diff --git a/awx/api/serializers.py b/awx/api/serializers.py
index 62626cd83b..7ca485bd27 100644
--- a/awx/api/serializers.py
+++ b/awx/api/serializers.py
@@ -4877,10 +4877,11 @@ class InstanceSerializer(BaseSerializer):
     percent_capacity_remaining = serializers.SerializerMethodField()
     jobs_running = serializers.IntegerField(help_text=_('Count of jobs in the running or waiting state that are targeted for this instance'), read_only=True)
     jobs_total = serializers.IntegerField(help_text=_('Count of all jobs that target this instance'), read_only=True)
+    ip_address = serializers.IPAddressField(required=False)
 
     class Meta:
         model = Instance
-        read_only_fields = ('uuid', 'hostname', 'version', 'node_type', 'node_state')
+        read_only_fields = ('uuid', 'version')
         fields = (
             "id",
             "type",
@@ -4909,6 +4910,7 @@ class InstanceSerializer(BaseSerializer):
             "managed_by_policy",
             "node_type",
             "node_state",
+            "ip_address",
         )
 
     def get_related(self, obj):
@@ -4923,6 +4925,7 @@ class InstanceSerializer(BaseSerializer):
     def get_summary_fields(self, obj):
         summary = super().get_summary_fields(obj)
 
+        # use this handle to distinguish between a listView and a detailView
         if self.is_detail_view:
             summary['links'] = InstanceLinkSerializer(InstanceLink.objects.select_related('target', 'source').filter(source=obj), many=True).data
 
@@ -4937,10 +4940,30 @@ class InstanceSerializer(BaseSerializer):
         else:
             return float("{0:.2f}".format(((float(obj.capacity) - float(obj.consumed_capacity)) / (float(obj.capacity))) * 100))
 
-    def validate(self, attrs):
-        if self.instance.node_type == 'hop':
-            raise serializers.ValidationError(_('Hop node instances may not be changed.'))
-        return attrs
+    def validate_node_type(self, value):
+        # ensure that new node type is execution node-only
+        if not self.instance:
+            if value not in [Instance.Types.EXECUTION, Instance.Types.HOP]:
+                raise serializers.ValidationError('invalid node_type; can only create execution and hop nodes')
+        else:
+            if self.instance.node_type != value:
+                raise serializers.ValidationError('cannot change node_type')
+
+    def validate_node_state(self, value):
+        if not self.instance:
+            if value not in [Instance.States.PROVISIONING, Instance.States.INSTALLED]:
+                raise serializers.ValidationError('net new execution node creation must be in installed or provisioning node_state')
+        else:
+            if self.instance.node_state != value and value not in [Instance.States.PROVISIONING, Instance.States.INSTALLED, Instance.States.DEPROVISIONING]:
+                raise serializers.ValidationError('modifying an existing instance can only be in provisioning or deprovisoning node_states')
+
+    def validate_peers(self, value):
+        pass
+        # 1- dont wanna remove links between two control plane nodes
+        # 2- can of worms - reversing links
+
+    def validate_instance_group(self, value):
+        pass
 
 
 class InstanceHealthCheckSerializer(BaseSerializer):
diff --git a/awx/api/views/__init__.py b/awx/api/views/__init__.py
index a318f36c54..0b2a1a252e 100644
--- a/awx/api/views/__init__.py
+++ b/awx/api/views/__init__.py
@@ -359,7 +359,7 @@ class DashboardJobsGraphView(APIView):
         return Response(dashboard_data)
 
 
-class InstanceList(ListAPIView):
+class InstanceList(ListCreateAPIView):
 
     name = _("Instances")
     model = models.Instance
diff --git a/awx_collection/test/awx/test_completeness.py b/awx_collection/test/awx/test_completeness.py
index 75e6bff29f..93ddd52fea 100644
--- a/awx_collection/test/awx/test_completeness.py
+++ b/awx_collection/test/awx/test_completeness.py
@@ -78,10 +78,11 @@ no_api_parameter_ok = {
 # When this tool was created we were not feature complete. Adding something in here indicates a module
 # that needs to be developed. If the module is found on the file system it will auto-detect that the
 # work is being done and will bypass this check. At some point this module should be removed from this list.
-needs_development = ['inventory_script']
+needs_development = ['inventory_script', 'instance']
 needs_param_development = {
     'host': ['instance_id'],
     'workflow_approval': ['description', 'execution_environment'],
+    'instances': ['capacity_adjustment', 'enabled', 'hostname', 'ip_address', 'managed_by_policy', 'node_state', 'node_type'],
 }
 # -----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------