diff --git a/ceilometer/compute/notifications.py b/ceilometer/compute/notifications.py
index aa26ac55..501d8ca9 100644
--- a/ceilometer/compute/notifications.py
+++ b/ceilometer/compute/notifications.py
@@ -54,7 +54,17 @@ class InstanceNotifications(plugin.NotificationBase):
                             volume=message['payload']['memory_mb'],
                             user_id=message['payload']['user_id'],
                             project_id=message['payload']['tenant_id'],
-                        resource_id=message['payload']['instance_id'],
+                            resource_id=message['payload']['instance_id'],
+                            timestamp=message['timestamp'],
+                            duration=0,
+                            resource_metadata={}),
+            counter.Counter(source='?',
+                            name='vcpus',
+                            type='absolute',
+                            volume=message['payload']['vcpus'],
+                            user_id=message['payload']['user_id'],
+                            project_id=message['payload']['tenant_id'],
+                            resource_id=message['payload']['instance_id'],
                             timestamp=message['timestamp'],
                             duration=0,
                             resource_metadata={}),
diff --git a/tests/compute/test_notifications.py b/tests/compute/test_notifications.py
index 7b0ce304..fdf0bcb4 100644
--- a/tests/compute/test_notifications.py
+++ b/tests/compute/test_notifications.py
@@ -191,7 +191,7 @@ class TestNotifications(unittest.TestCase):
         ic = notifications.InstanceNotifications()
         counters = ic.process_notification(INSTANCE_CREATE_END)
 
-        self.assertEqual(len(counters), 2)
+        self.assertEqual(len(counters), 3)
 
         self.assertEqual(counters[0].name, 'instance')
         self.assertEqual(counters[0].volume, 1)
@@ -199,18 +199,23 @@ class TestNotifications(unittest.TestCase):
         self.assertEqual(counters[1].name, 'memory')
         self.assertEqual(counters[1].volume, INSTANCE_CREATE_END['payload']['memory_mb'])
 
+        self.assertEqual(counters[2].name, 'vcpus')
+        self.assertEqual(counters[2].volume, INSTANCE_CREATE_END['payload']['vcpus'])
+
 
     def test_instance_exists(self):
         ic = notifications.InstanceNotifications()
         counters = ic.process_notification(INSTANCE_EXISTS)
-        self.assertEqual(len(counters), 2)
+        self.assertEqual(len(counters), 3)
         self.assertEqual(counters[0].name, 'instance')
         self.assertEqual(counters[1].name, 'memory')
+        self.assertEqual(counters[2].name, 'vcpus')
 
 
     def test_instance_delete(self):
         ic = notifications.InstanceNotifications()
         counters = ic.process_notification(INSTANCE_DELETE_START)
-        self.assertEqual(len(counters), 2)
+        self.assertEqual(len(counters), 3)
         self.assertEqual(counters[0].name, 'instance')
         self.assertEqual(counters[1].name, 'memory')
+        self.assertEqual(counters[2].name, 'vcpus')