diff --git a/library/network_connections.py b/library/network_connections.py
index 5102173..6c11c17 100644
--- a/library/network_connections.py
+++ b/library/network_connections.py
@@ -348,7 +348,7 @@ class IfcfgUtil:
                 if (connection["infiniband"]["transport_mode"] == "connected")
                 else "no"
             )
-            if connection["infiniband"]["p_key"] != -1:
+            if connection["infiniband"]["p_key"] is not None:
                 ifcfg["PKEY"] = "yes"
                 ifcfg["PKEY_ID"] = str(connection["infiniband"]["p_key"])
                 if connection["parent"]:
@@ -846,7 +846,7 @@ class NMUtil:
                 NM.SETTING_INFINIBAND_TRANSPORT_MODE,
                 connection["infiniband"]["transport_mode"],
             )
-            if connection["infiniband"]["p_key"] != -1:
+            if connection["infiniband"]["p_key"] is not None:
                 s_infiniband.set_property(
                     NM.SETTING_INFINIBAND_P_KEY, connection["infiniband"]["p_key"]
                 )
@@ -2012,7 +2012,7 @@ class Cmd(object):
                                 "interface exists" % (connection["interface_name"]),
                             )
                         elif connection["type"] == "infiniband":
-                            if connection["infiniband"]["p_key"] == -1:
+                            if connection["infiniband"]["p_key"] is None:
                                 self.log_fatal(
                                     idx,
                                     "profile specifies interface_name '%s' but no such "
diff --git a/module_utils/network_lsr/argument_validator.py b/module_utils/network_lsr/argument_validator.py
index bb5fa0c..5e4e2e9 100644
--- a/module_utils/network_lsr/argument_validator.py
+++ b/module_utils/network_lsr/argument_validator.py
@@ -1561,13 +1561,15 @@ class ArgValidator_DictInfiniband(ArgValidatorDict):
                 ArgValidatorStr(
                     "transport_mode", enum_values=["datagram", "connected"]
                 ),
-                ArgValidatorNum("p_key", val_min=-1, val_max=0xFFFF, default_value=-1),
+                ArgValidatorNum(
+                    "p_key", val_min=-1, val_max=0xFFFF, default_value=None
+                ),
             ],
             default_value=ArgValidator.MISSING,
         )
 
     def get_default_infiniband(self):
-        return {"transport_mode": "datagram", "p_key": -1}
+        return {"transport_mode": "datagram", "p_key": None}
 
 
 class ArgValidator_DictVlan(ArgValidatorDict):
@@ -2090,7 +2092,13 @@ class ArgValidator_DictConnection(ArgValidatorDict):
                         )
                     if result["infiniband"]["transport_mode"] is None:
                         result["infiniband"]["transport_mode"] = "datagram"
-                if result["infiniband"]["p_key"] != -1:
+                # For the compatibility with NetworkManager API and the initial
+                # infiniband support in the role (the user may get used to set the
+                # `p_key` into `-1` to make the connection created on the physical
+                # infiniband interface), normalize the `p_key` setting as follows
+                if result["infiniband"]["p_key"] == -1:
+                    result["infiniband"]["p_key"] = None
+                if result["infiniband"]["p_key"] is not None:
                     if (
                         result["infiniband"]["p_key"] == 0x0000
                         or result["infiniband"]["p_key"] == 0x8000
@@ -2148,7 +2156,7 @@ class ArgValidator_DictConnection(ArgValidatorDict):
                     and (not result.get("match") or not result["match"].get("path"))
                     and not (
                         result["type"] == "infiniband"
-                        and result["infiniband"]["p_key"] != -1
+                        and result["infiniband"]["p_key"] is not None
                     )
                 ):
                     if not Util.ifname_valid(result["name"]):
@@ -2370,7 +2378,7 @@ class ArgValidator_ListConnections(ArgValidatorList):
             )
             or (
                 (connection["type"] == "infiniband")
-                and (connection["infiniband"]["p_key"] != -1)
+                and (connection["infiniband"]["p_key"] is not None)
             )
         ):
             try:
diff --git a/tests/unit/test_network_connections.py b/tests/unit/test_network_connections.py
index 85deabd..161d209 100644
--- a/tests/unit/test_network_connections.py
+++ b/tests/unit/test_network_connections.py
@@ -2199,7 +2199,7 @@ class TestValidator(Python26CompatTestCase):
                     "ethtool": ETHTOOL_DEFAULTS,
                     "force_state_change": None,
                     "ignore_errors": None,
-                    "infiniband": {"p_key": -1, "transport_mode": "datagram"},
+                    "infiniband": {"p_key": None, "transport_mode": "datagram"},
                     "interface_name": None,
                     "ip": {
                         "address": [],
@@ -2357,7 +2357,7 @@ class TestValidator(Python26CompatTestCase):
                     "check_iface_exists": True,
                     "ethtool": ETHTOOL_DEFAULTS,
                     "ignore_errors": None,
-                    "infiniband": {"p_key": -1, "transport_mode": "datagram"},
+                    "infiniband": {"p_key": None, "transport_mode": "datagram"},
                     "interface_name": "ib0",
                     "ip": {
                         "address": [],