diff --git a/nova/compute/manager.py b/nova/compute/manager.py
index df2ebde07a13..2739069ead1a 100644
--- a/nova/compute/manager.py
+++ b/nova/compute/manager.py
@@ -4751,7 +4751,11 @@ class ComputeManager(manager.Manager):
             expected_state = shelving_state_map[expected_state]
             instance.task_state = task_state
             instance.save(expected_task_state=expected_state)
-
+        # Do not attempt a clean shutdown of a paused guest since some
+        # hypervisors will fail the clean shutdown if the guest is not
+        # running.
+        if instance.power_state == power_state.PAUSED:
+            clean_shutdown = False
         self._power_off_instance(context, instance, clean_shutdown)
         self.driver.snapshot(context, instance, image_id, update_task_state)
 
diff --git a/nova/tests/unit/compute/test_shelve.py b/nova/tests/unit/compute/test_shelve.py
index f41b2f47a2a1..ff3f059a2cbb 100644
--- a/nova/tests/unit/compute/test_shelve.py
+++ b/nova/tests/unit/compute/test_shelve.py
@@ -16,6 +16,7 @@ from oslo_utils import timeutils
 
 from nova.compute import claims
 from nova.compute import instance_actions
+from nova.compute import power_state
 from nova.compute import task_states
 from nova.compute import utils as compute_utils
 from nova.compute import vm_states
@@ -59,12 +60,14 @@ class ShelveComputeManagerTestCase(test_compute.BaseTestCase):
     def _shelve_instance(self, shelved_offload_time, mock_notify,
                          mock_notify_instance_usage, mock_get_power_state,
                          mock_snapshot, mock_power_off, mock_terminate,
-                         mock_get_bdms, clean_shutdown=True):
+                         mock_get_bdms, clean_shutdown=True,
+                         guest_power_state=power_state.RUNNING):
         mock_get_power_state.return_value = 123
 
         CONF.set_override('shelved_offload_time', shelved_offload_time)
         host = 'fake-mini'
-        instance = self._create_fake_instance_obj(params={'host': host})
+        instance = self._create_fake_instance_obj(
+            params={'host': host, 'power_state': guest_power_state})
         image_id = 'fake_image_id'
         host = 'fake-mini'
         self.useFixture(utils_fixture.TimeFixture())
@@ -139,9 +142,12 @@ class ShelveComputeManagerTestCase(test_compute.BaseTestCase):
         mock_cleanup_call_list = []
 
         if clean_shutdown:
-            mock_power_off_call_list.append(
-                mock.call(instance, CONF.shutdown_timeout,
-                          CONF.compute.shutdown_retry_interval))
+            if guest_power_state == power_state.PAUSED:
+                mock_power_off_call_list.append(mock.call(instance, 0, 0))
+            else:
+                mock_power_off_call_list.append(
+                    mock.call(instance, CONF.shutdown_timeout,
+                              CONF.compute.shutdown_retry_interval))
         else:
             mock_power_off_call_list.append(mock.call(instance, 0, 0))
 
@@ -179,6 +185,9 @@ class ShelveComputeManagerTestCase(test_compute.BaseTestCase):
     def test_shelve_and_offload(self):
         self._shelve_instance(0)
 
+    def test_shelve_paused_instance(self):
+        self._shelve_instance(-1, guest_power_state=power_state.PAUSED)
+
     @mock.patch.object(nova.virt.fake.SmallFakeDriver, 'power_off')
     def test_shelve_offload(self, mock_power_off):
         instance = self._shelve_offload()