diff --git a/server/src/com/cloud/api/ApiResponseHelper.java b/server/src/com/cloud/api/ApiResponseHelper.java
index b441203afea..e8baf8d2065 100644
--- a/server/src/com/cloud/api/ApiResponseHelper.java
+++ b/server/src/com/cloud/api/ApiResponseHelper.java
@@ -739,7 +739,7 @@ public class ApiResponseHelper implements ResponseGenerator {
         volResponse.setDeviceId(volume.getDeviceId());
 
         Long instanceId = volume.getInstanceId();
-        if (instanceId != null) {
+        if (instanceId != null && volume.getState() != Volume.State.Destroy) {
             VMInstanceVO vm = ApiDBUtils.findVMInstanceById(instanceId);
             volResponse.setVirtualMachineId(vm.getId());
             volResponse.setVirtualMachineName(vm.getName());
diff --git a/server/src/com/cloud/consoleproxy/ConsoleProxyManagerImpl.java b/server/src/com/cloud/consoleproxy/ConsoleProxyManagerImpl.java
index 57c2032bb19..4e3ad207872 100644
--- a/server/src/com/cloud/consoleproxy/ConsoleProxyManagerImpl.java
+++ b/server/src/com/cloud/consoleproxy/ConsoleProxyManagerImpl.java
@@ -562,6 +562,9 @@ public class ConsoleProxyManagerImpl implements ConsoleProxyManager, ConsoleProx
         ConsoleProxyVO proxy = _consoleProxyDao.findById(proxyVmId);
         Account systemAcct = _accountMgr.getSystemAccount();
         User systemUser = _accountMgr.getSystemUser();
+        if (proxy.getState() == VirtualMachine.State.Running) {
+            return proxy;
+        }
         return _itMgr.start(proxy, null, systemUser, systemAcct);
     }
 
diff --git a/server/src/com/cloud/storage/StorageManagerImpl.java b/server/src/com/cloud/storage/StorageManagerImpl.java
index 1d6a35a38ed..254844457bb 100755
--- a/server/src/com/cloud/storage/StorageManagerImpl.java
+++ b/server/src/com/cloud/storage/StorageManagerImpl.java
@@ -2723,8 +2723,10 @@ public class StorageManagerImpl implements StorageManager, StorageService, Manag
         }
         String vmName = null;
         if (vol.getVolumeType() == VolumeType.ROOT && vol.getInstanceId() != null) {
-            VirtualMachine vm = _vmInstanceDao.findById(vol.getInstanceId());
-            vmName = vm.getInstanceName();
+            VirtualMachine vm = _vmInstanceDao.findByIdIncludingRemoved(vol.getInstanceId());
+            if (vm != null) {
+                vmName = vm.getInstanceName();
+            }
         }
         
         String volumePath = vol.getPath();
diff --git a/server/src/com/cloud/vm/VirtualMachineManagerImpl.java b/server/src/com/cloud/vm/VirtualMachineManagerImpl.java
index d583832e272..54cfe63342f 100644
--- a/server/src/com/cloud/vm/VirtualMachineManagerImpl.java
+++ b/server/src/com/cloud/vm/VirtualMachineManagerImpl.java
@@ -461,7 +461,7 @@ public class VirtualMachineManagerImpl implements VirtualMachineManager {
         while (retry-- != 0) {
             Transaction txn = Transaction.currentTxn();
             txn.start();
-            if (_vmDao.updateIf(vm, Event.StartRequested, null, work.getId())) {
+            if (stateTransitTo(vm, Event.StartRequested, null, work.getId())) {
                 
                 Journal journal = new Journal.LogJournal("Creating " + vm, s_logger);
                 work = _workDao.persist(work);
@@ -470,6 +470,7 @@ public class VirtualMachineManagerImpl implements VirtualMachineManager {
                 if (s_logger.isDebugEnabled()) {
                     s_logger.debug("Successfully transitioned to start state for " + vm + " reservation id = " + work.getId());
                 }
+                txn.commit();
                 return new Ternary<T, ReservationContext, ItWorkVO>(vmGuru.findById(vmId), context, work);
             }
             
@@ -477,35 +478,32 @@ public class VirtualMachineManagerImpl implements VirtualMachineManager {
                 s_logger.debug("Determining why we're unable to update the state to Starting for " + vm);
             } 
             
-            try {
-                VMInstanceVO instance = _vmDao.lockRow(vmId, true);
-                if (instance == null) {
-                    throw new ConcurrentOperationException("Unable to acquire lock on " + vm);
+            VMInstanceVO instance = _vmDao.lockRow(vmId, true);
+            if (instance == null) {
+                throw new ConcurrentOperationException("Unable to acquire lock on " + vm);
+            }
+            
+            State state = instance.getState();
+            if (state == State.Running) {
+                if (s_logger.isDebugEnabled()) {
+                    s_logger.debug("VM is already started: " + vm);
                 }
-                
-                State state = instance.getState();
-                if (state == State.Running) {
-                    if (s_logger.isDebugEnabled()) {
-                        s_logger.debug("VM is already started: " + vm);
-                    }
-                    return null;
-                }
-                
-                if (state.isTransitional()) {
-                    if (!checkWorkItems(vm, state)) {
-                        throw new ConcurrentOperationException("There are concurrent operations on the VM " + vm);
-                    } else {
-                        continue;
-                    }
-                }
-                
-                if (state != State.Stopped) {
-                    s_logger.debug("VM " + vm + " is not in a state to be started: " + state);
-                    return null;
-                }
-                
-            } finally {
                 txn.commit();
+                return null;
+            }
+            
+            if (state.isTransitional()) {
+                if (!checkWorkItems(vm, state)) {
+                    throw new ConcurrentOperationException("There are concurrent operations on the VM " + vm);
+                } else {
+                    continue;
+                }
+            }
+            
+            if (state != State.Stopped) {
+                s_logger.debug("VM " + vm + " is not in a state to be started: " + state);
+                txn.commit();
+                return null;
             }
         }