diff --git a/pkg/asset/installconfig/platformprovisioncheck.go b/pkg/asset/installconfig/platformprovisioncheck.go
index 9b6133bd7d1..8d34b3b7c5b 100644
--- a/pkg/asset/installconfig/platformprovisioncheck.go
+++ b/pkg/asset/installconfig/platformprovisioncheck.go
@@ -2,8 +2,12 @@ package installconfig
 
 import (
 	"context"
+	"errors"
 	"fmt"
 
+	"k8s.io/apimachinery/pkg/util/sets"
+
+	configv1 "github.com/openshift/api/config/v1"
 	"github.com/openshift/installer/pkg/asset"
 	alibabacloudconfig "github.com/openshift/installer/pkg/asset/installconfig/alibabacloud"
 	awsconfig "github.com/openshift/installer/pkg/asset/installconfig/aws"
@@ -51,6 +55,33 @@ func (a *PlatformProvisionCheck) Generate(dependencies asset.Parents) error {
 	ic := &InstallConfig{}
 	dependencies.Get(ic)
 	platform := ic.Config.Platform.Name()
+
+	// IPI requires MachineAPI capability
+	enabledCaps := sets.NewString()
+	if ic.Config.Capabilities == nil || ic.Config.Capabilities.BaselineCapabilitySet == "" {
+		// when Capabilities and/or BaselineCapabilitySet is not specified, default is vCurrent
+		baseSet := configv1.ClusterVersionCapabilitySets[configv1.ClusterVersionCapabilitySetCurrent]
+		for _, cap := range baseSet {
+			enabledCaps.Insert(string(cap))
+		}
+	}
+	if ic.Config.Capabilities != nil {
+		if ic.Config.Capabilities.BaselineCapabilitySet != "" {
+			baseSet := configv1.ClusterVersionCapabilitySets[ic.Config.Capabilities.BaselineCapabilitySet]
+			for _, cap := range baseSet {
+				enabledCaps.Insert(string(cap))
+			}
+		}
+		if ic.Config.Capabilities.AdditionalEnabledCapabilities != nil {
+			for _, cap := range ic.Config.Capabilities.AdditionalEnabledCapabilities {
+				enabledCaps.Insert(string(cap))
+			}
+		}
+	}
+	if !enabledCaps.Has(string(configv1.ClusterVersionCapabilityMachineAPI)) {
+		return errors.New("IPI requires MachineAPI capability")
+	}
+
 	switch platform {
 	case aws.Name:
 		session, err := ic.AWS.Session(context.TODO())