diff --git a/docs/release-notes/version-2.11.md b/docs/release-notes/version-2.11.md
index 91a615966..0d3df2a1a 100644
--- a/docs/release-notes/version-2.11.md
+++ b/docs/release-notes/version-2.11.md
@@ -17,7 +17,8 @@
 * [#6640](https://github.com/netbox-community/netbox/issues/6640) - Disallow numeric values in custom text fields
 * [#6652](https://github.com/netbox-community/netbox/issues/6652) - Fix exception when adding components in bulk to multiple devices
 * [#6676](https://github.com/netbox-community/netbox/issues/6676) - Fix device/VM counts per cluster under cluster type/group views
-* [#6680](https://github.com/netbox-community/netbox/issues/6680) - Allow setting custom field values for VM interfaces on intial creation
+* [#6680](https://github.com/netbox-community/netbox/issues/6680) - Allow setting custom field values for VM interfaces on initial creation
+* [#6695](https://github.com/netbox-community/netbox/issues/6695) - Fix exception when importing device type with invalid front port definition
 
 ---
 
diff --git a/netbox/dcim/forms.py b/netbox/dcim/forms.py
index dfe9fb066..5bcf135a1 100644
--- a/netbox/dcim/forms.py
+++ b/netbox/dcim/forms.py
@@ -1878,8 +1878,7 @@ class FrontPortTemplateImportForm(ComponentTemplateImportForm):
     )
     rear_port = forms.ModelChoiceField(
         queryset=RearPortTemplate.objects.all(),
-        to_field_name='name',
-        required=False
+        to_field_name='name'
     )
 
     class Meta:
diff --git a/netbox/dcim/models/device_component_templates.py b/netbox/dcim/models/device_component_templates.py
index d99d6b7c3..9eb7785bf 100644
--- a/netbox/dcim/models/device_component_templates.py
+++ b/netbox/dcim/models/device_component_templates.py
@@ -290,19 +290,24 @@ class FrontPortTemplate(ComponentTemplateModel):
     def clean(self):
         super().clean()
 
-        # Validate rear port assignment
-        if self.rear_port.device_type != self.device_type:
-            raise ValidationError(
-                "Rear port ({}) must belong to the same device type".format(self.rear_port)
-            )
+        try:
 
-        # Validate rear port position assignment
-        if self.rear_port_position > self.rear_port.positions:
-            raise ValidationError(
-                "Invalid rear port position ({}); rear port {} has only {} positions".format(
-                    self.rear_port_position, self.rear_port.name, self.rear_port.positions
+            # Validate rear port assignment
+            if self.rear_port.device_type != self.device_type:
+                raise ValidationError(
+                    "Rear port ({}) must belong to the same device type".format(self.rear_port)
                 )
-            )
+
+            # Validate rear port position assignment
+            if self.rear_port_position > self.rear_port.positions:
+                raise ValidationError(
+                    "Invalid rear port position ({}); rear port {} has only {} positions".format(
+                        self.rear_port_position, self.rear_port.name, self.rear_port.positions
+                    )
+                )
+
+        except RearPortTemplate.DoesNotExist:
+            pass
 
     def instantiate(self, device):
         if self.rear_port: