diff --git a/nova/api/openstack/servers.py b/nova/api/openstack/servers.py
index aaff57b4a7d1..54731061300c 100644
--- a/nova/api/openstack/servers.py
+++ b/nova/api/openstack/servers.py
@@ -14,7 +14,6 @@
 #    under the License.
 
 import base64
-import eventlet
 import traceback
 
 from webob import exc
@@ -176,9 +175,8 @@ class Controller(common.OpenstackController):
         builder = self._get_view_builder(req)
         server = builder.build(inst, is_detail=True)
         server['server']['adminPass'] = password
-        # We don't want this to block
-        eventlet.spawn(self.compute_api.set_admin_password(
-            context, server['server']['id'], password))
+        self.compute_api.set_admin_password(context, server['server']['id'],
+                                            password)
         return server
 
     def _deserialize_create(self, request):
diff --git a/nova/compute/api.py b/nova/compute/api.py
index 29347bb4cd09..a12f8d51556b 100644
--- a/nova/compute/api.py
+++ b/nova/compute/api.py
@@ -19,6 +19,7 @@
 """Handles all requests relating to instances (guest vms)."""
 
 import datetime
+import eventlet
 import re
 import time
 
@@ -495,6 +496,15 @@ class API(base.Base):
         raise exception.Error(_("Unable to find host for Instance %s")
                                 % instance_id)
 
+    def _set_admin_password(self, context, instance_id, password):
+        """Set the root/admin password for the given instance."""
+        host = self._find_host(context, instance_id)
+
+        rpc.cast(context,
+                 self.db.queue_get_for(context, FLAGS.compute_topic, host),
+                 {"method": "set_admin_password",
+                  "args": {"instance_id": instance_id, "new_pass": password}})
+
     def snapshot(self, context, instance_id, name):
         """Snapshot the given instance.
 
@@ -648,12 +658,8 @@ class API(base.Base):
 
     def set_admin_password(self, context, instance_id, password=None):
         """Set the root/admin password for the given instance."""
-        host = self._find_host(context, instance_id)
-
-        rpc.cast(context,
-                 self.db.queue_get_for(context, FLAGS.compute_topic, host),
-                 {"method": "set_admin_password",
-                  "args": {"instance_id": instance_id, "new_pass": password}})
+        eventlet.spawn_n(self._set_admin_password(context, instance_id,
+                                                  password))
 
     def inject_file(self, context, instance_id):
         """Write a file to the given instance."""