diff --git a/fwprovider/test/resource_vm_test.go b/fwprovider/test/resource_vm_test.go
index f71627d8..14fe6d55 100644
--- a/fwprovider/test/resource_vm_test.go
+++ b/fwprovider/test/resource_vm_test.go
@@ -6,12 +6,6 @@
 
 //go:build acceptance || all
 
-/*
- * This Source Code Form is subject to the terms of the Mozilla Public
- * License, v. 2.0. If a copy of the MPL was not distributed with this
- * file, You can obtain one at https://mozilla.org/MPL/2.0/.
- */
-
 package test
 
 import (
@@ -161,7 +155,7 @@ func TestAccResourceVM(t *testing.T) {
 						architecture = "x86_64"
 					}
 				}`, WithAPIToken()),
-				ExpectError: regexp.MustCompile(`the CPU architecture can only be set by the root account`),
+				ExpectError: regexp.MustCompile(`can only be set by the root account`),
 			},
 				{
 					Config: te.RenderConfig(`
diff --git a/proxmox/nodes/vms/vms.go b/proxmox/nodes/vms/vms.go
index 2571a654..261cd99f 100644
--- a/proxmox/nodes/vms/vms.go
+++ b/proxmox/nodes/vms/vms.go
@@ -79,10 +79,19 @@ func (c *Client) CreateVM(ctx context.Context, d *CreateRequestBody) error {
 // CreateVMAsync creates a virtual machine asynchronously. Returns ID of the started task.
 func (c *Client) CreateVMAsync(ctx context.Context, d *CreateRequestBody) (*string, error) {
 	resBody := &CreateResponseBody{}
+	retrying := false
 
+	// retry the request if we get an error that the VM already exists
+	// but only if we're retrying. If this error is returned by the first
+	// request, we'll just return the error (i.e. can't "override" the VM).
 	err := retry.Do(
 		func() error {
-			return c.DoRequest(ctx, http.MethodPost, c.basePath(), d, resBody)
+			err := c.DoRequest(ctx, http.MethodPost, c.basePath(), d, resBody)
+			if err != nil && retrying && strings.Contains(err.Error(), "already exists") {
+				return nil
+			}
+
+			return err
 		},
 		retry.Context(ctx),
 		retry.Attempts(3),
@@ -94,11 +103,10 @@ func (c *Client) CreateVMAsync(ctx context.Context, d *CreateRequestBody) (*stri
 				"error":   err.Error(),
 			})
 
-			if e := c.DeleteVM(ctx); e != nil {
-				tflog.Warn(ctx, "deleting VM after failed creation", map[string]interface{}{
-					"error": e,
-				})
-			}
+			retrying = true
+		}),
+		retry.RetryIf(func(err error) bool {
+			return strings.Contains(err.Error(), "got no worker upid")
 		}),
 	)
 	if err != nil {