diff --git a/server/src/main/java/com/cloud/user/AccountManagerImpl.java b/server/src/main/java/com/cloud/user/AccountManagerImpl.java
index bfe6a1b0a477..126cba07bd29 100644
--- a/server/src/main/java/com/cloud/user/AccountManagerImpl.java
+++ b/server/src/main/java/com/cloud/user/AccountManagerImpl.java
@@ -1000,6 +1000,12 @@ protected boolean cleanupAccount(AccountVO account, long callerUserId, Account c
             }
 
             for (UserVmVO vm : vms) {
+                if (vm.isDeleteProtection()) {
+                    logger.warn("Instance [id = {}, name = {}] has delete protection enabled and cannot be deleted.",
+                            vm.getUuid(), vm.getName());
+                    continue;
+                }
+
                 if (vm.getState() != VirtualMachine.State.Destroyed && vm.getState() != VirtualMachine.State.Expunging) {
                     try {
                         _vmMgr.destroyVm(vm.getId(), false);