diff --git a/src/cloud/ec2/etc/econe.conf b/src/cloud/ec2/etc/econe.conf
index d9c2e5939b..1114d096ec 100644
--- a/src/cloud/ec2/etc/econe.conf
+++ b/src/cloud/ec2/etc/econe.conf
@@ -65,7 +65,7 @@
 #:datastore_id:
 
 # Include terminated instances in the describe_instances xml
-:describe_with_terminated_instances: = true
+:describe_with_terminated_instances: true
 # Terminated VMs will be included in the list
 #  till the termination date + TERMINATED_INSTANCES_EXPIRATION_TIME is reached
 :terminated_instances_expiration_time: 900
diff --git a/src/cloud/ec2/lib/instance.rb b/src/cloud/ec2/lib/instance.rb
index 179616d841..1d069a8ff0 100644
--- a/src/cloud/ec2/lib/instance.rb
+++ b/src/cloud/ec2/lib/instance.rb
@@ -340,7 +340,11 @@ module Instance
     end
 
     def include_terminated_instances?
-        @config[:describe_with_terminated_instances] || DESCRIBE_WITH_TERMINATED_INSTANCES
+        if @config[:describe_with_terminated_instances].nil?
+            DESCRIBE_WITH_TERMINATED_INSTANCES
+        else
+            @config[:describe_with_terminated_instances]
+        end
     end
 
     def include_terminated_instance?(vm)