diff --git a/nova/compute/manager.py b/nova/compute/manager.py
index bb4af94a6de..504d16da21a 100755
--- a/nova/compute/manager.py
+++ b/nova/compute/manager.py
@@ -3371,7 +3371,7 @@ def _sync_power_states(self, context):
                 vm_instance = self.driver.get_info(db_instance)
                 vm_power_state = vm_instance['state']
             except exception.InstanceNotFound:
-                vm_power_state = power_state.SHUTDOWN
+                vm_power_state = power_state.NOSTATE
             # Note(maoy): the above get_info call might take a long time,
             # for example, because of a broken libvirt driver.
             # We re-query the DB to get the latest instance info to minimize
@@ -3458,6 +3458,12 @@ def _sync_power_states(self, context):
                     # instrumentation is done. See bug 1097806 for details.
                     LOG.warn(_("Instance is paused unexpectedly. Ignore."),
                              instance=db_instance)
+                elif vm_power_state == power_state.NOSTATE:
+                    # Occasionally, depending on the status of the hypervisor,
+                    # which could be restarting for example, an instance may
+                    # not be found.  Therefore just log the condidtion.
+                    LOG.warn(_("Instance is unexpectedly not found. Ignore."),
+                             instance=db_instance)
             elif vm_state == vm_states.STOPPED:
                 if vm_power_state not in (power_state.NOSTATE,
                                           power_state.SHUTDOWN,
diff --git a/nova/tests/compute/test_compute.py b/nova/tests/compute/test_compute.py
index 44283255392..a75ba00ccbc 100644
--- a/nova/tests/compute/test_compute.py
+++ b/nova/tests/compute/test_compute.py
@@ -2776,7 +2776,7 @@ def test_run_kill_vm(self):
         instances = db.instance_get_all(self.context)
         LOG.info(_("After force-killing instances: %s"), instances)
         self.assertEqual(len(instances), 1)
-        self.assertEqual(task_states.POWERING_OFF, instances[0]['task_state'])
+        self.assertEqual(instances[0]['task_state'], None)
 
     def test_add_instance_fault(self):
         instance = self._create_fake_instance()