diff --git a/nova/tests/unit/volume/encryptors/test_cryptsetup.py b/nova/tests/unit/volume/encryptors/test_cryptsetup.py
index 5e523068cd7f..b26d0aa293ae 100644
--- a/nova/tests/unit/volume/encryptors/test_cryptsetup.py
+++ b/nova/tests/unit/volume/encryptors/test_cryptsetup.py
@@ -78,7 +78,7 @@ class CryptsetupEncryptorTestCase(test_base.VolumeEncryptorTestCase):
 
         mock_execute.assert_has_calls([
             mock.call('cryptsetup', 'remove', self.dev_name,
-                      run_as_root=True, check_exit_code=True),
+                      run_as_root=True, check_exit_code=[0, 4]),
         ])
         self.assertEqual(1, mock_execute.call_count)
 
@@ -88,7 +88,7 @@ class CryptsetupEncryptorTestCase(test_base.VolumeEncryptorTestCase):
 
         mock_execute.assert_has_calls([
             mock.call('cryptsetup', 'remove', self.dev_name,
-                      run_as_root=True, check_exit_code=True),
+                      run_as_root=True, check_exit_code=[0, 4]),
         ])
         self.assertEqual(1, mock_execute.call_count)
 
diff --git a/nova/volume/encryptors/cryptsetup.py b/nova/volume/encryptors/cryptsetup.py
index 3b5bcadd5a6c..3e37d645a0af 100644
--- a/nova/volume/encryptors/cryptsetup.py
+++ b/nova/volume/encryptors/cryptsetup.py
@@ -103,8 +103,11 @@ class CryptsetupEncryptor(base.VolumeEncryptor):
     def _close_volume(self, **kwargs):
         """Closes the device (effectively removes the dm-crypt mapping)."""
         LOG.debug("closing encrypted volume %s", self.dev_path)
+        # cryptsetup returns 4 when attempting to destroy a non-active
+        # dm-crypt device. We are going to ignore this error code to make
+        # nova deleting that instance successfully.
         utils.execute('cryptsetup', 'remove', self.dev_name,
-                      run_as_root=True, check_exit_code=True)
+                      run_as_root=True, check_exit_code=[0, 4])
 
     def detach_volume(self, **kwargs):
         """Removes the dm-crypt mapping for the device."""