diff --git a/lib/cmdlib.py b/lib/cmdlib.py
index 9008862ac13e55168d3d4a7a29b121c825a95af3..4fc15dd7f9453c4c941d2380055c621b2c6a59ab 100644
--- a/lib/cmdlib.py
+++ b/lib/cmdlib.py
@@ -2662,7 +2662,7 @@ class LURemoveInstance(LogicalUnit):
   """
   HPATH = "instance-remove"
   HTYPE = constants.HTYPE_INSTANCE
-  _OP_REQP = ["instance_name"]
+  _OP_REQP = ["instance_name", "ignore_failures"]
 
   def BuildHooksEnv(self):
     """Build hooks env.
diff --git a/tools/burnin b/tools/burnin
index c97e4ac2471eadc04bf82ee6951a1c29a03cebc2..073720e7499b10bcc180037bd85fa8a0c6a0c25c 100755
--- a/tools/burnin
+++ b/tools/burnin
@@ -291,7 +291,8 @@ class Burner(object):
       exp_op = opcodes.OpExportInstance(instance_name=instance,
                                            target_node=enode,
                                            shutdown=True)
-      rem_op = opcodes.OpRemoveInstance(instance_name=instance)
+      rem_op = opcodes.OpRemoveInstance(instance_name=instance,
+                                        ignore_failures=True)
       nam_op = opcodes.OpQueryInstances(output_fields=["name"],
                                            names=[instance])
       full_name = self.ExecOp(nam_op)[0][0]
@@ -356,7 +357,8 @@ class Burner(object):
   def Remove(self):
     """Remove the instances."""
     for instance in self.to_rem:
-      op = opcodes.OpRemoveInstance(instance_name=instance)
+      op = opcodes.OpRemoveInstance(instance_name=instance,
+                                    ignore_failures=True)
       Log("- Remove instance %s" % instance)
       self.ExecOp(op)