diff --git a/nova/api/ec2/cloud.py b/nova/api/ec2/cloud.py
index 6b9c62b61641..1abb4524e5e8 100644
--- a/nova/api/ec2/cloud.py
+++ b/nova/api/ec2/cloud.py
@@ -1072,7 +1072,7 @@ class CloudController(object):
             i['instanceId'] = ec2_id
             i['previousState'] = _state_description(previous_state['vm_state'],
                                         previous_state['shutdown_terminate'])
-            i['currentState'] = _state_description(vm_states.STOPPED, True)
+            i['currentState'] = _state_description(inst_state.STOPPING, True)
             instances_set.append(i)
         return {'instancesSet': instances_set}
 
@@ -1083,7 +1083,7 @@ class CloudController(object):
             i['instanceId'] = ec2_id
             i['previousState'] = _state_description(previous_state['vm_state'],
                                         previous_state['shutdown_terminate'])
-            i['currentState'] = _state_description(vm_states.ACTIVE, True)
+            i['currentState'] = _state_description(None, True)
             instances_set.append(i)
         return {'instancesSet': instances_set}
 
diff --git a/nova/tests/api/ec2/test_cloud.py b/nova/tests/api/ec2/test_cloud.py
index feed5ec46037..e5ab8da52276 100644
--- a/nova/tests/api/ec2/test_cloud.py
+++ b/nova/tests/api/ec2/test_cloud.py
@@ -2233,8 +2233,8 @@ class CloudTestCase(test.TestCase):
                         {'instanceId': 'i-00000001',
                          'previousState': {'code': 16,
                                            'name': 'running'},
-                         'currentState': {'code': 80,
-                                           'name': 'stopped'}}]}
+                         'currentState': {'code': 64,
+                                           'name': 'stopping'}}]}
         result = self.cloud.stop_instances(self.context, [instance_id])
         self.assertEqual(result, expected)
 
@@ -2242,8 +2242,8 @@ class CloudTestCase(test.TestCase):
                         {'instanceId': 'i-00000001',
                          'previousState': {'code': 80,
                                            'name': 'stopped'},
-                         'currentState': {'code': 16,
-                                           'name': 'running'}}]}
+                         'currentState': {'code': 0,
+                                           'name': 'pending'}}]}
         result = self.cloud.start_instances(self.context, [instance_id])
         self.assertEqual(result, expected)
 
@@ -2251,8 +2251,8 @@ class CloudTestCase(test.TestCase):
                         {'instanceId': 'i-00000001',
                          'previousState': {'code': 16,
                                            'name': 'running'},
-                         'currentState': {'code': 80,
-                                           'name': 'stopped'}}]}
+                         'currentState': {'code': 64,
+                                           'name': 'stopping'}}]}
         result = self.cloud.stop_instances(self.context, [instance_id])
         self.assertEqual(result, expected)
 
@@ -2278,8 +2278,8 @@ class CloudTestCase(test.TestCase):
                         {'instanceId': 'i-00000001',
                          'previousState': {'code': 80,
                                            'name': 'stopped'},
-                         'currentState': {'code': 16,
-                                           'name': 'running'}}]}
+                         'currentState': {'code': 0,
+                                           'name': 'pending'}}]}
         result = self.cloud.start_instances(self.context, [instance_id])
         self.assertEqual(result, expected)
 
@@ -2319,8 +2319,8 @@ class CloudTestCase(test.TestCase):
                         {'instanceId': 'i-00000001',
                          'previousState': {'code': 16,
                                            'name': 'running'},
-                         'currentState': {'code': 80,
-                                           'name': 'stopped'}}]}
+                         'currentState': {'code': 64,
+                                           'name': 'stopping'}}]}
         result = self.cloud.stop_instances(self.context, [instance_id])
         self.assertEqual(result, expected)
 
@@ -2426,8 +2426,8 @@ class CloudTestCase(test.TestCase):
                         {'instanceId': 'i-00000001',
                          'previousState': {'code': 16,
                                            'name': 'running'},
-                         'currentState': {'code': 80,
-                                           'name': 'stopped'}}]}
+                         'currentState': {'code': 64,
+                                           'name': 'stopping'}}]}
         result = self.cloud.stop_instances(self.context, [inst1])
         self.assertEqual(result, expected)