diff --git a/tobiko/tests/faults/ha/test_cloud_recovery.py b/tobiko/tests/faults/ha/test_cloud_recovery.py
index 7ed875ab8..4e42ca332 100644
--- a/tobiko/tests/faults/ha/test_cloud_recovery.py
+++ b/tobiko/tests/faults/ha/test_cloud_recovery.py
@@ -77,11 +77,12 @@ class RebootNodesTest(testtools.TestCase):
         nodes_health_check()
         computes_containers_dict_after = \
             containers.list_containers(group='compute')
+        nova.start_all_instances()
         containers.assert_equal_containers_state(
             computes_containers_dict_before, computes_containers_dict_after)
 
 # [..]
-# more tests to folow
+# more tests to follow
 # run health checks
-# os faults stop rabbitmq service on one controller
+# faults stop rabbitmq service on one controller
 # run health checks again
diff --git a/tobiko/tripleo/containers.py b/tobiko/tripleo/containers.py
index 505245d1a..8bface28b 100644
--- a/tobiko/tripleo/containers.py
+++ b/tobiko/tripleo/containers.py
@@ -1,5 +1,7 @@
 from __future__ import absolute_import
 
+import time
+
 from oslo_log import log
 import pandas
 
@@ -192,34 +194,45 @@ def dataframe_difference(df1, df2, which=None):
 
 
 def assert_equal_containers_state(expected_containers_list,
-                                  actual_containers_list):
+                                  actual_containers_list, timeout=120,
+                                  interval=2):
 
     """compare container with states from two lists"""
 
     failures = []
+    start = time.time()
+
     expected_containers_list_df = pandas.DataFrame(
         get_container_states_list(expected_containers_list),
         columns=['container_host', 'container_name', 'container_state'])
-    actual_containers_list_df = pandas.DataFrame(
-        get_container_states_list(actual_containers_list),
-        columns=['container_host', 'container_name', 'container_state'])
 
-    LOG.info('expected_containers_list_df: {} '.format(
-        expected_containers_list_df.to_string(index=False)))
-    LOG.info('actual_containers_list_df: {} '.format(
-        actual_containers_list_df.to_string(index=False)))
+    while time.time() - start < timeout:
 
-    # execute a dataframe diff between the excpected and actual containers
-    expected_containers_state_changed = \
-        dataframe_difference(expected_containers_list_df,
-                             actual_containers_list_df)
-    # check for changed state containers
-    if not expected_containers_state_changed.empty:
-        failures.append('expected containers changed state ! : \n\n{}'.format(
-            expected_containers_state_changed.to_string(index=False)))
+        failures = []
+        actual_containers_list_df = pandas.DataFrame(
+            get_container_states_list(actual_containers_list),
+            columns=['container_host', 'container_name', 'container_state'])
 
+        LOG.info('expected_containers_list_df: {} '.format(
+            expected_containers_list_df.to_string(index=False)))
+        LOG.info('actual_containers_list_df: {} '.format(
+            actual_containers_list_df.to_string(index=False)))
+
+        # execute a dataframe diff between the excpected and actual containers
+        expected_containers_state_changed = \
+            dataframe_difference(expected_containers_list_df,
+                                 actual_containers_list_df)
+        # check for changed state containers
+        if not expected_containers_state_changed.empty:
+            failures.append('expected containers changed state ! : '
+                            '\n\n{}'.format(expected_containers_state_changed.
+                                            to_string(index=False)))
+            LOG.info('container states mismatched:\n{}\n'.format(failures))
+            time.sleep(interval)
+            actual_containers_list = list_containers(group='compute')
+        else:
+            LOG.info("assert_equal_containers_state :"
+                     " OK, all containers are on the same state")
+            return
     if failures:
         tobiko.fail('container states mismatched:\n{!s}', '\n'.join(failures))
-    else:
-        LOG.info("assert_equal_containers_state :"
-                 " OK, all containers are on the same state")
diff --git a/tobiko/tripleo/nova.py b/tobiko/tripleo/nova.py
index 089987e62..85f2fa8bc 100644
--- a/tobiko/tripleo/nova.py
+++ b/tobiko/tripleo/nova.py
@@ -37,3 +37,11 @@ def check_nova_services_health(timeout=120, interval=2):
     if failures:
         tobiko.fail(
             'nova agents are unhealthy:\n{!s}', '\n'.join(failures))
+
+
+def start_all_instances():
+    """try to start all stopped overcloud instances"""
+    nova_client = nova.get_nova_client()
+    servers = nova_client.servers.list()
+    for instance in servers:
+        nova.activate_server(instance)