diff --git a/server/src/main/java/com/cloud/vm/UserVmManagerImpl.java b/server/src/main/java/com/cloud/vm/UserVmManagerImpl.java
index c1743e74623..bda752ded33 100644
--- a/server/src/main/java/com/cloud/vm/UserVmManagerImpl.java
+++ b/server/src/main/java/com/cloud/vm/UserVmManagerImpl.java
@@ -3011,7 +3011,7 @@ public class UserVmManagerImpl extends ManagerBase implements UserVmManager, Vir
             throw new InvalidParameterValueException("unable to find a virtual machine with id " + vmId);
         }
 
-        if (vm.getState() == State.Destroyed || vm.getState() == State.Expunging) {
+        if ((vm.getState() == State.Destroyed && !expunge) || vm.getState() == State.Expunging) {
             s_logger.debug("Vm id=" + vmId + " is already destroyed");
             return vm;
         }