diff --git a/pkg/virt-controller/services/template.go b/pkg/virt-controller/services/template.go
index 52082cb5175b..2f2ec0ebfc94 100644
--- a/pkg/virt-controller/services/template.go
+++ b/pkg/virt-controller/services/template.go
@@ -63,7 +63,7 @@ func (t *templateService) RenderLaunchManifest(vm *v1.VirtualMachine) (*kubev1.P
 		Image:           t.launcherImage,
 		ImagePullPolicy: kubev1.PullIfNotPresent,
 		Command: []string{"/virt-launcher",
-			"--qemu-timeout", "60s",
+			"--qemu-timeout", "5m",
 			"--name", domain,
 			"--namespace", namespace,
 			"--socket-dir", t.socketBaseDir,
diff --git a/pkg/virt-controller/services/template_test.go b/pkg/virt-controller/services/template_test.go
index 86e9045443db..8fee25a63349 100644
--- a/pkg/virt-controller/services/template_test.go
+++ b/pkg/virt-controller/services/template_test.go
@@ -54,7 +54,7 @@ var _ = Describe("Template", func() {
 				Expect(pod.ObjectMeta.GenerateName).To(Equal("virt-launcher-testvm-----"))
 				Expect(pod.Spec.NodeSelector).To(BeEmpty())
 				Expect(pod.Spec.Containers[0].Command).To(Equal([]string{"/virt-launcher",
-					"--qemu-timeout", "60s",
+					"--qemu-timeout", "5m",
 					"--name", "testvm",
 					"--namespace", "testns",
 					"--socket-dir", "/var/run/libvirt",
@@ -83,7 +83,7 @@ var _ = Describe("Template", func() {
 					"kubernetes.io/hostname": "master",
 				}))
 				Expect(pod.Spec.Containers[0].Command).To(Equal([]string{"/virt-launcher",
-					"--qemu-timeout", "60s",
+					"--qemu-timeout", "5m",
 					"--name", "testvm",
 					"--namespace", "default",
 					"--socket-dir", "/var/run/libvirt",
diff --git a/pkg/virt-controller/watch/vm.go b/pkg/virt-controller/watch/vm.go
index 4d2a1eeca0d3..9619e8d9f1a9 100644
--- a/pkg/virt-controller/watch/vm.go
+++ b/pkg/virt-controller/watch/vm.go
@@ -252,6 +252,13 @@ func (c *VMController) execute(key string) (bool, error) {
 			return false, err
 		}
 		logger.Info().Msgf("VM successfully scheduled to %s.", vmCopy.Status.NodeName)
+	case kubev1.Failed, kubev1.Succeeded:
+		err := c.vmService.DeleteVMPod(vm)
+		if err != nil {
+			logger.Error().Reason(err).Msg("Deleting VM target Pod failed.")
+			return err
+		}
+		logger.Info().Msg("Deleted VM target Pod for VM in finalized state.")
 	}
 	return false, nil
 }