diff --git a/nova/tests/unit/virt/vmwareapi/test_driver_api.py b/nova/tests/unit/virt/vmwareapi/test_driver_api.py
index 82a42b9bddb3..be81523fdcc1 100644
--- a/nova/tests/unit/virt/vmwareapi/test_driver_api.py
+++ b/nova/tests/unit/virt/vmwareapi/test_driver_api.py
@@ -1438,7 +1438,7 @@ class VMwareAPIVMTestCase(test.NoDBTestCase):
 
     @mock.patch.object(driver.VMwareVCDriver, 'reboot')
     @mock.patch.object(vm_util, 'get_vm_state',
-                       return_value='poweredOff')
+                       return_value=power_state.SHUTDOWN)
     def test_resume_state_on_host_boot(self, mock_get_vm_state,
                                        mock_reboot):
         self._create_instance()
@@ -1451,7 +1451,7 @@ class VMwareAPIVMTestCase(test.NoDBTestCase):
 
     def test_resume_state_on_host_boot_no_reboot(self):
         self._create_instance()
-        for state in ['poweredOn', 'suspended']:
+        for state in [power_state.RUNNING, power_state.SUSPENDED]:
             with test.nested(
                 mock.patch.object(driver.VMwareVCDriver, 'reboot'),
                 mock.patch.object(vm_util, 'get_vm_state',
diff --git a/nova/virt/vmwareapi/constants.py b/nova/virt/vmwareapi/constants.py
index e5b04ad471c8..ff06249a912e 100644
--- a/nova/virt/vmwareapi/constants.py
+++ b/nova/virt/vmwareapi/constants.py
@@ -16,6 +16,7 @@
 Shared constants across the VMware driver
 """
 
+from nova.compute import power_state
 from nova.network import model as network_model
 
 MIN_VC_VERSION = '5.1.0'
@@ -225,3 +226,7 @@ VALID_OS_TYPES = set([
     'winXPPro64Guest',
     'winXPProGuest',
 ])
+
+POWER_STATES = {'poweredOff': power_state.SHUTDOWN,
+                'poweredOn': power_state.RUNNING,
+                'suspended': power_state.SUSPENDED}
diff --git a/nova/virt/vmwareapi/driver.py b/nova/virt/vmwareapi/driver.py
index 4ddcbc3d2738..5b0e1bce0c63 100644
--- a/nova/virt/vmwareapi/driver.py
+++ b/nova/virt/vmwareapi/driver.py
@@ -30,6 +30,7 @@ from oslo_vmware import pbm
 from oslo_vmware import vim
 from oslo_vmware import vim_util
 
+from nova.compute import power_state
 from nova.compute import task_states
 import nova.conf
 from nova import exception
@@ -201,8 +202,8 @@ class VMwareVCDriver(driver.ComputeDriver):
         # Check if the instance is running already and avoid doing
         # anything if it is.
         state = vm_util.get_vm_state(self._session, instance)
-        ignored_states = ['poweredon', 'suspended']
-        if state.lower() in ignored_states:
+        ignored_states = [power_state.RUNNING, power_state.SUSPENDED]
+        if state in ignored_states:
             return
         # Instance is not up and could be in an unknown state.
         # Be as absolute as possible about getting it back into
diff --git a/nova/virt/vmwareapi/vm_util.py b/nova/virt/vmwareapi/vm_util.py
index 067b91617842..b8c31652af29 100644
--- a/nova/virt/vmwareapi/vm_util.py
+++ b/nova/virt/vmwareapi/vm_util.py
@@ -1153,7 +1153,7 @@ def get_vm_state(session, instance):
     vm_ref = get_vm_ref(session, instance)
     vm_state = session._call_method(vutil, "get_object_property",
                                     vm_ref, "runtime.powerState")
-    return vm_state
+    return constants.POWER_STATES[vm_state]
 
 
 def get_stats_from_cluster(session, cluster):
diff --git a/nova/virt/vmwareapi/vmops.py b/nova/virt/vmwareapi/vmops.py
index 6c7a9239658d..0602fe6cf0c4 100644
--- a/nova/virt/vmwareapi/vmops.py
+++ b/nova/virt/vmwareapi/vmops.py
@@ -66,10 +66,6 @@ CONF = nova.conf.CONF
 
 LOG = logging.getLogger(__name__)
 
-VMWARE_POWER_STATES = {'poweredOff': power_state.SHUTDOWN,
-                       'poweredOn': power_state.RUNNING,
-                       'suspended': power_state.SUSPENDED}
-
 RESIZE_TOTAL_STEPS = 6
 
 
@@ -1517,7 +1513,7 @@ class VMwareVMOps(object):
         max_mem = int(vm_props.get('summary.config.memorySizeMB', 0)) * 1024
         num_cpu = int(vm_props.get('summary.config.numCpu', 0))
         return hardware.InstanceInfo(
-            state=VMWARE_POWER_STATES[vm_props['runtime.powerState']],
+            state=constants.POWER_STATES[vm_props['runtime.powerState']],
             max_mem_kb=max_mem,
             mem_kb=max_mem,
             num_cpu=num_cpu)
@@ -1550,7 +1546,7 @@ class VMwareVMOps(object):
         data = self._get_diagnostics(instance)
         state = data.get('powerState')
         if state:
-            state = power_state.STATE_MAP[VMWARE_POWER_STATES[state]]
+            state = power_state.STATE_MAP[constants.POWER_STATES[state]]
         uptime = data.get('uptimeSeconds', 0)
         config_drive = configdrive.required_by(instance)
         diags = diagnostics.Diagnostics(state=state,