diff --git a/nova/objects/instance.py b/nova/objects/instance.py
index 677c7b45479f..920d55c7459e 100644
--- a/nova/objects/instance.py
+++ b/nova/objects/instance.py
@@ -855,9 +855,10 @@ class Instance(base.NovaPersistentObject, base.NovaObject,
         self.obj_reset_changes()
 
     def _load_generic(self, attrname):
-        instance = self.__class__.get_by_uuid(self._context,
-                                              uuid=self.uuid,
-                                              expected_attrs=[attrname])
+        with utils.temporary_mutation(self._context, read_deleted='yes'):
+            instance = self.__class__.get_by_uuid(self._context,
+                                                  uuid=self.uuid,
+                                                  expected_attrs=[attrname])
 
         # NOTE(danms): Never allow us to recursively-load
         if instance.obj_attr_is_set(attrname):
diff --git a/nova/tests/unit/objects/test_instance.py b/nova/tests/unit/objects/test_instance.py
index d09838d4eeca..488fdf3a96b2 100644
--- a/nova/tests/unit/objects/test_instance.py
+++ b/nova/tests/unit/objects/test_instance.py
@@ -220,6 +220,22 @@ class _TestInstanceObject(object):
                                     deleted=True)
         self.assertEqual(0, len(instance.tags))
 
+    def test_lazy_load_generic_on_deleted_instance(self):
+        # For generic fields, we try to load the deleted record from the
+        # database.
+        instance = objects.Instance(self.context, uuid=uuids.instance,
+                                    user_id=self.context.user_id,
+                                    project_id=self.context.project_id)
+        instance.create()
+        instance.destroy()
+        # Re-create our local object to make sure it doesn't have sysmeta
+        # filled in by create()
+        instance = objects.Instance(self.context, uuid=uuids.instance,
+                                    user_id=self.context.user_id,
+                                    project_id=self.context.project_id)
+        self.assertNotIn('system_metadata', instance)
+        self.assertEqual(0, len(instance.system_metadata))
+
     def test_lazy_load_tags(self):
         instance = objects.Instance(self.context, uuid=uuids.instance,
                                     user_id=self.context.user_id,