diff --git a/pkg/cloud/openstack/clients/machineservice.go b/pkg/cloud/openstack/clients/machineservice.go
index 418caae0e9..3efd970aa1 100644
--- a/pkg/cloud/openstack/clients/machineservice.go
+++ b/pkg/cloud/openstack/clients/machineservice.go
@@ -905,6 +905,16 @@ func (is *InstanceService) DoesFlavorExist(flavorName string) error {
 	return nil
 }
 
+// DoesImageExist return an error if image with the given name doesn't exist, and nil otherwise
+func (is *InstanceService) DoesImageExist(imageName string) error {
+	_, err := getImageID(is, imageName)
+	if err != nil {
+		return err
+	}
+
+	return nil
+}
+
 func (is *InstanceService) GetInstance(resourceId string) (instance *Instance, err error) {
 	if resourceId == "" {
 		return nil, fmt.Errorf("ResourceId should be specified to  get detail.")
diff --git a/pkg/cloud/openstack/machine/actuator.go b/pkg/cloud/openstack/machine/actuator.go
index 5815a63211..e8077a031d 100644
--- a/pkg/cloud/openstack/machine/actuator.go
+++ b/pkg/cloud/openstack/machine/actuator.go
@@ -675,10 +675,16 @@ func (oc *OpenstackClient) validateMachine(machine *machinev1.Machine) error {
 
 	// TODO(mfedosin): add more validations here
 
+	// Validate that image exists
+	err = machineService.DoesImageExist(machineSpec.Image)
+	if err != nil {
+		return err
+	}
+
 	// Validate that flavor exists
 	err = machineService.DoesFlavorExist(machineSpec.Flavor)
 	if err != nil {
-		return fmt.Errorf("Can't find a flavor with name %v: %v", machineSpec.Flavor, err)
+		return err
 	}
 
 	return nil