diff --git a/recipes/compute.rb b/recipes/compute.rb
index 507ac1ab..f15d5a95 100644
--- a/recipes/compute.rb
+++ b/recipes/compute.rb
@@ -59,7 +59,7 @@ service "nova-compute" do
   supports :status => true, :restart => true
   subscribes :restart, resources("template[/etc/nova/nova.conf]")
 
-  action :enable
+  action [:enable, :start]
 end
 
 include_recipe "openstack-compute::libvirt"
diff --git a/spec/compute-redhat_spec.rb b/spec/compute-redhat_spec.rb
index 855946f5..0fa68461 100644
--- a/spec/compute-redhat_spec.rb
+++ b/spec/compute-redhat_spec.rb
@@ -32,5 +32,9 @@ describe "openstack-compute::compute" do
       expected = "openstack-nova-compute"
       expect(@chef_run).to set_service_to_start_on_boot expected
     end
+
+    it "starts nova compute" do
+      expect(@chef_run).to start_service "openstack-nova-compute"
+    end
   end
 end
diff --git a/spec/compute_spec.rb b/spec/compute_spec.rb
index f9e6f2b2..bce033f5 100644
--- a/spec/compute_spec.rb
+++ b/spec/compute_spec.rb
@@ -60,6 +60,10 @@ describe "openstack-compute::compute" do
       expect(@chef_run).to set_service_to_start_on_boot "nova-compute"
     end
 
+    it "starts nova compute" do
+      expect(@chef_run).to start_service "nova-compute"
+    end
+
     it "runs libvirt recipe" do
       expect(@chef_run).to include_recipe "openstack-compute::libvirt"
     end