diff --git a/nova/notifications.py b/nova/notifications.py
index 4eff275838f8..09332938bdb4 100644
--- a/nova/notifications.py
+++ b/nova/notifications.py
@@ -28,6 +28,7 @@ from oslo_utils import timeutils
 import six
 
 import nova.context
+from nova import exception
 from nova.i18n import _LE
 from nova.image import glance
 from nova import network
@@ -150,6 +151,10 @@ def send_update(context, old_instance, new_instance, service="compute",
             _send_instance_update_notification(context, new_instance,
                     service=service, host=host,
                     old_display_name=old_display_name)
+        except exception.InstanceNotFound:
+            LOG.debug('Failed to send instance update notification. The '
+                      'instance could not be found and was most likely '
+                      'deleted.', instance=new_instance)
         except Exception:
             LOG.exception(_LE("Failed to send state update notification"),
                     instance=new_instance)
@@ -189,6 +194,10 @@ def send_update_with_states(context, instance, old_vm_state, new_vm_state,
                     old_vm_state=old_vm_state, old_task_state=old_task_state,
                     new_vm_state=new_vm_state, new_task_state=new_task_state,
                     service=service, host=host)
+        except exception.InstanceNotFound:
+            LOG.debug('Failed to send instance update notification. The '
+                      'instance could not be found and was most likely '
+                      'deleted.', instance=instance)
         except Exception:
             LOG.exception(_LE("Failed to send state update notification"),
                     instance=instance)
diff --git a/nova/tests/unit/test_notifications.py b/nova/tests/unit/test_notifications.py
index e5fcab7a653c..0b2db10a2da9 100644
--- a/nova/tests/unit/test_notifications.py
+++ b/nova/tests/unit/test_notifications.py
@@ -26,6 +26,7 @@ from nova.compute import flavors
 from nova.compute import task_states
 from nova.compute import vm_states
 from nova import context
+from nova import exception
 from nova.network import api as network_api
 from nova import notifications
 from nova import objects
@@ -432,6 +433,35 @@ class NotificationsTestCase(test.TestCase):
         notifications.send_update(self.context, self.instance, self.instance)
         self.assertEqual(0, len(fake_notifier.NOTIFICATIONS))
 
+    @mock.patch.object(notifications.LOG, 'exception')
+    def test_fail_sending_update_instance_not_found(self, mock_log_exception):
+        # Tests that InstanceNotFound is handled as an expected exception and
+        # not logged as an error.
+        notfound = exception.InstanceNotFound(instance_id=self.instance.uuid)
+        with mock.patch.object(notifications,
+                               '_send_instance_update_notification',
+                               side_effect=notfound):
+            notifications.send_update(
+                self.context, self.instance, self.instance)
+        self.assertEqual(0, len(fake_notifier.NOTIFICATIONS))
+        self.assertEqual(0, mock_log_exception.call_count)
+
+    @mock.patch.object(notifications.LOG, 'exception')
+    def test_fail_send_update_with_states_inst_not_found(self,
+                                                         mock_log_exception):
+        # Tests that InstanceNotFound is handled as an expected exception and
+        # not logged as an error.
+        notfound = exception.InstanceNotFound(instance_id=self.instance.uuid)
+        with mock.patch.object(notifications,
+                               '_send_instance_update_notification',
+                               side_effect=notfound):
+            notifications.send_update_with_states(
+                self.context, self.instance,
+                vm_states.BUILDING, vm_states.ERROR,
+                task_states.NETWORKING, new_task_state=None)
+        self.assertEqual(0, len(fake_notifier.NOTIFICATIONS))
+        self.assertEqual(0, mock_log_exception.call_count)
+
 
 class NotificationsFormatTestCase(test.NoDBTestCase):