diff --git a/server/src/com/cloud/vm/UserVmManagerImpl.java b/server/src/com/cloud/vm/UserVmManagerImpl.java
index 103fd0b1343..20f5fdae979 100755
--- a/server/src/com/cloud/vm/UserVmManagerImpl.java
+++ b/server/src/com/cloud/vm/UserVmManagerImpl.java
@@ -3917,6 +3917,18 @@ public class UserVmManagerImpl extends ManagerBase implements UserVmManager, Vir
                             + destinationHost.getResourceState());
         }
 
+        if (vm.getType() != VirtualMachine.Type.User) {
+            // for System VMs check that the destination host is within the same
+            // cluster
+            HostVO srcHost = _hostDao.findById(srcHostId);
+            if (srcHost != null && srcHost.getClusterId() != null && destinationHost.getClusterId() != null) {
+                if (srcHost.getClusterId().longValue() != destinationHost.getClusterId().longValue()) {
+                    throw new InvalidParameterValueException(
+                            "Cannot migrate the VM, destination host is not in the same cluster as current host of the VM");
+                }
+            }
+        }
+
         checkHostsDedication(vm, srcHostId, destinationHost.getId());
 
          // call to core process