diff --git a/engine/schema/src/main/java/com/cloud/vm/dao/NicDaoImpl.java b/engine/schema/src/main/java/com/cloud/vm/dao/NicDaoImpl.java
index f4f3b0d6ad60..7f62731a3752 100644
--- a/engine/schema/src/main/java/com/cloud/vm/dao/NicDaoImpl.java
+++ b/engine/schema/src/main/java/com/cloud/vm/dao/NicDaoImpl.java
@@ -47,7 +47,7 @@ public class NicDaoImpl extends GenericDaoBase<NicVO, Long> implements NicDao {
     private GenericSearchBuilder<NicVO, String> IpSearch;
     private SearchBuilder<NicVO> NonReleasedSearch;
     private GenericSearchBuilder<NicVO, Integer> deviceIdSearch;
-    private GenericSearchBuilder<NicVO, Integer> CountByForNonStoppedVms;
+    GenericSearchBuilder<NicVO, Integer> CountByForNonStoppedVms;
     private SearchBuilder<NicVO> PeerRouterSearch;
 
     @Inject
@@ -394,7 +394,7 @@ public int countNicsForNonStoppedRunningVrs(long networkId) {
         SearchCriteria<Integer> sc = CountByForNonStoppedVms.create();
         sc.setParameters("networkId", networkId);
         sc.setParameters("vmTypeNEQ", VirtualMachine.Type.User);
-        sc.setJoinParameters("vm", "state", new Object[] {VirtualMachine.State.Starting, VirtualMachine.State.Stopping, VirtualMachine.State.Migrating});
+        sc.setJoinParameters("vm", "state", new Object[] {VirtualMachine.State.Starting, VirtualMachine.State.Running, VirtualMachine.State.Stopping, VirtualMachine.State.Migrating});
         List<Integer> results = customSearch(sc, null);
         return results.get(0);
     }
diff --git a/engine/schema/src/test/java/com/cloud/vm/dao/NicDaoImplTest.java b/engine/schema/src/test/java/com/cloud/vm/dao/NicDaoImplTest.java
index 506fdb7fc92b..902d996f6441 100644
--- a/engine/schema/src/test/java/com/cloud/vm/dao/NicDaoImplTest.java
+++ b/engine/schema/src/test/java/com/cloud/vm/dao/NicDaoImplTest.java
@@ -17,20 +17,24 @@
 package com.cloud.vm.dao;
 
 import java.util.ArrayList;
+import java.util.Arrays;
 import java.util.List;
 
 import org.apache.commons.collections.CollectionUtils;
 import org.junit.Assert;
 import org.junit.Test;
 import org.junit.runner.RunWith;
+import org.mockito.ArgumentCaptor;
 import org.mockito.Mockito;
 import org.mockito.Spy;
 import org.mockito.junit.MockitoJUnitRunner;
 
 import com.cloud.utils.db.Filter;
+import com.cloud.utils.db.GenericSearchBuilder;
 import com.cloud.utils.db.SearchBuilder;
 import com.cloud.utils.db.SearchCriteria;
 import com.cloud.vm.NicVO;
+import com.cloud.vm.VirtualMachine;
 
 @RunWith(MockitoJUnitRunner.class)
 public class NicDaoImplTest {
@@ -66,4 +70,22 @@ public void testSearchRemovedByVms() {
                 Mockito.any(SearchCriteria.class), Mockito.any(Filter.class), Mockito.eq(null),
                 Mockito.eq(false));
     }
+
+    @Test
+    @SuppressWarnings("unchecked")
+    public void testCountNicsForNonStoppedRunningVrsIncludesRunningState() {
+        GenericSearchBuilder<NicVO, Integer> sb = Mockito.mock(GenericSearchBuilder.class);
+        SearchCriteria<Integer> sc = Mockito.mock(SearchCriteria.class);
+        Mockito.when(sb.create()).thenReturn(sc);
+        nicDaoImplSpy.CountByForNonStoppedVms = sb;
+        Mockito.doReturn(List.of(0)).when(nicDaoImplSpy).customSearch(Mockito.eq(sc), Mockito.eq(null));
+
+        nicDaoImplSpy.countNicsForNonStoppedRunningVrs(5L);
+
+        ArgumentCaptor<Object[]> statesCaptor = ArgumentCaptor.forClass(Object[].class);
+        Mockito.verify(sc).setJoinParameters(Mockito.eq("vm"), Mockito.eq("state"), statesCaptor.capture());
+        Assert.assertTrue("A running VR's nic must still count towards the non-stopped-VR check, "
+                        + "otherwise NetworkGarbageCollector will tear down a network with a live router",
+                Arrays.asList(statesCaptor.getValue()).contains(VirtualMachine.State.Running));
+    }
 }