diff --git a/lnvps_api/src/worker.rs b/lnvps_api/src/worker.rs
index 6b82fa9..e86ca02 100644
--- a/lnvps_api/src/worker.rs
+++ b/lnvps_api/src/worker.rs
@@ -492,6 +492,19 @@ impl Worker {
             // Only proceed with deletion if the VM is still in the unpaid (new) state.
             match self.db.get_vm(vm.id).await {
                 Ok(current_vm) if current_vm.created == current_vm.expires => {
+                    if self
+                        .db
+                        .count_active_vm_payments(vm.id)
+                        .await
+                        .unwrap_or(0)
+                        > 0
+                    {
+                        info!(
+                            "VM {} has pending unpaid payments, skipping deletion",
+                            vm.id
+                        );
+                        continue;
+                    }
                     info!("Deleting unpaid VM {}", vm.id);
                     if let Err(e) = self.provisioner.delete_vm(vm.id).await {
                         error!("Failed to delete unpaid VM {}: {}", vm.id, e);
@@ -2472,4 +2485,96 @@ mod tests {
         );
         Ok(())
     }
+
+    /// An unpaid VM (new state, older than 1 hour) with a non-expired pending payment must NOT
+    /// be deleted by check_vms.
+    #[tokio::test]
+    async fn test_check_vms_skips_unpaid_vm_with_pending_payment() -> Result<()> {
+        use lnvps_db::{EncryptedString, PaymentMethod, PaymentType, VmPayment};
+
+        let db = Arc::new(MockDb::default());
+        let old = Utc::now().sub(TimeDelta::hours(2));
+        let vm = add_vm_with_state(&db, old, old).await?;
+        let vm_id = vm.id;
+
+        // Add a pending (unpaid, not-yet-expired) payment for this VM.
+        let payment = VmPayment {
+            id: vec![1u8; 32],
+            vm_id,
+            created: Utc::now(),
+            expires: Utc::now().add(TimeDelta::minutes(10)),
+            amount: 1000,
+            currency: "BTC".to_string(),
+            payment_method: PaymentMethod::Lightning,
+            payment_type: PaymentType::Renewal,
+            external_data: EncryptedString::from("test"),
+            external_id: None,
+            is_paid: false,
+            rate: 1.0,
+            time_value: 2592000,
+            tax: 0,
+            processing_fee: 0,
+            upgrade_params: None,
+            paid_at: None,
+        };
+        db.insert_vm_payment(&payment).await?;
+
+        let worker = setup_worker(db.clone()).await?;
+        worker.check_vms().await?;
+
+        // VM must NOT be deleted because there is a pending payment.
+        let vms = db.vms.lock().await;
+        let deleted = vms.get(&vm_id).map(|v| v.deleted).unwrap_or(true);
+        assert!(
+            !deleted,
+            "Unpaid VM with a non-expired pending payment should not be deleted"
+        );
+        Ok(())
+    }
+
+    /// An unpaid VM (new state, older than 1 hour) whose only payment is already expired must
+    /// still be deleted by check_vms.
+    #[tokio::test]
+    async fn test_check_vms_deletes_unpaid_vm_with_only_expired_payment() -> Result<()> {
+        use lnvps_db::{EncryptedString, PaymentMethod, PaymentType, VmPayment};
+
+        let db = Arc::new(MockDb::default());
+        let old = Utc::now().sub(TimeDelta::hours(2));
+        let vm = add_vm_with_state(&db, old, old).await?;
+        let vm_id = vm.id;
+
+        // Add a payment whose invoice has already expired.
+        let payment = VmPayment {
+            id: vec![2u8; 32],
+            vm_id,
+            created: old,
+            expires: old.add(TimeDelta::minutes(10)), // expired long ago
+            amount: 1000,
+            currency: "BTC".to_string(),
+            payment_method: PaymentMethod::Lightning,
+            payment_type: PaymentType::Renewal,
+            external_data: EncryptedString::from("test"),
+            external_id: None,
+            is_paid: false,
+            rate: 1.0,
+            time_value: 2592000,
+            tax: 0,
+            processing_fee: 0,
+            upgrade_params: None,
+            paid_at: None,
+        };
+        db.insert_vm_payment(&payment).await?;
+
+        let worker = setup_worker(db.clone()).await?;
+        worker.check_vms().await?;
+
+        // VM should be soft-deleted because the only payment is expired.
+        let vms = db.vms.lock().await;
+        let deleted = vms.get(&vm_id).map(|v| v.deleted).unwrap_or(false);
+        assert!(
+            deleted,
+            "Unpaid VM with only an expired payment should still be deleted"
+        );
+        Ok(())
+    }
 }
diff --git a/lnvps_api_common/src/mock.rs b/lnvps_api_common/src/mock.rs
index 471555e..92a16c1 100644
--- a/lnvps_api_common/src/mock.rs
+++ b/lnvps_api_common/src/mock.rs
@@ -852,6 +852,13 @@ impl LNVpsDbBase for MockDb {
             .cloned())
     }
 
+    async fn count_active_vm_payments(&self, vm_id: u64) -> DbResult<u64> {
+        let p = self.payments.lock().await;
+        Ok(p.iter()
+            .filter(|p| p.vm_id == vm_id && !p.is_paid && p.expires > Utc::now())
+            .count() as u64)
+    }
+
     async fn list_custom_pricing(&self, _TB: u64) -> DbResult<Vec<VmCustomPricing>> {
         let p = self.custom_pricing.lock().await;
         Ok(p.values().cloned().collect())
diff --git a/lnvps_db/src/lib.rs b/lnvps_db/src/lib.rs
index 4ebc226..891f029 100644
--- a/lnvps_db/src/lib.rs
+++ b/lnvps_db/src/lib.rs
@@ -286,6 +286,9 @@ pub trait LNVpsDbBase: Send + Sync {
     /// Return the most recently settled invoice
     async fn last_paid_invoice(&self) -> DbResult<Option<VmPayment>>;
 
+    /// Count active (unpaid, non-expired) payments for a VM
+    async fn count_active_vm_payments(&self, vm_id: u64) -> DbResult<u64>;
+
     /// Return the list of active custom pricing models for a given region
     async fn list_custom_pricing(&self, region_id: u64) -> DbResult<Vec<VmCustomPricing>>;
 
diff --git a/lnvps_db/src/mysql.rs b/lnvps_db/src/mysql.rs
index fb8c49f..ccf624a 100644
--- a/lnvps_db/src/mysql.rs
+++ b/lnvps_db/src/mysql.rs
@@ -821,6 +821,15 @@ impl LNVpsDbBase for LNVpsDbMysql {
         .await?)
     }
 
+    async fn count_active_vm_payments(&self, vm_id: u64) -> DbResult<u64> {
+        let (count,): (i64,) =
+            sqlx::query_as("select count(*) from vm_payment where vm_id = ? and is_paid = false and expires > NOW()")
+                .bind(vm_id)
+                .fetch_one(&self.db)
+                .await?;
+        Ok(count as u64)
+    }
+
     async fn list_custom_pricing(&self, region_id: u64) -> DbResult<Vec<VmCustomPricing>> {
         Ok(
             sqlx::query_as("select * from vm_custom_pricing where region_id = ?")