diff --git a/controllers/metal3.io/baremetalhost_controller.go b/controllers/metal3.io/baremetalhost_controller.go
index a1cf3e9c9d..9cbe1f3b32 100644
--- a/controllers/metal3.io/baremetalhost_controller.go
+++ b/controllers/metal3.io/baremetalhost_controller.go
@@ -546,9 +546,17 @@ func (r *BareMetalHostReconciler) actionProvisioning(prov provisioner.Provisione
 	}
 
 	// If the provisioner had no work, ensure the image settings match.
-	if info.host.Status.Provisioning.Image != *(info.host.Spec.Image) {
-		info.log.Info("updating deployed image in status")
-		info.host.Status.Provisioning.Image = *(info.host.Spec.Image)
+	if info.host.Spec.Image != nil {
+		if info.host.Status.Provisioning.Image != *(info.host.Spec.Image) {
+			info.log.Info("updating deployed image in status")
+			info.host.Status.Provisioning.Image = *(info.host.Spec.Image)
+		}
+	}
+	if info.host.Spec.LiveImage != nil {
+		if info.host.Status.Provisioning.LiveImage != *(info.host.Spec.LiveImage) {
+			info.log.Info("updating booted liveImage in status")
+			info.host.Status.Provisioning.LiveImage = *(info.host.Spec.LiveImage)
+		}
 	}
 
 	// After provisioning we always requeue to ensure we enter the
diff --git a/controllers/metal3.io/host_state_machine.go b/controllers/metal3.io/host_state_machine.go
index 1835ca4761..5202bc44a6 100644
--- a/controllers/metal3.io/host_state_machine.go
+++ b/controllers/metal3.io/host_state_machine.go
@@ -111,6 +111,7 @@ func (hsm *hostStateMachine) updateHostStateFrom(initialState metal3v1alpha1.Pro
 
 func (hsm *hostStateMachine) ReconcileState(info *reconcileInfo) actionResult {
 	initialState := hsm.Host.Status.Provisioning.State
+	info.log.Info("SHDEBUG host/state", hsm.Host.Name, initialState)
 	defer hsm.updateHostStateFrom(initialState, info)
 
 	if hsm.checkInitiateDelete() {
@@ -293,16 +294,25 @@ func (hsm *hostStateMachine) provisioningCancelled() bool {
 	if hsm.Host.HasError() {
 		return true
 	}
-	if hsm.Host.Spec.Image == nil {
+	if hsm.Host.Spec.Image == nil && hsm.Host.Spec.LiveImage == nil {
 		return true
 	}
-	if hsm.Host.Spec.Image.URL == "" {
+	if hsm.Host.Spec.LiveImage != nil && hsm.Host.Spec.LiveImage.URL == "" {
 		return true
 	}
-	if hsm.Host.Status.Provisioning.Image.URL == "" {
+	if hsm.Host.Spec.LiveImage != nil && hsm.Host.Status.Provisioning.LiveImage.URL == "" {
 		return false
 	}
-	if hsm.Host.Spec.Image.URL != hsm.Host.Status.Provisioning.Image.URL {
+	if hsm.Host.Spec.LiveImage != nil && hsm.Host.Spec.LiveImage.URL != hsm.Host.Status.Provisioning.LiveImage.URL {
+		return true
+	}
+	if hsm.Host.Spec.Image != nil && hsm.Host.Spec.Image.URL == "" {
+		return true
+	}
+	if hsm.Host.Spec.Image != nil && hsm.Host.Status.Provisioning.Image.URL == "" {
+		return false
+	}
+	if hsm.Host.Spec.Image != nil && hsm.Host.Spec.Image.URL != hsm.Host.Status.Provisioning.Image.URL {
 		return true
 	}
 	return false
diff --git a/controllers/metal3.io/host_state_machine_test.go b/controllers/metal3.io/host_state_machine_test.go
index 7f717658e7..2bc64cd824 100644
--- a/controllers/metal3.io/host_state_machine_test.go
+++ b/controllers/metal3.io/host_state_machine_test.go
@@ -61,6 +61,38 @@ func TestProvisioningCancelled(t *testing.T) {
 			Expected: true,
 		},
 
+		{
+			Scenario: "with liveimage url, unprovisioned",
+			Host: metal3v1alpha1.BareMetalHost{
+				ObjectMeta: metav1.ObjectMeta{
+					Name:      "myhost",
+					Namespace: "myns",
+				},
+				Spec: metal3v1alpha1.BareMetalHostSpec{
+					LiveImage: &metal3v1alpha1.LiveImage{
+						URL: "not-empty",
+					},
+					Online: true,
+				},
+			},
+			Expected: false,
+		},
+
+		{
+			Scenario: "with liveimage, unprovisioned",
+			Host: metal3v1alpha1.BareMetalHost{
+				ObjectMeta: metav1.ObjectMeta{
+					Name:      "myhost",
+					Namespace: "myns",
+				},
+				Spec: metal3v1alpha1.BareMetalHostSpec{
+					LiveImage: &metal3v1alpha1.LiveImage{},
+					Online:    true,
+				},
+			},
+			Expected: true,
+		},
+
 		{
 			Scenario: "without, unprovisioned",
 			Host: metal3v1alpha1.BareMetalHost{