diff --git a/nova/tests/fakelibvirt.py b/nova/tests/fakelibvirt.py
index b933b004ab1..7c9d5b23808 100644
--- a/nova/tests/fakelibvirt.py
+++ b/nova/tests/fakelibvirt.py
@@ -73,6 +73,8 @@ def _reset():
 VIR_DOMAIN_UNDEFINE_MANAGED_SAVE = 1
 
 VIR_DOMAIN_AFFECT_CURRENT = 0
+VIR_DOMAIN_AFFECT_LIVE = 1
+VIR_DOMAIN_AFFECT_CONFIG = 2
 
 VIR_CPU_COMPARE_ERROR = -1
 VIR_CPU_COMPARE_INCOMPATIBLE = 0
@@ -337,7 +339,10 @@ def attachDevice(self, xml):
         self._def['devices']['disks'] += [disk_info]
         return True
 
-    def attachDeviceFlags(self, xml, _flags):
+    def attachDeviceFlags(self, xml, flags):
+        if (flags & VIR_DOMAIN_AFFECT_LIVE and
+            self._state != VIR_DOMAIN_RUNNING):
+            raise libvirtError("AFFECT_LIVE only allowed for running domains!")
         self.attachDevice(xml)
 
     def detachDevice(self, xml):
diff --git a/nova/tests/test_virt_drivers.py b/nova/tests/test_virt_drivers.py
index 18b6bdc7dd9..e79ab44441c 100644
--- a/nova/tests/test_virt_drivers.py
+++ b/nova/tests/test_virt_drivers.py
@@ -389,6 +389,18 @@ def test_attach_detach_volume(self):
                                       instance_ref['name'],
                                       '/mnt/nova/something')
 
+    @catch_notimplementederror
+    def test_attach_detach_different_power_states(self):
+        instance_ref, network_info = self._get_running_instance()
+        self.connection.power_off(instance_ref)
+        self.connection.attach_volume({'driver_volume_type': 'fake'},
+                                      instance_ref['name'],
+                                      '/mnt/nova/something')
+        self.connection.power_on(instance_ref)
+        self.connection.detach_volume({'driver_volume_type': 'fake'},
+                                      instance_ref['name'],
+                                      '/mnt/nova/something')
+
     @catch_notimplementederror
     def test_get_info(self):
         instance_ref, network_info = self._get_running_instance()
diff --git a/nova/virt/libvirt/driver.py b/nova/virt/libvirt/driver.py
index dc02a413901..0329acca143 100644
--- a/nova/virt/libvirt/driver.py
+++ b/nova/virt/libvirt/driver.py
@@ -648,7 +648,13 @@ def attach_volume(self, connection_info, instance_name, mountpoint):
             self._conn.defineXML(domxml)
         else:
             try:
-                flags = (libvirt.VIR_DOMAIN_AFFECT_CURRENT)
+                # NOTE(vish): We can always affect config because our
+                #             domains are persistent, but we should only
+                #             affect live if the domain is running.
+                flags = libvirt.VIR_DOMAIN_AFFECT_CONFIG
+                state = LIBVIRT_POWER_STATE[virt_dom.info()[0]]
+                if state == power_state.RUNNING:
+                    flags |= libvirt.VIR_DOMAIN_AFFECT_LIVE
                 virt_dom.attachDeviceFlags(conf.to_xml(), flags)
             except Exception, ex:
                 if isinstance(ex, libvirt.libvirtError):
@@ -709,7 +715,13 @@ def detach_volume(self, connection_info, instance_name, mountpoint):
                 domxml = virt_dom.XMLDesc(libvirt.VIR_DOMAIN_XML_SECURE)
                 self._conn.defineXML(domxml)
             else:
-                flags = (libvirt.VIR_DOMAIN_AFFECT_CURRENT)
+                # NOTE(vish): We can always affect config because our
+                #             domains are persistent, but we should only
+                #             affect live if the domain is running.
+                flags = libvirt.VIR_DOMAIN_AFFECT_CONFIG
+                state = LIBVIRT_POWER_STATE[virt_dom.info()[0]]
+                if state == power_state.RUNNING:
+                    flags |= libvirt.VIR_DOMAIN_AFFECT_LIVE
                 virt_dom.detachDeviceFlags(xml, flags)
         finally:
             self.volume_driver_method('disconnect_volume',