diff --git a/gns3server/controller/gns3vm/__init__.py b/gns3server/controller/gns3vm/__init__.py
index 88b3f5da..dec8a8c3 100644
--- a/gns3server/controller/gns3vm/__init__.py
+++ b/gns3server/controller/gns3vm/__init__.py
@@ -260,6 +260,9 @@ class GNS3VM:
         """
         engine = self.current_engine()
         if not engine.running:
+            if self._settings["vmname"] is None:
+                return
+
             log.info("Start the GNS3 VM")
             engine.vmname = self._settings["vmname"]
             engine.ram = self._settings["ram"]
diff --git a/tests/controller/test_controller.py b/tests/controller/test_controller.py
index d7cac05e..3227c54f 100644
--- a/tests/controller/test_controller.py
+++ b/tests/controller/test_controller.py
@@ -376,7 +376,8 @@ def test_getProject(controller, async_run):
 def test_start(controller, async_run):
     controller.gns3vm.settings = {
         "enable": False,
-        "engine": "vmware"
+        "engine": "vmware",
+        "vmname": "GNS3 VM"
     }
     with asyncio_patch("gns3server.controller.compute.Compute.connect") as mock:
         async_run(controller.start())
@@ -390,7 +391,8 @@ def test_start_vm(controller, async_run):
     """
     controller.gns3vm.settings = {
         "enable": True,
-        "engine": "vmware"
+        "engine": "vmware",
+        "vmname": "GNS3 VM"
     }
     with asyncio_patch("gns3server.controller.gns3vm.vmware_gns3_vm.VMwareGNS3VM.start") as mock:
         with asyncio_patch("gns3server.controller.compute.Compute.connect") as mock_connect:
@@ -415,7 +417,8 @@ def test_stop_vm(controller, async_run):
     controller.gns3vm.settings = {
         "enable": True,
         "engine": "vmware",
-        "when_exit": "stop"
+        "when_exit": "stop",
+        "vmname": "GNS3 VM"
     }
     controller.gns3vm.current_engine().running = True
     with asyncio_patch("gns3server.controller.gns3vm.vmware_gns3_vm.VMwareGNS3VM.stop") as mock:
@@ -430,7 +433,8 @@ def test_suspend_vm(controller, async_run):
     controller.gns3vm.settings = {
         "enable": True,
         "engine": "vmware",
-        "when_exit": "suspend"
+        "when_exit": "suspend",
+        "vmname": "GNS3 VM"
     }
     controller.gns3vm.current_engine().running = True
     with asyncio_patch("gns3server.controller.gns3vm.vmware_gns3_vm.VMwareGNS3VM.suspend") as mock:
@@ -445,7 +449,8 @@ def test_keep_vm(controller, async_run):
     controller.gns3vm.settings = {
         "enable": True,
         "engine": "vmware",
-        "when_exit": "keep"
+        "when_exit": "keep",
+        "vmname": "GNS3 VM"
     }
     controller.gns3vm.current_engine().running = True
     with asyncio_patch("gns3server.controller.gns3vm.vmware_gns3_vm.VMwareGNS3VM.suspend") as mock:
diff --git a/tests/controller/test_gns3vm.py b/tests/controller/test_gns3vm.py
index cbeeded9..d99a558f 100644
--- a/tests/controller/test_gns3vm.py
+++ b/tests/controller/test_gns3vm.py
@@ -21,6 +21,7 @@ from tests.utils import asyncio_patch, AsyncioMagicMock
 from gns3server.controller.gns3vm import GNS3VM
 from gns3server.controller.gns3vm.gns3_vm_error import GNS3VMError
 
+
 @pytest.fixture
 def dummy_engine():
     engine = AsyncioMagicMock()
@@ -65,7 +66,8 @@ def test_update_settings(controller, async_run):
     vm = GNS3VM(controller)
     vm.settings = {
         "enable": True,
-        "engine": "vmware"
+        "engine": "vmware",
+        "vmname": "GNS3 VM"
     }
     with asyncio_patch("gns3server.controller.gns3vm.vmware_gns3_vm.VMwareGNS3VM.start"):
         async_run(vm.auto_start_vm())
@@ -94,4 +96,3 @@ def test_auto_start_with_error(async_run, controller, dummy_gns3vm, dummy_engine
     async_run(dummy_gns3vm.auto_start_vm())
     assert dummy_engine.start.called
     assert controller.computes["vm"].name == "GNS3 VM (Test VM)"
-