diff --git a/manager/controlapi/service.go b/manager/controlapi/service.go
index 656533d970..3eb2788ed4 100644
--- a/manager/controlapi/service.go
+++ b/manager/controlapi/service.go
@@ -149,13 +149,13 @@ func validateEndpointSpec(epSpec *api.EndpointSpec) error {
 		return grpc.Errorf(codes.InvalidArgument, "EndpointSpec: ports can't be used with dnsrr mode")
 	}
 
-	portSet := make(map[api.PortConfig]struct{})
+	portSet := make(map[uint32]struct{})
 	for _, port := range epSpec.Ports {
-		if _, ok := portSet[*port]; ok {
-			return grpc.Errorf(codes.InvalidArgument, "EndpointSpec: duplicate ports provided")
+		if _, ok := portSet[port.PublishedPort]; ok {
+			return grpc.Errorf(codes.InvalidArgument, "EndpointSpec: duplicate published ports provided")
 		}
 
-		portSet[*port] = struct{}{}
+		portSet[port.PublishedPort] = struct{}{}
 	}
 
 	return nil
diff --git a/manager/controlapi/service_test.go b/manager/controlapi/service_test.go
index 8833211110..92c912c631 100644
--- a/manager/controlapi/service_test.go
+++ b/manager/controlapi/service_test.go
@@ -490,14 +490,57 @@ func TestRemoveService(t *testing.T) {
 }
 
 func TestValidateEndpointSpec(t *testing.T) {
-	err := validateEndpointSpec(&api.EndpointSpec{
+	endPointSpec1 := &api.EndpointSpec{
 		Mode: api.ResolutionModeDNSRoundRobin,
 		Ports: []*api.PortConfig{
 			{
-				Name: "http", TargetPort: 80,
+				Name:       "http",
+				TargetPort: 80,
 			},
 		},
-	})
+	}
+
+	endPointSpec2 := &api.EndpointSpec{
+		Mode: api.ResolutionModeVirtualIP,
+		Ports: []*api.PortConfig{
+			{
+				Name:          "http",
+				TargetPort:    81,
+				PublishedPort: 8001,
+			},
+			{
+				Name:          "http",
+				TargetPort:    80,
+				PublishedPort: 8000,
+			},
+		},
+	}
+
+	// has duplicated published port, invalid
+	endPointSpec3 := &api.EndpointSpec{
+		Mode: api.ResolutionModeVirtualIP,
+		Ports: []*api.PortConfig{
+			{
+				Name:          "http",
+				TargetPort:    81,
+				PublishedPort: 8001,
+			},
+			{
+				Name:          "http",
+				TargetPort:    80,
+				PublishedPort: 8001,
+			},
+		},
+	}
+
+	err := validateEndpointSpec(endPointSpec1)
+	assert.Error(t, err)
+	assert.Equal(t, codes.InvalidArgument, grpc.Code(err))
+
+	err = validateEndpointSpec(endPointSpec2)
+	assert.NoError(t, err)
+
+	err = validateEndpointSpec(endPointSpec3)
 	assert.Error(t, err)
 	assert.Equal(t, codes.InvalidArgument, grpc.Code(err))
 }