diff --git a/images/virtualization-artifact/pkg/controller/vmop/migration/internal/handler/lifecycle_test.go b/images/virtualization-artifact/pkg/controller/vmop/migration/internal/handler/lifecycle_test.go
index 4b0495882e..94d139f9a9 100644
--- a/images/virtualization-artifact/pkg/controller/vmop/migration/internal/handler/lifecycle_test.go
+++ b/images/virtualization-artifact/pkg/controller/vmop/migration/internal/handler/lifecycle_test.go
@@ -152,10 +152,10 @@ var _ = Describe("LifecycleHandler", func() {
 		),
 
 		// AlwaysForced cases.
-		Entry("should become Failed for AlwaysForced and force=nil",
+		Entry("is ok for AlwaysForced and force=nil",
 			newVMOPEvictPending(),
 			v1alpha2.AlwaysForcedMigrationPolicy,
-			v1alpha2.VMOPPhaseFailed,
+			v1alpha2.VMOPPhasePending,
 		),
 		Entry("should become Failed for AlwaysForced and force=false",
 			newVMOPEvictPending(vmopbuilder.WithForce(ptr.To(false))),
diff --git a/images/virtualization-artifact/pkg/livemigration/policy.go b/images/virtualization-artifact/pkg/livemigration/policy.go
index 1dad3de38e..d5b8f60a73 100644
--- a/images/virtualization-artifact/pkg/livemigration/policy.go
+++ b/images/virtualization-artifact/pkg/livemigration/policy.go
@@ -49,11 +49,7 @@ func CalculateEffectivePolicy(vm v1alpha2.VirtualMachine, vmop *v1alpha2.Virtual
 	// Override autoConverge value.
 	if vmop != nil {
 		switch effectivePolicy {
-		case v1alpha2.PreferSafeMigrationPolicy:
-			if vmop.Spec.Force != nil {
-				autoConvergePtr = vmop.Spec.Force
-			}
-		case v1alpha2.PreferForcedMigrationPolicy:
+		case v1alpha2.PreferSafeMigrationPolicy, v1alpha2.PreferForcedMigrationPolicy:
 			if vmop.Spec.Force != nil {
 				autoConvergePtr = vmop.Spec.Force
 			}
@@ -62,8 +58,8 @@ func CalculateEffectivePolicy(vm v1alpha2.VirtualMachine, vmop *v1alpha2.Virtual
 				return effectivePolicy, *autoConvergePtr, fmt.Errorf("force=true is not applicable for VM liveMigrationPolicy %s", effectivePolicy)
 			}
 		case v1alpha2.AlwaysForcedMigrationPolicy:
-			if vmop.Spec.Force == nil || !*vmop.Spec.Force {
-				return effectivePolicy, *autoConvergePtr, fmt.Errorf("force=true is required for VM liveMigrationPolicy %s", effectivePolicy)
+			if vmop.Spec.Force != nil && !*vmop.Spec.Force {
+				return effectivePolicy, *autoConvergePtr, fmt.Errorf("force=false is not applicable for VM liveMigrationPolicy %s", effectivePolicy)
 			}
 		}
 	}
diff --git a/src/cli/internal/cmd/lifecycle/lifecycle.go b/src/cli/internal/cmd/lifecycle/lifecycle.go
index 4074f93609..8735ca9afe 100644
--- a/src/cli/internal/cmd/lifecycle/lifecycle.go
+++ b/src/cli/internal/cmd/lifecycle/lifecycle.go
@@ -30,6 +30,7 @@ import (
 	k8serrors "k8s.io/apimachinery/pkg/api/errors"
 	metav1 "k8s.io/apimachinery/pkg/apis/meta/v1"
 	"k8s.io/apimachinery/pkg/types"
+	"k8s.io/utils/ptr"
 
 	"github.com/deckhouse/virtualization/api/client/kubeclient"
 	"github.com/deckhouse/virtualization/src/cli/internal/clientconfig"
@@ -106,7 +107,8 @@ func (l *Lifecycle) Run(cmd *cobra.Command, args []string) error {
 	if err != nil {
 		return err
 	}
-	mgr := l.getManager(client)
+	forceSet := cmd.Flags().Changed(forceFlag)
+	mgr := l.getManager(client, forceSet)
 
 	ctx, cancel := context.WithTimeout(context.Background(), l.opts.Timeout)
 	defer cancel()
@@ -166,12 +168,17 @@ func (l *Lifecycle) getNameNamespace(defaultNamespace string, args []string) (st
 	return name, namespace, nil
 }
 
