diff --git a/examples/play-create-run-strategy.yml b/examples/play-create-run-strategy.yml
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..837b89e
--- /dev/null
+++ b/examples/play-create-run-strategy.yml
@@ -0,0 +1,42 @@
+---
+- name: Playbook creating a virtual machine with multus network
+  hosts: localhost
+  tasks:
+    - name: Create VM
+      kubevirt.core.kubevirt_vm:
+        state: present
+        name: testvm
+        namespace: default
+        labels:
+          app: test
+        instancetype:
+          name: u1.medium
+        preference:
+          name: fedora
+        run_strategy: Manual
+        spec:
+          domain:
+            devices:
+              interfaces:
+                - name: default
+                  masquerade: {}
+                - name: bridge-network
+                  bridge: {}
+          networks:
+            - name: default
+              pod: {}
+            - name: bridge-network
+              multus:
+                networkName: kindexgw
+          volumes:
+            - containerDisk:
+                image: quay.io/containerdisks/fedora:latest
+              name: containerdisk
+            - cloudInitNoCloud:
+                userData: |-
+                  #cloud-config
+                  # The default username is: fedora
+                  ssh_authorized_keys:
+                    - ssh-ed25519 AAAA...
+              name: cloudinit
+        wait: true
diff --git a/plugins/modules/kubevirt_vm.py b/plugins/modules/kubevirt_vm.py
index 9199f55..112993a 100644
--- a/plugins/modules/kubevirt_vm.py
+++ b/plugins/modules/kubevirt_vm.py
@@ -61,8 +61,21 @@ options:
   running:
     description:
     - Specify whether the C(VirtualMachine) should be running or not.
+    - Mutually exclusive with O(run_strategy).
+    - Defaults to O(running=yes) when O(running) and O(run_strategy) are not set.
     type: bool
-    default: yes
+  run_strategy:
+    description:
+    - Specify the C(RunStrategy) of the C(VirtualMachine).
+    - Mutually exclusive with O(running).
+    type: str
+    choices:
+    - Always
+    - Halted
+    - Manual
+    - RerunOnFailure
+    - Once
+    version_added: 2.0.0
   instancetype:
     description:
     - Specify the C(Instancetype) matcher of the C(VirtualMachine).
@@ -280,6 +293,13 @@ from ansible_collections.kubernetes.core.plugins.module_utils.k8s.exceptions imp
     CoreException,
 )
 
+WAIT_CONDITION_READY = {"type": "Ready", "status": True}
+WAIT_CONDITION_VMI_NOT_EXISTS = {
+    "type": "Ready",
+    "status": False,
+    "reason": "VMINotExists",
+}
+
 
 def create_vm(params: Dict) -> Dict:
     """
@@ -292,7 +312,6 @@ def create_vm(params: Dict) -> Dict:
             "namespace": params["namespace"],
         },
         "spec": {
-            "running": params["running"],
             "template": {"spec": {"domain": {"devices": {}}}},
         },
     }
@@ -312,6 +331,12 @@ def create_vm(params: Dict) -> Dict:
     if template_metadata:
         vm["spec"]["template"]["metadata"] = template_metadata
 
+    if (run_strategy := params.get("run_strategy")) is not None:
+        vm["spec"]["runStrategy"] = run_strategy
+    else:
+        vm["spec"]["running"] = (
+            running if (running := params.get("running")) is not None else True
+        )
     if (instancetype := params.get("instancetype")) is not None:
         vm["spec"]["instancetype"] = instancetype
     if (preference := params.get("preference")) is not None:
@@ -324,6 +349,21 @@ def create_vm(params: Dict) -> Dict:
     return vm
 
