diff --git a/server/src/com/cloud/api/ApiResponseHelper.java b/server/src/com/cloud/api/ApiResponseHelper.java
index 2731b6c14ec..c793e063475 100755
--- a/server/src/com/cloud/api/ApiResponseHelper.java
+++ b/server/src/com/cloud/api/ApiResponseHelper.java
@@ -1040,9 +1040,7 @@ public class ApiResponseHelper implements ResponseGenerator {
             userVmResponse.setName(userVm.getHostName());
             userVmResponse.setCreated(userVm.getCreated());
 
-            if (userVm.getState() != null) {
-                userVmResponse.setState(userVm.getState().toString());
-            }
+          
 
             userVmResponse.setHaEnable(userVm.isHaEnabled());
 
@@ -1068,18 +1066,29 @@ public class ApiResponseHelper implements ResponseGenerator {
             userVmResponse.setZoneId(zone.getId());
             userVmResponse.setZoneName(zone.getName());
 
-            // if user is an admin, display host id
-            if (((caller == null) || (caller.getType() == Account.ACCOUNT_TYPE_ADMIN)) && (userVm.getHostId() != null)) {
-                Host host = hosts.get(userVm.getHostId());
+            Host host = null;
+            if (userVm.getHostId() != null) {
+                host = hosts.get(userVm.getHostId());
 
                 if (host == null) {
                     host = ApiDBUtils.findHostById(userVm.getHostId());
                     hosts.put(host.getId(), host);
                 }
-
+              
+            }
+            // if user is an admin, display host id
+            if (((caller == null) || (caller.getType() == Account.ACCOUNT_TYPE_ADMIN)) && (host != null)) {
                 userVmResponse.setHostId(host.getId());
                 userVmResponse.setHostName(host.getName());
             }
+            
+            if (userVm.getState() != null) {
+               if (host != null && host.getStatus() == com.cloud.host.Status.Alert) {
+                   userVmResponse.setState(VirtualMachine.State.Unknown.toString());
+               } else {
+                   userVmResponse.setState(userVm.getState().toString());
+               }
+            }
 
             if (userVm.getHypervisorType() != null) {
                 userVmResponse.setHypervisor(userVm.getHypervisorType().toString());