diff --git a/xCAT-server/lib/xcat/plugins/esx.pm b/xCAT-server/lib/xcat/plugins/esx.pm
index ac16a594b..6d85dc3c7 100644
--- a/xCAT-server/lib/xcat/plugins/esx.pm
+++ b/xCAT-server/lib/xcat/plugins/esx.pm
@@ -574,6 +574,10 @@ sub inv {
       return;
     }
   }
+  if (not $args{vmview}->{config}) {
+    xCAT::SvrUtils::sendmsg([1,"VM is in an invalid state"], $output_handler,$node);
+    return;
+  }
 
   @ARGV= @{$args{exargs}};
   require Getopt::Long;