diff --git a/src/main/java/com/google/jenkins/plugins/computeengine/ComputeEngineComputerLauncher.java b/src/main/java/com/google/jenkins/plugins/computeengine/ComputeEngineComputerLauncher.java
index b0b0be1cd..3bd94c50b 100644
--- a/src/main/java/com/google/jenkins/plugins/computeengine/ComputeEngineComputerLauncher.java
+++ b/src/main/java/com/google/jenkins/plugins/computeengine/ComputeEngineComputerLauncher.java
@@ -154,14 +154,16 @@ public void launch(SlaveComputer slaveComputer, TaskListener listener) {
             }
             if (opError != null) {
                 LOGGER.info(String.format(
-                        "Launch failed while waiting for operation %s to complete. Operation error was %s",
+                        "Launch failed while waiting for operation %s to complete. Operation error was %s. Terminating instance.",
                         insertOperationId, opError.getErrors().get(0).getMessage()));
+                terminateNode(computer, listener);
                 return;
             }
         } catch (InterruptedException e) {
             LOGGER.info(String.format(
-                    "Launch failed while waiting for operation %s to complete. Operation error was %s",
+                    "Launch failed while waiting for operation %s to complete. Operation error was %s. Terminating instance",
                     insertOperationId, opError.getErrors().get(0).getMessage()));
+            terminateNode(computer, listener);
             return;
         }
 
@@ -214,19 +216,23 @@ public void launch(SlaveComputer slaveComputer, TaskListener listener) {
             launch(computer, listener);
         } catch (IOException ioe) {
             ioe.printStackTrace(listener.error(ioe.getMessage()));
-            node = (ComputeEngineInstance) slaveComputer.getNode();
-            if (node != null) {
-                try {
-                    node.terminate();
-                } catch (Exception e) {
-                    listener.error(String.format("Failed to terminate node %s", node.getDisplayName()));
-                }
-            }
+            terminateNode(slaveComputer, listener);
         } catch (InterruptedException ie) {
 
         }
     }
 
+    private static void terminateNode(SlaveComputer slaveComputer, TaskListener listener) {
+        ComputeEngineInstance node = (ComputeEngineInstance) slaveComputer.getNode();
+        if (node != null) {
+            try {
+                node.terminate();
+            } catch (Exception e) {
+                listener.error(String.format("Failed to terminate node %s", node.getDisplayName()));
+            }
+        }
+    }
+
     private boolean testCommand(
             ComputeEngineComputer computer,
             Connection conn,
diff --git a/src/main/java/com/google/jenkins/plugins/computeengine/ComputeEngineInstance.java b/src/main/java/com/google/jenkins/plugins/computeengine/ComputeEngineInstance.java
index ec0f92a24..6bf1bd8e8 100644
--- a/src/main/java/com/google/jenkins/plugins/computeengine/ComputeEngineInstance.java
+++ b/src/main/java/com/google/jenkins/plugins/computeengine/ComputeEngineInstance.java
@@ -16,8 +16,11 @@
 
 package com.google.jenkins.plugins.computeengine;
 
+import static com.google.jenkins.plugins.computeengine.ComputeEngineCloud.CLOUD_ID_LABEL_KEY;
+
 import com.google.cloud.graphite.platforms.plugin.client.ComputeClient.OperationException;
 import com.google.common.base.Strings;
+import com.google.common.collect.ImmutableMap;
 import com.google.jenkins.plugins.computeengine.ssh.GoogleKeyCredential;
 import edu.umd.cs.findbugs.annotations.Nullable;
 import hudson.Extension;
@@ -30,6 +33,7 @@
 import hudson.slaves.RetentionStrategy;
 import java.io.IOException;
 import java.util.Collections;
+import java.util.Map;
 import java.util.Optional;
 import java.util.logging.Level;
 import java.util.logging.Logger;
@@ -130,9 +134,16 @@ protected void _terminate(TaskListener listener) throws IOException, Interrupted
                         .createSnapshotSync(cloud.getProjectId(), this.zone, this.getNodeName(), createSnapshotTimeout);
             }
 
-            // If the instance is running, attempt to terminate it. This is an async call and we
+            Map<String, String> filterLabel = ImmutableMap.of(CLOUD_ID_LABEL_KEY, cloud.getInstanceId());
+            var instanceExistsInCloud =
+                    cloud.getClient().listInstancesWithLabel(cloud.getProjectId(), filterLabel).stream()
+                            .anyMatch(instance -> instance.getName().equals(name));
+
+            // If the instance exists in the cloud, attempt to terminate it. This is an async call and we
             // return immediately, hoping for the best.
-            cloud.getClient().terminateInstanceAsync(cloud.getProjectId(), zone, name);
+            if (instanceExistsInCloud) {
+                cloud.getClient().terminateInstanceAsync(cloud.getProjectId(), zone, name);
+            }
         } catch (CloudNotFoundException cnfe) {
             listener.error(cnfe.getMessage());
         } catch (OperationException oe) {