diff --git a/nova/conductor/tasks/migrate.py b/nova/conductor/tasks/migrate.py
index b2a8e08f2d90..9835774f2fab 100644
--- a/nova/conductor/tasks/migrate.py
+++ b/nova/conductor/tasks/migrate.py
@@ -9,6 +9,7 @@
 #    WARRANTIES OR CONDITIONS OF ANY KIND, either express or implied. See the
 #    License for the specific language governing permissions and limitations
 #    under the License.
+import functools
 
 from oslo_log import log as logging
 from oslo_serialization import jsonutils
@@ -292,7 +293,17 @@ class MigrationTask(base.TaskBase):
         # oslo.messaging #1529084 to transform datetime values into strings.
         # tl;dr: datetimes in dicts are not accepted as correct values by the
         # rpc fake driver.
-        legacy_spec = jsonutils.loads(jsonutils.dumps(legacy_spec))
+        # NOTE(gibi): convert_instances=True is needed as the legacy_spec might
+        # contain ovo instances in the numa_topology field and those are
+        # causing circular reference during serialization otherwise.
+        legacy_spec = jsonutils.loads(
+            jsonutils.dumps(
+                legacy_spec,
+                default=functools.partial(
+                    jsonutils.to_primitive, convert_instances=True
+                ),
+            )
+        )
 
         LOG.debug("Calling prep_resize with selected host: %s; "
                   "Selected node: %s; Alternates: %s", host, node,
diff --git a/nova/tests/unit/conductor/tasks/test_migrate.py b/nova/tests/unit/conductor/tasks/test_migrate.py
index ff10779c59ef..47bac4ae0a08 100644
--- a/nova/tests/unit/conductor/tasks/test_migrate.py
+++ b/nova/tests/unit/conductor/tasks/test_migrate.py
@@ -10,8 +10,11 @@
 #    License for the specific language governing permissions and limitations
 #    under the License.
 
+import functools
 import mock
 
+from oslo_serialization import jsonutils
+
 from nova.compute import rpcapi as compute_rpcapi
 from nova.conductor.tasks import migrate
 from nova import context
@@ -123,7 +126,14 @@ class MigrationTaskTestCase(test.NoDBTestCase):
                 self.request_spec.requested_destination)
 
         task = self._generate_task()
-        legacy_request_spec = self.request_spec.to_legacy_request_spec_dict()
+        legacy_request_spec = jsonutils.loads(
+            jsonutils.dumps(
+                self.request_spec.to_legacy_request_spec_dict(),
+                default=functools.partial(
+                    jsonutils.to_primitive, convert_instances=True
+                ),
+            )
+        )
         gmv_mock.return_value = 23
 
         # We just need this hook point to set a uuid on the
@@ -230,6 +240,18 @@ class MigrationTaskTestCase(test.NoDBTestCase):
                                         task.instance, task._migration,
                                         task._held_allocations)
 
+    def test_execute_with_cpu_topoloy(self):
+        self.request_spec = objects.RequestSpec(
+            numa_topology=objects.InstanceNUMATopology(
+                cells=[
+                    objects.InstanceNUMACell(
+                        cpu_topology=objects.VirtCPUTopology()
+                    )
+                ]
+            )
+        )
+        self._test_execute()
+
 
 class MigrationTaskAllocationUtils(test.NoDBTestCase):
     @mock.patch('nova.objects.ComputeNode.get_by_host_and_nodename')