diff --git a/tools/xenserver/vm_vdi_cleaner.py b/tools/xenserver/vm_vdi_cleaner.py
index 30643abd301..43f2ad81eab 100755
--- a/tools/xenserver/vm_vdi_cleaner.py
+++ b/tools/xenserver/vm_vdi_cleaner.py
@@ -109,9 +109,7 @@ def find_orphaned_instances(xenapi, verbose=False):
 
 def cleanup_instance(xenapi, instance, vm_ref, vm_rec):
     """Delete orphaned instances."""
-    if vm_rec['power_state'] == 'Running':
-        call_xenapi(xenapi, 'VM.hard_shutdown', vm_ref)
-    xenapi._vmops._destroy(instance, vm_ref, shutdown=False)
+    xenapi._vmops._destroy(instance, vm_ref)
 
 
 def _get_applicable_vm_recs(xenapi):