diff --git a/moto/ec2/models.py b/moto/ec2/models.py
index 1bcdbe5d..ccde643e 100644
--- a/moto/ec2/models.py
+++ b/moto/ec2/models.py
@@ -29,24 +29,24 @@ class Instance(BotoInstance):
         super(Instance, self).__init__()
         self.id = random_instance_id()
         self.image_id = image_id
-        self._state = InstanceState()
+        self._state = InstanceState("running", 16)
         self.user_data = user_data
 
     def start(self):
-        self._state.name = "pending"
-        self._state.code = 0
+        self._state.name = "running"
+        self._state.code = 16
 
     def stop(self):
-        self._state.name = "stopping"
-        self._state.code = 64
+        self._state.name = "stopped"
+        self._state.code = 80
 
     def terminate(self):
-        self._state.name = "shutting-down"
-        self._state.code = 32
+        self._state.name = "terminated"
+        self._state.code = 48
 
     def reboot(self):
-        self._state.name = "pending"
-        self._state.code = 0
+        self._state.name = "running"
+        self._state.code = 16
 
     def get_tags(self):
         tags = ec2_backend.describe_tags(self.id)
diff --git a/moto/ec2/responses/amis.py b/moto/ec2/responses/amis.py
index b95fbfab..b6e85638 100644
--- a/moto/ec2/responses/amis.py
+++ b/moto/ec2/responses/amis.py
@@ -7,7 +7,10 @@ from moto.ec2.utils import instance_ids_from_querystring
 class AmisResponse(object):
     def create_image(self):
         name = self.querystring.get('Name')[0]
-        description = self.querystring.get('Description')[0]
+        if "Description" in self.querystring:
+            description = self.querystring.get('Description')[0]
+        else:
+            description = ""
         instance_ids = instance_ids_from_querystring(self.querystring)
         instance_id = instance_ids[0]
         image = ec2_backend.create_image(instance_id, name, description)
diff --git a/moto/ec2/responses/instances.py b/moto/ec2/responses/instances.py
index 68be9daf..f230dcf4 100644
--- a/moto/ec2/responses/instances.py
+++ b/moto/ec2/responses/instances.py
@@ -95,8 +95,8 @@ EC2_RUN_INSTANCES = """<RunInstancesResponse xmlns="http://ec2.amazonaws.com/doc
           <instanceId>{{ instance.id }}</instanceId>
           <imageId>{{ instance.image_id }}</imageId>
           <instanceState>
-            <code>{{ instance._state.code }}</code>
-            <name>{{ instance._state.name }}</name>
+            <code>0</code>
+            <name>pending</name>
           </instanceState>
           <privateDnsName/>
           <dnsName/>
@@ -150,8 +150,8 @@ EC2_DESCRIBE_INSTANCES = """<DescribeInstancesResponse xmlns='http://ec2.amazona
                       <code>{{ instance._state.code }}</code>
                       <name>{{ instance._state.name }}</name>
                     </instanceState>
-                    <privateDnsName/>
-                    <dnsName/>
+                    <privateDnsName>ip-10.0.0.12.ec2.internal</privateDnsName>
+                    <dnsName>ec2-46.51.219.63.compute-1.amazonaws.com</dnsName>
                     <reason/>
                     <keyName>gsg-keypair</keyName>
                     <amiLaunchIndex>0</amiLaunchIndex>
@@ -216,8 +216,8 @@ EC2_TERMINATE_INSTANCES = """
           <name>running</name>
         </previousState>
         <currentState>
-          <code>{{ instance._state.code }}</code>
-          <name>{{ instance._state.name }}</name>
+          <code>32</code>
+          <name>shutting-down</name>
         </currentState>
       </item>
     {% endfor %}
@@ -236,8 +236,8 @@ EC2_STOP_INSTANCES = """
           <name>running</name>
         </previousState>
         <currentState>
-          <code>{{ instance._state.code }}</code>
-          <name>{{ instance._state.name }}</name>
+          <code>64</code>
+          <name>stopping</name>
         </currentState>
       </item>
     {% endfor %}
@@ -256,8 +256,8 @@ EC2_START_INSTANCES = """
           <name>running</name>
         </previousState>
         <currentState>
-          <code>{{ instance._state.code }}</code>
-          <name>{{ instance._state.name }}</name>
+          <code>0</code>
+          <name>pending</name>
         </currentState>
       </item>
     {% endfor %}
diff --git a/tests/test_ec2/test_instances.py b/tests/test_ec2/test_instances.py
index 073ad7e4..d2c38655 100644
--- a/tests/test_ec2/test_instances.py
+++ b/tests/test_ec2/test_instances.py
@@ -35,6 +35,7 @@ def test_instance_launch_and_terminate():
     reservation.should.be.a(Reservation)
     reservation.instances.should.have.length_of(1)
     instance = reservation.instances[0]
+    instance.state.should.equal('pending')
 
     reservations = conn.get_all_instances()
     reservations.should.have.length_of(1)
@@ -42,13 +43,13 @@ def test_instance_launch_and_terminate():
     instances = reservations[0].instances
     instances.should.have.length_of(1)
     instances[0].id.should.equal(instance.id)
-    instances[0].state.should.equal('pending')
+    instances[0].state.should.equal('running')
 
     conn.terminate_instances([instances[0].id])
 
     reservations = conn.get_all_instances()
     instance = reservations[0].instances[0]
-    instance.state.should.equal('shutting-down')
+    instance.state.should.equal('terminated')
 
 
 @mock_ec2
@@ -85,18 +86,18 @@ def test_get_instances_filtering_by_state():
 
     conn.terminate_instances([instance1.id])
 
-    reservations = conn.get_all_instances(filters={'instance-state-name': 'pending'})
+    reservations = conn.get_all_instances(filters={'instance-state-name': 'running'})
     reservations.should.have.length_of(1)
     # Since we terminated instance1, only instance2 and instance3 should be returned
     instance_ids = [instance.id for instance in reservations[0].instances]
     set(instance_ids).should.equal(set([instance2.id, instance3.id]))
 
-    reservations = conn.get_all_instances([instance2.id], filters={'instance-state-name': 'pending'})
+    reservations = conn.get_all_instances([instance2.id], filters={'instance-state-name': 'running'})
     reservations.should.have.length_of(1)
     instance_ids = [instance.id for instance in reservations[0].instances]
     instance_ids.should.equal([instance2.id])
 
-    reservations = conn.get_all_instances([instance2.id], filters={'instance-state-name': 'terminating'})
+    reservations = conn.get_all_instances([instance2.id], filters={'instance-state-name': 'terminated'})
     list(reservations).should.equal([])
 
     # get_all_instances should still return all 3