diff --git a/core/src/com/cloud/hypervisor/xen/resource/CitrixResourceBase.java b/core/src/com/cloud/hypervisor/xen/resource/CitrixResourceBase.java
index bde092d0483..ca47e3f8bf1 100644
--- a/core/src/com/cloud/hypervisor/xen/resource/CitrixResourceBase.java
+++ b/core/src/com/cloud/hypervisor/xen/resource/CitrixResourceBase.java
@@ -3929,12 +3929,7 @@ public abstract class CitrixResourceBase implements StoragePoolResource, ServerR
             } finally {
                 sshConnection.close();
             }
-            try {
-                // wait 2 seconds before call plugin
-                Thread.sleep(2000);
-            } catch (final InterruptedException ex) {
 
-            }
             if (!setIptables()) {
                 s_logger.warn("set xenserver Iptable failed");
             }
diff --git a/core/src/com/cloud/vm/State.java b/core/src/com/cloud/vm/State.java
index f0cc88c9509..c8bbb140f10 100644
--- a/core/src/com/cloud/vm/State.java
+++ b/core/src/com/cloud/vm/State.java
@@ -21,6 +21,7 @@ package com.cloud.vm;
 import java.util.List;
 
 import com.cloud.utils.fsm.StateMachine;
+import com.cloud.vm.VirtualMachine.Event;
 
 public enum State {
     Creating(true),
@@ -95,5 +96,6 @@ public enum State {
     	s_fsm.addTransition(State.Stopping, VirtualMachine.Event.StopRequested, State.Stopping);
     	s_fsm.addTransition(State.Expunging, VirtualMachine.Event.OperationFailed, State.Expunging);
     	s_fsm.addTransition(State.Expunging, VirtualMachine.Event.ExpungeOperation, State.Expunging);
+    	s_fsm.addTransition(State.Error, VirtualMachine.Event.ExpungeOperation, State.Expunging);
     }
 }
diff --git a/server/src/com/cloud/agent/manager/AgentManagerImpl.java b/server/src/com/cloud/agent/manager/AgentManagerImpl.java
index f2d92ac5350..6c2d0cdca7c 100755
--- a/server/src/com/cloud/agent/manager/AgentManagerImpl.java
+++ b/server/src/com/cloud/agent/manager/AgentManagerImpl.java
@@ -910,10 +910,12 @@ public class AgentManagerImpl implements AgentManager, HandlerFactory {
         
         Long dcId = host.getDataCenterId();
         ReadyCommand ready = new ReadyCommand(dcId);
-        Answer answer = easySend(hostId, ready);
+        Answer answer = easySend(hostId, ready);       
         if (answer == null) {
+            // this is tricky part for secondary storage
+            // make it as disconnected, wait for secondary storage VM to be up
+            // return the attache instead of null, even it is disconnectede
             handleDisconnect(attache, Event.AgentDisconnected, false);
-            return null;
         }
         
         _hostDao.updateStatus(host, Event.Ready, _nodeId);
diff --git a/server/src/com/cloud/storage/snapshot/SnapshotManagerImpl.java b/server/src/com/cloud/storage/snapshot/SnapshotManagerImpl.java
index 0debbc65135..4e9eb137894 100644
--- a/server/src/com/cloud/storage/snapshot/SnapshotManagerImpl.java
+++ b/server/src/com/cloud/storage/snapshot/SnapshotManagerImpl.java
@@ -382,41 +382,46 @@ public class SnapshotManagerImpl implements SnapshotManager {
         txn = Transaction.currentTxn();
         txn.start();
         
-        // Update the snapshot in the database
-        if ((answer != null) && answer.getResult()) {
-            // The snapshot was successfully created
-            if( preSnapshotPath != null && preSnapshotPath == answer.getSnapshotPath() ){
-                //empty snapshot
-                s_logger.debug("CreateSnapshot: this is empty snapshot, remove it ");
+        try {
+            // Update the snapshot in the database
+            if ((answer != null) && answer.getResult()) {
+                // The snapshot was successfully created
+                if (preSnapshotPath != null && preSnapshotPath == answer.getSnapshotPath()) {
+                    // empty snapshot
+                    s_logger.debug("CreateSnapshot: this is empty snapshot, remove it ");
+                    // delete from the snapshots table
+                    _snapshotDao.delete(id);
+                    throw new CloudRuntimeException(
+                            " There is no change since last snapshot, please use last snapshot " + preSnapshotPath);
+
+                } else {
+                    createdSnapshot = updateDBOnCreate(id, answer.getSnapshotPath());
+                }
+            } else {
+                String msg = "createSnapshotCommand returns null";
+                if (answer != null) {
+                    msg = answer.getDetails();
+                    s_logger.error(msg);
+                }
                 // delete from the snapshots table
                 _snapshotDao.delete(id);
-                throw new CloudRuntimeException(" There is no change since last snapshot, please use last snapshot " + preSnapshotPath);
-
-            } else {
-            	createdSnapshot = updateDBOnCreate(id, answer.getSnapshotPath());
+                throw new CloudRuntimeException(" CreateSnapshot failed due to " + msg);
             }
-        } else {
-            if (answer != null) {
-                s_logger.error(answer.getDetails());
+
+            // Update async status after snapshot creation and before backup
+            if (asyncExecutor != null) {
+                AsyncJobVO job = asyncExecutor.getJob();
+
+                if (s_logger.isDebugEnabled())
+                    s_logger.debug("CreateSnapshot created a new instance " + id + ", update async job-" + job.getId()
+                            + " progress status");
+
+                _asyncMgr.updateAsyncJobAttachment(job.getId(), "snapshot", id);
+                _asyncMgr.updateAsyncJobStatus(job.getId(), BaseCmd.PROGRESS_INSTANCE_CREATED, id);
             }
-            // The snapshot was not successfully created
-            createdSnapshot = _snapshotDao.findById(id);
-            // delete from the snapshots table
-            _snapshotDao.delete(id);
-            
+        } finally {
+            txn.commit();
         }
-
-        // Update async status after snapshot creation and before backup
-        if(asyncExecutor != null) {
-            AsyncJobVO job = asyncExecutor.getJob();
-
-            if(s_logger.isDebugEnabled())
-                s_logger.debug("CreateSnapshot created a new instance " + id + ", update async job-" + job.getId() + " progress status");
-
-            _asyncMgr.updateAsyncJobAttachment(job.getId(), "snapshot", id);
-            _asyncMgr.updateAsyncJobStatus(job.getId(), BaseCmd.PROGRESS_INSTANCE_CREATED, id);
-        }
-        txn.commit();
         
         return createdSnapshot;
     }
diff --git a/server/src/com/cloud/template/TemplateManagerImpl.java b/server/src/com/cloud/template/TemplateManagerImpl.java
index f4ec7d530e7..db15b644f50 100644
--- a/server/src/com/cloud/template/TemplateManagerImpl.java
+++ b/server/src/com/cloud/template/TemplateManagerImpl.java
@@ -633,6 +633,9 @@ public class TemplateManagerImpl implements TemplateManager {
 		
 		// Check if there are any snapshots for the template in the template host ref's zone
 		List<VolumeVO> volumes = _volumeDao.findByTemplateAndZone(templateId, zoneId);
+		if( volumes.size() > 0 ) {
+		    return false;
+		}
 		for (VolumeVO volume : volumes) {
 			List<SnapshotVO> snapshots = _snapshotDao.listByVolumeId(volume.getId());
 			if (!snapshots.isEmpty()) {