diff --git a/app/controllers/api_controller/action.rb b/app/controllers/api_controller/action.rb
index 6ccc1180725..eab74b0615f 100644
--- a/app/controllers/api_controller/action.rb
+++ b/app/controllers/api_controller/action.rb
@@ -26,6 +26,8 @@ def queue_object_action(object, summary, options)
         :role        => options[:role] || nil,
       }
 
+      queue_options[:zone] = object.my_zone if %w(ems_operations smartstate).include?(options[:role])
+
       MiqTask.generic_action_with_callback(task_options, queue_options)
     end
   end
diff --git a/spec/requests/api/vms_spec.rb b/spec/requests/api/vms_spec.rb
index c60762b60a2..812cf201360 100644
--- a/spec/requests/api/vms_spec.rb
+++ b/spec/requests/api/vms_spec.rb
@@ -177,6 +177,19 @@ def update_raw_power_state(state, *vms)
       expect_single_action_result(:success => true, :message => "starting", :href => :vm_url, :task => true)
     end
 
+    it "starting a vm queues it properly" do
+      api_basic_authorize action_identifier(:vms, :start)
+      update_raw_power_state("poweredOff", vm)
+
+      run_post(vm_url, gen_request(:start))
+
+      expect_single_action_result(:success => true, :message => "starting", :href => :vm_url, :task => true)
+      expect(MiqQueue.where(:class_name  => vm.class.name,
+                            :instance_id => vm.id,
+                            :method_name => "start",
+                            :zone        => zone.name).count).to eq(1)
+    end
+
     it "starts multiple vms" do
       api_basic_authorize action_identifier(:vms, :start)
       update_raw_power_state("poweredOff", vm1, vm2)