diff --git a/src/cli/onevm b/src/cli/onevm
index 11afe3663f..2d0afa1f2e 100755
--- a/src/cli/onevm
+++ b/src/cli/onevm
@@ -304,16 +304,22 @@ cmd=CommandParser::CmdParser.new(ARGV) do
     shutdown_desc = <<-EOT.unindent
         Shuts down the given VM. The VM life cycle will end.
 
+        With --hard it unplugs the VM.
+
         States: RUNNING
     EOT
 
     command :shutdown, shutdown_desc, [:range,:vmid_list],
-        :options => [OneVMHelper::SCHEDULE] do
+        :options => [OneVMHelper::SCHEDULE, OneVMHelper::HARD] do
+
+        command_name='shutdown'
+        command_name<<'-hard' if options[:hard]
+
         if (!options[:schedule].nil?)
-            helper.schedule_actions(args[0], options, @comm_name)
+            helper.schedule_actions(args[0], options, command_name)
         else
             helper.perform_actions(args[0],options,"shutting down") do |vm|
-                vm.shutdown
+                vm.shutdown(options[:hard]==true)
             end
         end
     end
@@ -423,25 +429,6 @@ cmd=CommandParser::CmdParser.new(ARGV) do
         end
     end
 
-    cancel_desc = <<-EOT.unindent
-        Cancels the given VM. The process is checked by OpenNebula, so
-        if the process fails the VM remains in running state. If the action
-        succeeds the VMDIR in the remote machine is not deleted
-
-        States: RUNNING
-    EOT
-
-    command :cancel, cancel_desc, [:range,:vmid_list],
-        :options => [OneVMHelper::SCHEDULE] do
-        if (!options[:schedule].nil?)
-            helper.schedule_actions(args[0], options, @comm_name)
-        else
-            helper.perform_actions(args[0],options,"canceling") do |vm|
-                vm.cancel
-            end
-        end
-    end
-
     stop_desc = <<-EOT.unindent
         Stops a running VM. The VM state is saved and transferred back to the
         front-end along with the disk files
diff --git a/src/oca/ruby/opennebula/virtual_machine.rb b/src/oca/ruby/opennebula/virtual_machine.rb
index 56aecb1f00..4776e00ac9 100644
--- a/src/oca/ruby/opennebula/virtual_machine.rb
+++ b/src/oca/ruby/opennebula/virtual_machine.rb
@@ -205,8 +205,8 @@ module OpenNebula
         end
 
         # Shutdowns an already deployed VM
-        def shutdown
-            action('shutdown')
+        def shutdown(hard=false)
+            action(hard ? 'shutdown-hard' : 'shutdown')
         end
 
         # Powers off a running VM
@@ -224,9 +224,9 @@ module OpenNebula
             reboot(true)
         end
 
-        # Cancels a running VM
+        # @deprecated use {#shutdown}
         def cancel
-            action('cancel')
+            shutdown(true)
         end
 
         # Sets a VM to hold state, scheduler will not deploy it