-func (l *Lifecycle) getManager(client kubeclient.Client) Manager {
+func (l *Lifecycle) getManager(client kubeclient.Client, forceSet bool) Manager {
+	var forcePtr *bool
+	if forceSet {
+		forcePtr = ptr.To(l.opts.Force)
+	}
+
 	return vmop.New(
 		client,
 		vmop.WithCreateOnly(l.opts.CreateOnly),
 		vmop.WithWaitComplete(l.opts.WaitComplete),
-		vmop.WithForce(l.opts.Force),
+		vmop.WithForce(forcePtr),
 	)
 }
 
diff --git a/src/cli/internal/cmd/lifecycle/vmop/vmop.go b/src/cli/internal/cmd/lifecycle/vmop/vmop.go
index cc3ebf8ca0..20f297c2c0 100644
--- a/src/cli/internal/cmd/lifecycle/vmop/vmop.go
+++ b/src/cli/internal/cmd/lifecycle/vmop/vmop.go
@@ -25,7 +25,6 @@ import (
 	metav1 "k8s.io/apimachinery/pkg/apis/meta/v1"
 	"k8s.io/apimachinery/pkg/fields"
 	"k8s.io/apimachinery/pkg/types"
-	"k8s.io/utils/ptr"
 
 	"github.com/deckhouse/virtualization/api/client/kubeclient"
 	"github.com/deckhouse/virtualization/api/core/v1alpha2"
@@ -38,7 +37,7 @@ type VirtualMachineOperation struct {
 }
 
 type options struct {
-	force        bool
+	force        *bool
 	waitComplete bool
 	createOnly   bool
 }
@@ -56,7 +55,7 @@ func New(client kubeclient.Client, opts ...func(*VirtualMachineOperation)) *Virt
 	return vmop
 }
 
-func WithForce(force bool) func(*VirtualMachineOperation) {
+func WithForce(force *bool) func(*VirtualMachineOperation) {
 	return func(o *VirtualMachineOperation) {
 		o.options.force = force
 	}
@@ -80,7 +79,7 @@ func (v VirtualMachineOperation) Stop(ctx context.Context, vmName, vmNamespace s
 }
 
 func (v VirtualMachineOperation) Start(ctx context.Context, vmName, vmNamespace string) (msg string, err error) {
-	vmop := v.newVMOP(vmName, vmNamespace, v1alpha2.VMOPTypeStart, false)
+	vmop := v.newVMOP(vmName, vmNamespace, v1alpha2.VMOPTypeStart, nil)
 	return v.do(ctx, vmop, v.options.createOnly, v.options.waitComplete)
 }
 
@@ -237,7 +236,7 @@ func (v VirtualMachineOperation) isPhaseOrFailed(vmop *v1alpha2.VirtualMachineOp
 	return vmop.Status.Phase == phase || vmop.Status.Phase == v1alpha2.VMOPPhaseFailed
 }
 
-func (v VirtualMachineOperation) newVMOP(vmName, vmNamespace string, t v1alpha2.VMOPType, force bool) *v1alpha2.VirtualMachineOperation {
+func (v VirtualMachineOperation) newVMOP(vmName, vmNamespace string, t v1alpha2.VMOPType, force *bool) *v1alpha2.VirtualMachineOperation {
 	return &v1alpha2.VirtualMachineOperation{
 		TypeMeta: metav1.TypeMeta{
 			Kind:       v1alpha2.VirtualMachineOperationKind,
@@ -250,7 +249,7 @@ func (v VirtualMachineOperation) newVMOP(vmName, vmNamespace string, t v1alpha2.
 		Spec: v1alpha2.VirtualMachineOperationSpec{
 			Type:           t,
 			VirtualMachine: vmName,
-			Force:          ptr.To(force),
+			Force:          force,
 		},
 	}
 }