 
+def set_wait_condition(module: AnsibleK8SModule) -> None:
+    """
+    set_wait_condition sets the wait_condition to allow waiting for the ready
+    state of the VirtualMachine depending on the module parameters running
+    and run_strategy.
+    """
+    if (
+        module.params["running"] is False
+        or (run_strategy := module.params["run_strategy"]) == "Halted"
+    ):
+        module.params["wait_condition"] = WAIT_CONDITION_VMI_NOT_EXISTS
+    elif run_strategy != "Manual":
+        module.params["wait_condition"] = WAIT_CONDITION_READY
+
+
 def arg_spec() -> Dict:
     """
     arg_spec defines the argument spec of this module.
@@ -335,7 +375,10 @@ def arg_spec() -> Dict:
         "namespace": {"required": True},
         "annotations": {"type": "dict"},
         "labels": {"type": "dict"},
-        "running": {"type": "bool", "default": True},
+        "running": {"type": "bool"},
+        "run_strategy": {
+            "choices": ["Always", "Halted", "Manual", "RerunOnFailure", "Once"]
+        },
         "instancetype": {"type": "dict"},
         "preference": {"type": "dict"},
         "data_volume_templates": {"type": "list", "elements": "dict"},
@@ -376,6 +419,7 @@ def main() -> None:
         argument_spec=arg_spec(),
         mutually_exclusive=[
             ("name", "generate_name"),
+            ("running", "run_strategy"),
         ],
         required_one_of=[
             ("name", "generate_name"),
@@ -387,14 +431,7 @@ def main() -> None:
     module.params["resource_definition"] = create_vm(module.params)
 
     # Set wait_condition to allow waiting for the ready state of the VirtualMachine
-    if module.params["running"]:
-        module.params["wait_condition"] = {"type": "Ready", "status": True}
-    else:
-        module.params["wait_condition"] = {
-            "type": "Ready",
-            "status": False,
-            "reason": "VMINotExists",
-        }
+    set_wait_condition(module)
 
     try:
         runner.run_module(module)
diff --git a/tests/unit/plugins/modules/test_kubevirt_vm.py b/tests/unit/plugins/modules/test_kubevirt_vm.py
index 436904b..15d36ac 100644
--- a/tests/unit/plugins/modules/test_kubevirt_vm.py
+++ b/tests/unit/plugins/modules/test_kubevirt_vm.py
@@ -101,11 +101,27 @@ VM_DEFINITION_STOPPED = {
     },
 }
 
+VM_DEFINITION_HALTED = {
+    "apiVersion": "kubevirt.io/v1",
+    "kind": "VirtualMachine",
+    "metadata": {
+        "name": "testvm",
+        "namespace": "default",
+    },
+    "spec": {
+        "runStrategy": "Halted",
+        "template": {
+            "spec": {
+                "domain": {"devices": {}},
+            },
+        },
+    },
+}
+
 MODULE_PARAMS_DEFAULT = {
     "api_version": "kubevirt.io/v1",
     "annotations": None,
     "labels": None,
-    "running": True,
     "instancetype": None,
     "preference": None,
     "data_volume_templates": None,
@@ -174,6 +190,12 @@ MODULE_PARAMS_STOPPED = MODULE_PARAMS_DEFAULT | {
     "running": False,
 }
 
+MODULE_PARAMS_HALTED = MODULE_PARAMS_DEFAULT | {
+    "name": "testvm",
+    "namespace": "default",
+    "run_strategy": "Halted",
+}
+
 MODULE_PARAMS_DELETE = MODULE_PARAMS_DEFAULT | {
     "name": "testvm",
     "namespace": "default",
@@ -183,24 +205,37 @@ MODULE_PARAMS_DELETE = MODULE_PARAMS_DEFAULT | {
 
 K8S_MODULE_PARAMS_CREATE = MODULE_PARAMS_CREATE | {
     "generate_name": None,
+    "running": None,
+    "run_strategy": None,
     "resource_definition": VM_DEFINITION_CREATE,
     "wait_condition": {"type": "Ready", "status": True},
 }
 
 K8S_MODULE_PARAMS_RUNNING = MODULE_PARAMS_RUNNING | {
     "generate_name": None,
+    "run_strategy": None,
     "resource_definition": VM_DEFINITION_RUNNING,
     "wait_condition": {"type": "Ready", "status": True},
 }
 
 K8S_MODULE_PARAMS_STOPPED = MODULE_PARAMS_STOPPED | {
     "generate_name": None,
+    "run_strategy": None,
     "resource_definition": VM_DEFINITION_STOPPED,
     "wait_condition": {"type": "Ready", "status": False, "reason": "VMINotExists"},
 }
 
