The present disclosure relates to error recovery in a virtual machine-based development environment. An example method generally includes monitoring for an error event in a virtual machine managed within a development environment. The development environment attempts to recover the virtual machine from the error event by performing a first error remediation procedure on the virtual machine. Upon determining that the first error remediation procedure failed to recover the virtual machine from the error event, the development environment attempts to recover the virtual machine from the error event by performing a second error remediation procedure on the virtual machine. The second remediation procedure may be a procedure that is more severe than the first error remediation procedure.