diff --git a/ceilometer/api/app.py b/ceilometer/api/app.py
index 896ed7916..9dedac545 100644
--- a/ceilometer/api/app.py
+++ b/ceilometer/api/app.py
@@ -18,8 +18,10 @@
 
 import logging
 import os
+import socket
 from wsgiref import simple_server
 
+import netaddr
 from oslo.config import cfg
 import pecan
 
@@ -106,6 +108,20 @@ class VersionSelectorApplication(object):
         return self.v2(environ, start_response)
 
 
+def get_server_cls(host):
+    """Return an appropriate WSGI server class base on provided host
+
+    :param host: The listen host for the ceilometer API server.
+    """
+    server_cls = simple_server.WSGIServer
+    if netaddr.valid_ipv6(host):
+        # NOTE(dzyu) make sure use IPv6 sockets if host is in IPv6 pattern
+        if getattr(server_cls, 'address_family') == socket.AF_INET:
+            class server_cls(server_cls):
+                address_family = socket.AF_INET6
+    return server_cls
+
+
 def start():
     service.prepare_service()
 
@@ -114,7 +130,8 @@ def start():
 
     # Create the WSGI server and start it
     host, port = cfg.CONF.api.host, cfg.CONF.api.port
-    srv = simple_server.make_server(host, port, root)
+    server_cls = get_server_cls(host)
+    srv = simple_server.make_server(host, port, root, server_cls)
 
     LOG.info(_('Starting server in PID %s') % os.getpid())
     LOG.info(_("Configuration:"))
diff --git a/ceilometer/tests/api/test_app.py b/ceilometer/tests/api/test_app.py
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..b7d9b5eb1
--- /dev/null
+++ b/ceilometer/tests/api/test_app.py
@@ -0,0 +1,44 @@
+# vim: tabstop=4 shiftwidth=4 softtabstop=4
+
+# Copyright 2014 IBM Corp.
+# All Rights Reserved.
+#
+#    Licensed under the Apache License, Version 2.0 (the "License"); you may
+#    not use this file except in compliance with the License. You may obtain
+#    a copy of the License at
+#
+#         http://www.apache.org/licenses/LICENSE-2.0
+#
+#    Unless required by applicable law or agreed to in writing, software
+#    distributed under the License is distributed on an "AS IS" BASIS, WITHOUT
+#    WARRANTIES OR CONDITIONS OF ANY KIND, either express or implied. See the
+#    License for the specific language governing permissions and limitations
+#    under the License.
+
+import socket
+
+from oslo.config import cfg
+
+from ceilometer.api import app
+from ceilometer.openstack.common.fixture import config
+from ceilometer.tests import base
+
+
+class TestApp(base.BaseTestCase):
+
+    def setUp(self):
+        super(TestApp, self).setUp()
+        self.CONF = self.useFixture(config.Config()).conf
+
+    def test_WSGI_address_family(self):
+        self.CONF.set_override('host', '::', group='api')
+        server_cls = app.get_server_cls(cfg.CONF.api.host)
+        self.assertEqual(server_cls.address_family, socket.AF_INET6)
+
+        self.CONF.set_override('host', '127.0.0.1', group='api')
+        server_cls = app.get_server_cls(cfg.CONF.api.host)
+        self.assertEqual(server_cls.address_family, socket.AF_INET)
+
+        self.CONF.set_override('host', 'ddddd', group='api')
+        server_cls = app.get_server_cls(cfg.CONF.api.host)
+        self.assertEqual(server_cls.address_family, socket.AF_INET)
diff --git a/requirements.txt b/requirements.txt
index 7b6c237fc..162e994be 100644
--- a/requirements.txt
+++ b/requirements.txt
@@ -12,6 +12,7 @@ kombu>=2.4.8
 lockfile>=0.8
 lxml>=2.3
 msgpack-python
+netaddr>=0.7.6
 oslo.config>=1.2.0
 oslo.vmware
 pbr>=0.6,<1.0