diff --git a/pkg/actuators/machine/actuator.go b/pkg/actuators/machine/actuator.go
index 1dab50fc95..c3c1aa5deb 100644
--- a/pkg/actuators/machine/actuator.go
+++ b/pkg/actuators/machine/actuator.go
@@ -347,17 +347,20 @@ func (a *Actuator) DeleteMachine(machine *machinev1.Machine) error {
 		return a.handleMachineError(machine, err, deleteEventAction)
 	}
 
-	instances, err := getRunningInstances(machine, client)
+	// Get all instances not terminated.
+	existingInstances, err := a.getMachineInstances(machine)
 	if err != nil {
-		glog.Errorf("%s: error getting running instances: %v", machine.Name, err)
+		glog.Errorf("%s: error getting existing instances: %v", machine.Name, err)
 		return err
 	}
-	if len(instances) == 0 {
+	existingLen := len(existingInstances)
+	glog.Infof("%s: found %d existing instances for machine", machine.Name, existingLen)
+	if existingLen == 0 {
 		glog.Warningf("%s: no instances found to delete for machine", machine.Name)
 		return nil
 	}
 
-	terminatingInstances, err := terminateInstances(client, instances)
+	terminatingInstances, err := terminateInstances(client, existingInstances)
 	if err != nil {
 		return a.handleMachineError(machine, mapierrors.DeleteMachine(err.Error()), noEventAction)
 	}
diff --git a/pkg/actuators/machine/actuator_test.go b/pkg/actuators/machine/actuator_test.go
index 6f8b0d45fa..1f268e2bcf 100644
--- a/pkg/actuators/machine/actuator_test.go
+++ b/pkg/actuators/machine/actuator_test.go
@@ -139,6 +139,24 @@ func TestMachineEvents(t *testing.T) {
 			},
 			event: "Normal Deleted Deleted machine aws-actuator-testing-machine",
 		},
+		{
+			name:                    "Delete machine event succeed with pending instances",
+			machine:                 machine,
+			describeInstancesOutput: stubDescribeInstancesOutput("ami-a9acbbd6", "i-02fcb933c5da7085c", ec2.InstanceStateNamePending),
+			operation: func(actuator *Actuator, machine *machinev1.Machine) {
+				actuator.DeleteMachine(machine)
+			},
+			event: "Normal Deleted Deleted machine aws-actuator-testing-machine",
+		},
+		{
+			name:                    "Delete machine event succeed with stopped instances",
+			machine:                 machine,
+			describeInstancesOutput: stubDescribeInstancesOutput("ami-a9acbbd6", "i-02fcb933c5da7085c", ec2.InstanceStateNameStopped),
+			operation: func(actuator *Actuator, machine *machinev1.Machine) {
+				actuator.DeleteMachine(machine)
+			},
+			event: "Normal Deleted Deleted machine aws-actuator-testing-machine",
+		},
 	}
 
 	for _, tc := range cases {