diff --git a/nova/conductor/tasks/live_migrate.py b/nova/conductor/tasks/live_migrate.py
index 1bc83af15cd4..13d2344d02f9 100644
--- a/nova/conductor/tasks/live_migrate.py
+++ b/nova/conductor/tasks/live_migrate.py
@@ -12,6 +12,7 @@
 
 from oslo_config import cfg
 from oslo_log import log as logging
+import oslo_messaging as messaging
 
 from nova.compute import power_state
 from nova.conductor.tasks import base
@@ -141,9 +142,14 @@ class LiveMigrationTask(base.TaskBase):
             raise exception.DestinationHypervisorTooOld()
 
     def _call_livem_checks_on_host(self, destination):
-        self.migrate_data = self.compute_rpcapi.\
-            check_can_live_migrate_destination(self.context, self.instance,
-                destination, self.block_migration, self.disk_over_commit)
+        try:
+            self.migrate_data = self.compute_rpcapi.\
+                check_can_live_migrate_destination(self.context, self.instance,
+                    destination, self.block_migration, self.disk_over_commit)
+        except messaging.MessagingTimeout:
+            msg = _("Timeout while checking if we can live migrate to host: "
+                    "%s") % destination
+            raise exception.MigrationPreCheckError(msg)
 
     def _find_destination(self):
         # TODO(johngarbutt) this retry loop should be shared
diff --git a/nova/tests/unit/conductor/tasks/test_live_migrate.py b/nova/tests/unit/conductor/tasks/test_live_migrate.py
index cd4dc0494954..ca49966b74b9 100644
--- a/nova/tests/unit/conductor/tasks/test_live_migrate.py
+++ b/nova/tests/unit/conductor/tasks/test_live_migrate.py
@@ -12,6 +12,7 @@
 
 import mock
 from mox3 import mox
+import oslo_messaging as messaging
 
 from nova.compute import power_state
 from nova.compute import rpcapi as compute_rpcapi
@@ -445,3 +446,10 @@ class LiveMigrationTaskTestCase(test.NoDBTestCase):
 
         self.mox.ReplayAll()
         self.assertRaises(exception.NoValidHost, self.task._find_destination)
+
+    def test_call_livem_checks_on_host(self):
+        with mock.patch.object(self.task.compute_rpcapi,
+            'check_can_live_migrate_destination',
+            side_effect=messaging.MessagingTimeout):
+            self.assertRaises(exception.MigrationPreCheckError,
+                self.task._call_livem_checks_on_host, {})