diff --git a/cmd/publish.go b/cmd/publish.go
index e01ce31..1e8cb3a 100644
--- a/cmd/publish.go
+++ b/cmd/publish.go
@@ -65,6 +65,12 @@ func publish(cmd *cobra.Command, args []string) {
 		}
 
 		vmStatus, _ := host.Status(machineConfig)
+		if vmStatus == "Paused" {
+			errs[i] = utils.CmdResult{
+				Name: vmName, Err: errors.New("error publishing paused instance due to possible data loss. start instance, sync data to disc and try again")}
+			continue
+		}
+
 		if vmStatus == "Running" {
 			_, err = machineConfig.Exec("sync", true)
 			if err != nil {
@@ -72,7 +78,7 @@ func publish(cmd *cobra.Command, args []string) {
 					Name: vmName, Err: errors.New("error synchonizing filesystem before publish, stop instance and retry")}
 				continue
 			}
-			err = host.Pause(machineConfig)
+			err = host.Stop(machineConfig)
 			if err != nil {
 				errs[i] = utils.CmdResult{
 					Name: vmName, Err: errors.New("error pausing instance before publish, stop instance and retry")}
@@ -129,7 +135,15 @@ func publish(cmd *cobra.Command, args []string) {
 		}
 
 		if vmStatus == "Running" {
-			err = host.Resume(machineConfig)
+			err = host.Start(machineConfig)
+			if err != nil {
+				errs[i] = utils.CmdResult{Name: vmName, Err: err}
+				continue
+			}
+		}
+
+		if vmStatus == "Paused" {
+			err = host.Pause(machineConfig)
 			if err != nil {
 				errs[i] = utils.CmdResult{Name: vmName, Err: err}
 				continue
diff --git a/qemu/ops.go b/qemu/ops.go
index f5624fd..6e10303 100644
--- a/qemu/ops.go
+++ b/qemu/ops.go
@@ -746,6 +746,7 @@ func (c *MachineConfig) CompressQemuDiskImage() error {
 
 	err := cmd.Run()
 	if err != nil {
+		fmt.Println(err.Error())
 		return err
 	}