diff --git a/VMInstance.py b/VMInstance.py
index 57f23049..9217edd9 100644
--- a/VMInstance.py
+++ b/VMInstance.py
@@ -78,6 +78,9 @@ class VMInstance:
     def shutdown_vm(self):
         print("Stopping VM %s" % self.domuuid)
         self.dom.shutdown()
+        while self.dom.state()[0] == libvirt.VIR_DOMAIN_RUNNING:
+            time.sleep(0.5)
+
         if self.domuuid in self.thishypervisor.domain_list:
             try:
                 self.thishypervisor.domain_list.remove(self.domuuid)