diff --git a/nova/compute/instance_types.py b/nova/compute/instance_types.py
index eb8ac706d0c1..68696726e11c 100644
--- a/nova/compute/instance_types.py
+++ b/nova/compute/instance_types.py
@@ -128,7 +128,7 @@ def get_default_instance_type():
     return get_instance_type_by_name(name)
 
 
-def get_instance_type(instance_type_id, ctxt=None):
+def get_instance_type(instance_type_id, ctxt=None, inactive=False):
     """Retrieves single instance type by id."""
     if instance_type_id is None:
         return get_default_instance_type()
@@ -136,6 +136,9 @@ def get_instance_type(instance_type_id, ctxt=None):
     if ctxt is None:
         ctxt = context.get_admin_context()
 
+    if inactive:
+        ctxt = ctxt.elevated(read_deleted="yes")
+
     return db.instance_type_get(ctxt, instance_type_id)
 
 
diff --git a/nova/virt/libvirt/driver.py b/nova/virt/libvirt/driver.py
index dc02a413901a..30cde650b965 100644
--- a/nova/virt/libvirt/driver.py
+++ b/nova/virt/libvirt/driver.py
@@ -1678,7 +1678,8 @@ class LibvirtDriver(driver.ComputeDriver):
         """
         # FIXME(vish): stick this in db
         inst_type_id = instance['instance_type_id']
-        inst_type = instance_types.get_instance_type(inst_type_id)
+        inst_type = instance_types.get_instance_type(inst_type_id,
+                                                     inactive=True)
 
         guest = config.LibvirtConfigGuest()
         guest.virt_type = FLAGS.libvirt_type