diff --git a/buildlet/buildletclient.go b/buildlet/buildletclient.go
index a6f0d49..d23984c 100644
--- a/buildlet/buildletclient.go
+++ b/buildlet/buildletclient.go
@@ -110,6 +110,19 @@
 	c.desc = v
 }
 
+// SetGCEInstanceName sets an instance name for GCE buildlets.
+// This value differs from the buildlet name used in the CLI and web interface.
+func (c *Client) SetGCEInstanceName(v string) {
+	c.gceInstanceName = v
+}
+
+// GCEInstanceName gets an instance name for GCE buildlets.
+// This value differs from the buildlet name used in the CLI and web interface.
+// For non-GCE buildlets, this will return an empty string.
+func (c *Client) GCEInstanceName() string {
+	return c.gceInstanceName
+}
+
 // SetHTTPClient replaces the underlying HTTP client.
 // It should only be called before the Client is used.
 func (c *Client) SetHTTPClient(httpClient *http.Client) {
@@ -141,15 +154,16 @@
 
 // A Client interacts with a single buildlet.
 type Client struct {
-	ipPort         string // required, unless remoteBuildlet+baseURL is set
-	tls            KeyPair
-	httpClient     *http.Client
-	dialer         func(context.Context) (net.Conn, error) // nil means to use net.Dialer.DialContext
-	baseURL        string                                  // optional baseURL (used by remote buildlets)
-	authUser       string                                  // defaults to "gomote", if password is non-empty
-	password       string                                  // basic auth password or empty for none
-	remoteBuildlet string                                  // non-empty if for remote buildlets (used by client)
-	name           string                                  // optional name for debugging, returned by Name
+	ipPort          string // required, unless remoteBuildlet+baseURL is set
+	tls             KeyPair
+	httpClient      *http.Client
+	dialer          func(context.Context) (net.Conn, error) // nil means to use net.Dialer.DialContext
+	baseURL         string                                  // optional baseURL (used by remote buildlets)
+	authUser        string                                  // defaults to "gomote", if password is non-empty
+	password        string                                  // basic auth password or empty for none
+	remoteBuildlet  string                                  // non-empty if for remote buildlets (used by client)
+	name            string                                  // optional name for debugging, returned by Name
+	gceInstanceName string                                  // instance name for GCE VMs
 
 	closeFuncs  []func() // optional extra code to run on close
 	releaseMode bool
diff --git a/cmd/coordinator/gce.go b/cmd/coordinator/gce.go
index 927b185..228dee5 100644
--- a/cmd/coordinator/gce.go
+++ b/cmd/coordinator/gce.go
@@ -353,6 +353,7 @@
 	}
 	waitBuildlet.Done(nil)
 	bc.SetDescription("GCE VM: " + instName)
+	bc.SetGCEInstanceName(instName)
 	bc.SetOnHeartbeatFailure(func() {
 		p.putBuildlet(bc, hostType, zone, instName)
 	})
@@ -543,11 +544,11 @@
 // cleanZoneVMs is part of cleanUpOldVMs, operating on a single zone.
 func (p *gceBuildletPool) cleanZoneVMs(zone string) error {
 	// Fetch the first 500 (default) running instances and clean
-	// thoes. We expect that we'll be running many fewer than
+	// those. We expect that we'll be running many fewer than
 	// that. Even if we have more, eventually the first 500 will
 	// either end or be cleaned, and then the next call will get a
 	// partially-different 500.
-	// TODO(bradfitz): revist this code if we ever start running
+	// TODO(bradfitz): revisit this code if we ever start running
 	// thousands of VMs.
 	gceAPIGate()
 	list, err := computeService.Instances.List(buildEnv.ProjectName, zone).Do()
@@ -559,6 +560,11 @@
 			// Defensive. Not seen in practice.
 			continue
 		}
+		if isGCERemoteBuildlet(inst.Name) {
+			// Remote buildlets have their own expiration mechanism that respects active SSH sessions.
+			log.Printf("cleanZoneVMs: skipping remote buildlet %q", inst.Name)
+			continue
+		}
 		var sawDeleteAt bool
 		var deleteReason string
 		for _, it := range inst.Metadata.Items {
diff --git a/cmd/coordinator/remote.go b/cmd/coordinator/remote.go
index 11a9bf8..6294dca 100644
--- a/cmd/coordinator/remote.go
+++ b/cmd/coordinator/remote.go
@@ -105,6 +105,17 @@
 	}
 }
 
+func isGCERemoteBuildlet(instName string) bool {
+	remoteBuildlets.Lock()
+	defer remoteBuildlets.Unlock()
+	for _, rb := range remoteBuildlets.m {
+		if rb.buildlet.GCEInstanceName() == instName {
+			return true
+		}
+	}
+	return false
+}
+
 func expireBuildlets() {
 	defer cleanTimer.Reset(remoteBuildletCleanInterval)
 	remoteBuildlets.Lock()