diff --git a/moto/ec2/models.py b/moto/ec2/models.py
index 901014b4d..e22ccb7d2 100644
--- a/moto/ec2/models.py
+++ b/moto/ec2/models.py
@@ -602,7 +602,6 @@ class Instance(TaggedEC2Resource, BotoInstance, CloudFormationModel):
         self.instance_type = kwargs.get("instance_type", "m1.small")
         self.region_name = kwargs.get("region_name", "us-east-1")
         placement = kwargs.get("placement", None)
-        self.vpc_id = None
         self.subnet_id = kwargs.get("subnet_id")
         in_ec2_classic = not bool(self.subnet_id)
         self.key_name = kwargs.get("key_name")
@@ -646,7 +645,6 @@ class Instance(TaggedEC2Resource, BotoInstance, CloudFormationModel):
 
         if self.subnet_id:
             subnet = ec2_backend.get_subnet(self.subnet_id)
-            self.vpc_id = subnet.vpc_id
             self._placement.zone = subnet.availability_zone
 
             if self.associate_public_ip is None:
@@ -666,6 +664,15 @@ class Instance(TaggedEC2Resource, BotoInstance, CloudFormationModel):
             associate_public_ip=self.associate_public_ip,
         )
 
+    @property
+    def vpc_id(self):
+        if self.subnet_id:
+            subnet = self.ec2_backend.get_subnet(self.subnet_id)
+            return subnet.vpc_id
+        if self.nics and 0 in self.nics:
+            return self.nics[0].subnet.vpc_id
+        return None
+
     def __del__(self):
         try:
             subnet = self.ec2_backend.get_subnet(self.subnet_id)
diff --git a/moto/packages/boto/ec2/instance.py b/moto/packages/boto/ec2/instance.py
index 38da9b9f6..0bda6691f 100644
--- a/moto/packages/boto/ec2/instance.py
+++ b/moto/packages/boto/ec2/instance.py
@@ -178,7 +178,6 @@ class Instance(TaggedEC2Object):
         self.spot_instance_request_id = None
         self.subnet_id = None
         self.lifecycle = None
-        self.vpc_id = None
         self.private_ip_address = None
         self.ip_address = None
         self.requester_id = None
diff --git a/tests/test_ec2/test_instances.py b/tests/test_ec2/test_instances.py
index 471321193..9e84e389a 100644
--- a/tests/test_ec2/test_instances.py
+++ b/tests/test_ec2/test_instances.py
@@ -3107,6 +3107,30 @@ def test_describe_instances_dryrun():
     )
 
 
+@mock_ec2
+def test_describe_instances_filter_vpcid_via_networkinterface():
+    vpc_cidr_block = "10.26.0.0/16"
+    subnet_cidr_block = "10.26.1.0/24"
+    ec2 = boto3.resource("ec2", region_name="eu-west-1")
+    vpc = ec2.create_vpc(CidrBlock=vpc_cidr_block)
+    subnet = ec2.create_subnet(
+        VpcId=vpc.id, CidrBlock=subnet_cidr_block, AvailabilityZone="eu-west-1a"
+    )
+    my_interface = {
+        "SubnetId": subnet.id,
+        "DeviceIndex": 0,
+        "PrivateIpAddresses": [{"Primary": True, "PrivateIpAddress": "10.26.1.3"},],
+    }
+    instance = ec2.create_instances(
+        ImageId="myami", NetworkInterfaces=[my_interface], MinCount=1, MaxCount=1
+    )[0]
+
+    _filter = [{"Name": "vpc-id", "Values": [vpc.id,]}]
+    found = list(ec2.instances.filter(Filters=_filter))
+    found.should.have.length_of(1)
+    found.should.equal([instance])
+
+
 def retrieve_all_reservations(client, filters=[]):  # pylint: disable=W0102
     resp = client.describe_instances(Filters=filters)
     all_reservations = resp["Reservations"]