diff --git a/server/src/com/cloud/storage/StorageManagerImpl.java b/server/src/com/cloud/storage/StorageManagerImpl.java
index 03d8908e92f..8b22a4ec6c1 100755
--- a/server/src/com/cloud/storage/StorageManagerImpl.java
+++ b/server/src/com/cloud/storage/StorageManagerImpl.java
@@ -1824,7 +1824,9 @@ public class StorageManagerImpl implements StorageManager, StorageService, Manag
         if (hostIdsToAvoid != null) {
             hostIds.removeAll(hostIdsToAvoid);
         }
-
+        if ( hostIds == null || hostIds.isEmpty() ) {
+            throw new StorageUnavailableException("Unable to send command to the pool " + pool.getId() + " due to there is no hosts up in this cluster", pool.getId() );
+        }
         for (Long hostId : hostIds) {
             try {
                 List<Answer> answers = new ArrayList<Answer>();
diff --git a/server/src/com/cloud/storage/snapshot/SnapshotManagerImpl.java b/server/src/com/cloud/storage/snapshot/SnapshotManagerImpl.java
index 08a7c64cb82..734e5a38cab 100755
--- a/server/src/com/cloud/storage/snapshot/SnapshotManagerImpl.java
+++ b/server/src/com/cloud/storage/snapshot/SnapshotManagerImpl.java
@@ -336,6 +336,7 @@ public class SnapshotManagerImpl implements SnapshotManager, SnapshotService, Ma
         VolumeVO v = _volsDao.findById(volumeId);
         Account owner = _accountMgr.getAccount(v.getAccountId());
         SnapshotVO snapshot = null;
+        VolumeVO volume = null;
         boolean backedUp = false;
         // does the caller have the authority to act on this volume
         checkAccountPermissions(v.getAccountId(), v.getDomainId(), "volume", volumeId);
@@ -380,13 +381,14 @@ public class SnapshotManagerImpl implements SnapshotManager, SnapshotService, Ma
                 }
             }
 
-            VolumeVO volume = _volsDao.acquireInLockTable(volumeId, 10);
+            volume = _volsDao.acquireInLockTable(volumeId, 10);
             if (volume == null) {
                 _snapshotDao.expunge(snapshotId);
                 volume = _volsDao.findById(volumeId);
                 if (volume == null) {
                     throw new CloudRuntimeException("Creating snapshot failed due to volume:" + volumeId + " doesn't exist");
                 } else {
+                    volume = null;
                     throw new CloudRuntimeException("Creating snapshot failed due to volume:" + volumeId + " is being used, try it later ");
                 }
             }
@@ -409,7 +411,7 @@ public class SnapshotManagerImpl implements SnapshotManager, SnapshotService, Ma
             // Cleanup jobs to do after the snapshot has been created; decrement resource count
             if (snapshot != null) {
                 postCreateSnapshot(volumeId, snapshot.getId(), policyId, backedUp);
-                _volsDao.releaseFromLockTable(volumeId);
+
                 if (backedUp) {
                     UsageEventVO usageEvent = new UsageEventVO(EventTypes.EVENT_SNAPSHOT_CREATE, snapshot.getAccountId(), snapshot.getDataCenterId(), snapshotId, snapshot.getName(), null, null,
                             v.getSize());
@@ -417,7 +419,10 @@ public class SnapshotManagerImpl implements SnapshotManager, SnapshotService, Ma
                 }
             } else if (snapshot == null || !backedUp) {
                 _accountMgr.decrementResourceCount(owner.getId(), ResourceType.snapshot);
-
+            }
+            
+            if ( volume != null ) {
+                _volsDao.releaseFromLockTable(volumeId);
             }
         }