+K8S_MODULE_PARAMS_HALTED = MODULE_PARAMS_HALTED | {
+    "generate_name": None,
+    "running": None,
+    "resource_definition": VM_DEFINITION_HALTED,
+    "wait_condition": {"type": "Ready", "status": False, "reason": "VMINotExists"},
+}
+
 K8S_MODULE_PARAMS_DELETE = MODULE_PARAMS_DELETE | {
     "generate_name": None,
+    "running": None,
+    "run_strategy": None,
     "resource_definition": VM_DEFINITION_RUNNING,
     "wait_condition": {"type": "Ready", "status": True},
 }
@@ -227,6 +262,12 @@ K8S_MODULE_PARAMS_DELETE = MODULE_PARAMS_DELETE | {
             VM_DEFINITION_STOPPED,
             "update",
         ),
+        (
+            MODULE_PARAMS_HALTED,
+            K8S_MODULE_PARAMS_HALTED,
+            VM_DEFINITION_HALTED,
+            "update",
+        ),
         (
             MODULE_PARAMS_DELETE,
             K8S_MODULE_PARAMS_DELETE,
@@ -262,10 +303,15 @@ def test_module(mocker, module_params, k8s_module_params, vm_definition, method)
 
 CREATE_VM_PARAMS = {
     "api_version": "kubevirt.io/v1",
-    "running": True,
     "namespace": "default",
 }
 
+CREATE_VM_PARAMS_RUN_STRATEGY = {
+    "api_version": "kubevirt.io/v1",
+    "namespace": "default",
+    "run_strategy": "Manual",
+}
+
 CREATE_VM_PARAMS_ANNOTATIONS = CREATE_VM_PARAMS | {
     "annotations": {"test": "test"},
 }
@@ -341,6 +387,24 @@ CREATED_VM = {
     },
 }
 
+CREATED_VM_RUN_STRATEGY = {
+    "apiVersion": "kubevirt.io/v1",
+    "kind": "VirtualMachine",
+    "metadata": {
+        "namespace": "default",
+    },
+    "spec": {
+        "runStrategy": "Manual",
+        "template": {
+            "spec": {
+                "domain": {
+                    "devices": {},
+                },
+            },
+        },
+    },
+}
+
 CREATED_VM_LABELS = {
     "apiVersion": "kubevirt.io/v1",
     "kind": "VirtualMachine",
@@ -528,6 +592,7 @@ CREATED_VM_SPECS = {
     "params,expected",
     [
         (CREATE_VM_PARAMS, CREATED_VM),
+        (CREATE_VM_PARAMS_RUN_STRATEGY, CREATED_VM_RUN_STRATEGY),
         (CREATE_VM_PARAMS_ANNOTATIONS, CREATED_VM_ANNOTATIONS),
         (CREATE_VM_PARAMS_LABELS, CREATED_VM_LABELS),
         (CREATE_VM_PARAMS_INSTANCETYPE, CREATED_VM_INSTANCETYPE),
@@ -540,3 +605,46 @@ CREATED_VM_SPECS = {
 )
 def test_create_vm(params, expected):
     assert kubevirt_vm.create_vm(params) == expected
+
+
+@pytest.mark.parametrize(
+    "params,expected",
+    [
+        ({"running": None, "run_strategy": "Manual"}, {}),
+        (
+            {"running": None, "run_strategy": None},
+            {"wait_condition": kubevirt_vm.WAIT_CONDITION_READY},
+        ),
+        (
+            {"running": True, "run_strategy": None},
+            {"wait_condition": kubevirt_vm.WAIT_CONDITION_READY},
+        ),
+        (
+            {"running": None, "run_strategy": "Always"},
+            {"wait_condition": kubevirt_vm.WAIT_CONDITION_READY},
+        ),
+        (
+            {"running": None, "run_strategy": "RerunOnFailure"},
+            {"wait_condition": kubevirt_vm.WAIT_CONDITION_READY},
+        ),
+        (
+            {"running": None, "run_strategy": "Once"},
+            {"wait_condition": kubevirt_vm.WAIT_CONDITION_READY},
+        ),
+        (
+            {"running": False, "run_strategy": None},
+            {"wait_condition": kubevirt_vm.WAIT_CONDITION_VMI_NOT_EXISTS},
+        ),
+        (
+            {"running": None, "run_strategy": "Halted"},
+            {"wait_condition": kubevirt_vm.WAIT_CONDITION_VMI_NOT_EXISTS},
+        ),
+    ],
+)
+def test_set_wait_condition(mocker, params, expected):
+    module = mocker.Mock()
+    module.params = params
+
+    kubevirt_vm.set_wait_condition(module)
+
+    assert module.params == params | expected