diff --git a/nova/objects/build_request.py b/nova/objects/build_request.py
index 3186a14c3bd..4dbe5a06dac 100644
--- a/nova/objects/build_request.py
+++ b/nova/objects/build_request.py
@@ -80,9 +80,13 @@ def _load_instance(self, db_instance):
             LOG.exception(_LE('Could not deserialize instance in '
                               'BuildRequest'))
             raise exception.BuildRequestNotFound(uuid=self.instance_uuid)
+        # NOTE(sbauza): The instance primitive should already have the deleted
+        # field being set, so when hydrating it back here, we should get the
+        # right value but in case we don't have it, let's suppose that the
+        # instance is not deleted, which is the default value for that field.
+        self.instance.obj_set_defaults('deleted')
         # NOTE(alaski): Set some fields on instance that are needed by the api,
         # not lazy-loadable, and don't change.
-        self.instance.deleted = 0
         self.instance.disable_terminate = False
         self.instance.terminated_at = None
         self.instance.host = None
diff --git a/nova/tests/unit/objects/test_build_request.py b/nova/tests/unit/objects/test_build_request.py
index 26b34afab0d..0812c98aee2 100644
--- a/nova/tests/unit/objects/test_build_request.py
+++ b/nova/tests/unit/objects/test_build_request.py
@@ -12,6 +12,7 @@
 
 import mock
 from oslo_serialization import jsonutils
+from oslo_versionedobjects import base as o_vo_base
 
 from nova import exception
 from nova import objects
@@ -147,6 +148,17 @@ def test_get_new_instance_show_changed_fields(self):
             self.assertEqual(getattr(build_request.instance, field),
                              getattr(instance, field))
 
+    def test_from_db_object_set_deleted(self):
+        # Assert that if we persisted an instance not yet having the deleted
+        # field being set, we still return a value for that field.
+        fake_req = fake_build_request.fake_db_req()
+        with mock.patch.object(o_vo_base.VersionedObject,
+                               'obj_set_defaults') as mock_obj_set_defaults:
+            build_request = objects.BuildRequest._from_db_object(
+                self.context, objects.BuildRequest(), fake_req)
+        mock_obj_set_defaults.assert_called_once_with('deleted')
+        self.assertFalse(build_request.instance.deleted)
+
 
 class TestBuildRequestObject(test_objects._LocalTest,
                              _TestBuildRequestObject):