then
             PATH_AND_NAME=$(docker inspect -f '{{.HostsPath}} {{.Config.Hostname}}' $CONTAINER)
             weavehosts $PATH_AND_NAME $ALL_CIDRS