diff --git a/cmd/vm-control/createVm.go b/cmd/vm-control/createVm.go
index 45c0504d..2cedd877 100644
--- a/cmd/vm-control/createVm.go
+++ b/cmd/vm-control/createVm.go
@@ -14,6 +14,7 @@ import (
 	"github.com/Symantec/Dominator/lib/flagutil"
 	"github.com/Symantec/Dominator/lib/log"
 	"github.com/Symantec/Dominator/lib/srpc"
+	"github.com/Symantec/Dominator/lib/tags"
 	fm_proto "github.com/Symantec/Dominator/proto/fleetmanager"
 	hyper_proto "github.com/Symantec/Dominator/proto/hypervisor"
 )
@@ -84,6 +85,20 @@ func callCreateVm(client *srpc.Client, request hyper_proto.CreateVmRequest,
 }
 
 func createVm(logger log.DebugLogger) error {
+	if *vmHostname == "" {
+		if name := vmTags["Name"]; name == "" {
+			return errors.New("no hostname specified")
+		} else {
+			*vmHostname = name
+		}
+	} else {
+		if name := vmTags["Name"]; name == "" {
+			if vmTags == nil {
+				vmTags = make(tags.Tags)
+			}
+			vmTags["Name"] = *vmHostname
+		}
+	}
 	if hypervisor, err := getHypervisorAddress(); err != nil {
 		return err
 	} else {
diff --git a/cmd/vm-control/destroyVm.go b/cmd/vm-control/destroyVm.go
index 62a85b20..adbed7c5 100644
--- a/cmd/vm-control/destroyVm.go
+++ b/cmd/vm-control/destroyVm.go
@@ -32,5 +32,6 @@ func destroyVmOnHypervisor(hypervisor string, ipAddr net.IP,
 		return err
 	}
 	defer client.Close()
+	logVmName(client, ipAddr, "destroying", logger)
 	return hyperclient.DestroyVm(client, ipAddr, nil)
 }
diff --git a/cmd/vm-control/stopVm.go b/cmd/vm-control/stopVm.go
index d71c86da..5d755d53 100644
--- a/cmd/vm-control/stopVm.go
+++ b/cmd/vm-control/stopVm.go
@@ -7,6 +7,7 @@ import (
 
 	hyperclient "github.com/Symantec/Dominator/hypervisor/client"
 	"github.com/Symantec/Dominator/lib/log"
+	"github.com/Symantec/Dominator/lib/srpc"
 )
 
 func stopVmSubcommand(args []string, logger log.DebugLogger) {
@@ -17,6 +18,22 @@ func stopVmSubcommand(args []string, logger log.DebugLogger) {
 	os.Exit(0)
 }
 
+func logVmName(client *srpc.Client, ipAddr net.IP, action string,
+	logger log.DebugLogger) {
+	if vmInfo, err := hyperclient.GetVmInfo(client, ipAddr); err != nil {
+		return
+	} else {
+		name := vmInfo.Hostname
+		if name == "" {
+			name = vmInfo.Tags["Name"]
+		}
+		if name == "" {
+			return
+		}
+		logger.Debugf(0, "%s %s\n", action, name)
+	}
+}
+
 func stopVm(vmHostname string, logger log.DebugLogger) error {
 	if vmIP, hypervisor, err := lookupVmAndHypervisor(vmHostname); err != nil {
 		return err
@@ -32,5 +49,6 @@ func stopVmOnHypervisor(hypervisor string, ipAddr net.IP,
 		return err
 	}
 	defer client.Close()
+	logVmName(client, ipAddr, "stopping", logger)
 	return hyperclient.StopVm(client, ipAddr, nil)
 }
diff --git a/hypervisor/client/api.go b/hypervisor/client/api.go
index 1ab7e912..cea1108f 100644
--- a/hypervisor/client/api.go
+++ b/hypervisor/client/api.go
@@ -4,6 +4,7 @@ import (
 	"net"
 
 	"github.com/Symantec/Dominator/lib/srpc"
+	proto "github.com/Symantec/Dominator/proto/hypervisor"
 )
 
 func DeleteVmVolume(client *srpc.Client, ipAddr net.IP, accessToken []byte,
@@ -15,6 +16,10 @@ func DestroyVm(client *srpc.Client, ipAddr net.IP, accessToken []byte) error {
 	return destroyVm(client, ipAddr, accessToken)
 }
 
+func GetVmInfo(client *srpc.Client, ipAddr net.IP) (proto.VmInfo, error) {
+	return getVmInfo(client, ipAddr)
+}
+
 func PrepareVmForMigration(client *srpc.Client, ipAddr net.IP,
 	accessToken []byte, enable bool) error {
 	return prepareVmForMigration(client, ipAddr, accessToken, enable)
diff --git a/hypervisor/client/impl.go b/hypervisor/client/impl.go
index 61e7d217..ccfcedee 100644
--- a/hypervisor/client/impl.go
+++ b/hypervisor/client/impl.go
@@ -36,6 +36,19 @@ func destroyVm(client *srpc.Client, ipAddr net.IP, accessToken []byte) error {
 	return errors.New(reply.Error)
 }
 
+func getVmInfo(client *srpc.Client, ipAddr net.IP) (proto.VmInfo, error) {
+	request := proto.GetVmInfoRequest{IpAddress: ipAddr}
+	var reply proto.GetVmInfoResponse
+	err := client.RequestReply("Hypervisor.GetVmInfo", request, &reply)
+	if err != nil {
+		return proto.VmInfo{}, err
+	}
+	if err := errors.New(reply.Error); err != nil {
+		return proto.VmInfo{}, err
+	}
+	return reply.VmInfo, nil
+}
+
 func prepareVmForMigration(client *srpc.Client, ipAddr net.IP,
 	accessToken []byte, enable bool) error {
 	request := proto.PrepareVmForMigrationRequest{