diff --git a/engine/orchestration/src/com/cloud/vm/VirtualMachineManagerImpl.java b/engine/orchestration/src/com/cloud/vm/VirtualMachineManagerImpl.java
index b71252879fc..f3e3c36c57c 100755
--- a/engine/orchestration/src/com/cloud/vm/VirtualMachineManagerImpl.java
+++ b/engine/orchestration/src/com/cloud/vm/VirtualMachineManagerImpl.java
@@ -1525,6 +1525,11 @@ public class VirtualMachineManagerImpl extends ManagerBase implements VirtualMac
     }
 
     protected boolean stateTransitTo(VMInstanceVO vm, VirtualMachine.Event e, Long hostId, String reservationId) throws NoTransitionException {
+        // if there are active vm snapshots task, state change is not allowed
+        if (_vmSnapshotMgr.hasActiveVMSnapshotTasks(vm.getId())) {
+            s_logger.error("State transit with event: " + e + " failed due to: " + vm.getInstanceName() + " has active VM snapshots tasks");
+            return false;
+        }
         vm.setReservationId(reservationId);
         return _stateMachine.transitTo(vm, e, new Pair<Long, Long>(vm.getHostId(), hostId), _vmDao);
     }