diff --git a/plugins/modules/kubevirt_vm.py b/plugins/modules/kubevirt_vm.py
index 112993a..7ec5786 100644
--- a/plugins/modules/kubevirt_vm.py
+++ b/plugins/modules/kubevirt_vm.py
@@ -333,7 +333,9 @@ def create_vm(params: Dict) -> Dict:
 
     if (run_strategy := params.get("run_strategy")) is not None:
         vm["spec"]["runStrategy"] = run_strategy
+        vm["spec"]["running"] = None
     else:
+        vm["spec"]["runStrategy"] = None
         vm["spec"]["running"] = (
             running if (running := params.get("running")) is not None else True
         )
diff --git a/tests/unit/plugins/modules/test_kubevirt_vm.py b/tests/unit/plugins/modules/test_kubevirt_vm.py
index f199295..27690d3 100644
--- a/tests/unit/plugins/modules/test_kubevirt_vm.py
+++ b/tests/unit/plugins/modules/test_kubevirt_vm.py
@@ -44,6 +44,7 @@ VM_DEFINITION_CREATE = {
     },
     "spec": {
         "running": True,
+        "runStrategy": None,
         "instancetype": {"name": "u1.medium"},
         "preference": {"name": "fedora"},
         "dataVolumeTemplates": [
@@ -83,6 +84,7 @@ VM_DEFINITION_RUNNING = {
     },
     "spec": {
         "running": True,
+        "runStrategy": None,
         "template": {
             "spec": {
                 "domain": {"devices": {}},
@@ -100,6 +102,7 @@ VM_DEFINITION_STOPPED = {
     },
     "spec": {
         "running": False,
+        "runStrategy": None,
         "template": {
             "spec": {
                 "domain": {"devices": {}},
@@ -116,6 +119,7 @@ VM_DEFINITION_HALTED = {
         "namespace": "default",
     },
     "spec": {
+        "running": None,
         "runStrategy": "Halted",
         "template": {
             "spec": {
@@ -383,6 +387,7 @@ CREATED_VM = {
     },
     "spec": {
         "running": True,
+        "runStrategy": None,
         "template": {
             "spec": {
                 "domain": {
@@ -400,6 +405,7 @@ CREATED_VM_RUN_STRATEGY = {
         "namespace": "default",
     },
     "spec": {
+        "running": None,
         "runStrategy": "Manual",
         "template": {
             "spec": {
@@ -422,6 +428,7 @@ CREATED_VM_LABELS = {
     },
     "spec": {
         "running": True,
+        "runStrategy": None,
         "template": {
             "metadata": {
                 "labels": {"test": "test"},
@@ -446,6 +453,7 @@ CREATED_VM_ANNOTATIONS = {
     },
     "spec": {
         "running": True,
+        "runStrategy": None,
         "template": {
             "metadata": {
                 "annotations": {"test": "test"},
@@ -467,6 +475,7 @@ CREATED_VM_INSTANCETYPE = {
     },
     "spec": {
         "running": True,
+        "runStrategy": None,
         "instancetype": {"name": "u1.medium"},
         "template": {
             "spec": {
@@ -486,6 +495,7 @@ CREATED_VM_PREFERENCE = {
     },
     "spec": {
         "running": True,
+        "runStrategy": None,
         "preference": {"name": "fedora"},
         "template": {
             "spec": {
@@ -505,6 +515,7 @@ CREATED_VM_DATAVOLUMETEMPLATE = {
     },
     "spec": {
         "running": True,
+        "runStrategy": None,
         "dataVolumeTemplates": [
             {
                 "metadata": {"name": "testdv"},
@@ -540,6 +551,7 @@ CREATED_VM_NAME = {
     },
     "spec": {
         "running": True,
+        "runStrategy": None,
         "template": {
             "spec": {
                 "domain": {
@@ -559,6 +571,7 @@ CREATED_VM_GENERATE_NAME = {
     },
     "spec": {
         "running": True,
+        "runStrategy": None,
         "template": {
             "spec": {
                 "domain": {
@@ -577,6 +590,7 @@ CREATED_VM_SPECS = {
     },
     "spec": {
         "running": True,
+        "runStrategy": None,
         "template": {
             "spec": {
                 "domain": {