diff --git a/jenkins/__init__.py b/jenkins/__init__.py
index 4a04cfa..59c88fa 100644
--- a/jenkins/__init__.py
+++ b/jenkins/__init__.py
@@ -516,6 +516,17 @@ class Jenkins(object):
         except JenkinsException:
             return False
 
+    def assert_node_exists(self, name,
+                           exception_message='node[%s] does not exist'):
+        '''
+        :param name: Name of Jenkins node, ``str``
+        :param exception_message: Message to use for the exception. Formatted
+                                  with ``name``
+        :throws: :class:`JenkinsException` whenever the node does not exist
+        '''
+        if not self.node_exists(name):
+            raise JenkinsException(exception_message % name)
+
     def delete_node(self, name):
         '''Delete Jenkins node permanently.
 
@@ -599,8 +610,7 @@ class Jenkins(object):
         self.jenkins_open(Request(
             self.server + CREATE_NODE % urlencode(params)))
 
-        if not self.node_exists(name):
-            raise JenkinsException('create[%s] failed' % (name))
+        self.assert_node_exists(name, 'create[%s] failed')
 
     def get_build_console_output(self, name, number):
         '''Get build console text.
diff --git a/tests/test_jenkins.py b/tests/test_jenkins.py
index f4dc4da..136e37c 100644
--- a/tests/test_jenkins.py
+++ b/tests/test_jenkins.py
@@ -824,6 +824,25 @@ class JenkinsTest(unittest.TestCase):
             str(context_manager.exception),
             'node[test_node] does not exist')
 
+    @patch.object(jenkins.Jenkins, 'jenkins_open')
+    def test_assert_node_exists__node_missing(self, jenkins_mock):
+        jenkins_mock.side_effect = [None]
+        j = jenkins.Jenkins('http://example.com/', 'test', 'test')
+
+        with self.assertRaises(jenkins.JenkinsException) as context_manager:
+            j.assert_node_exists('NonExistentNode')
+        self.assertEqual(
+            str(context_manager.exception),
+            'node[NonExistentNode] does not exist')
+
+    @patch.object(jenkins.Jenkins, 'jenkins_open')
+    def test_assert_node_exists__node_exists(self, jenkins_mock):
+        jenkins_mock.side_effect = [
+            json.dumps({'name': 'ExistingNode'})
+        ]
+        j = jenkins.Jenkins('http://example.com/', 'test', 'test')
+        j.assert_node_exists('ExistingNode')
+
     @patch.object(jenkins.Jenkins, 'jenkins_open')
     def test_delete_node(self, jenkins_mock):
         node_info = {