diff --git a/hooks/misc_utils.py b/hooks/misc_utils.py
index 2b2e39c..43b8e4d 100644
--- a/hooks/misc_utils.py
+++ b/hooks/misc_utils.py
@@ -56,7 +56,8 @@ def ensure_block_device(block_device):
 
     if not is_block_device(bdev):
         log('Failed to locate valid block device at %s' % bdev, level=ERROR)
-        raise
+        # ignore missing block devices
+        return
 
     return bdev
 
diff --git a/hooks/swift_storage_utils.py b/hooks/swift_storage_utils.py
index 21afd50..af1fb89 100644
--- a/hooks/swift_storage_utils.py
+++ b/hooks/swift_storage_utils.py
@@ -164,7 +164,11 @@ def determine_block_devices():
     else:
         bdevs = block_device.split(' ')
 
-    return [ensure_block_device(bd) for bd in bdevs]
+    # attempt to ensure block devices, but filter out missing devs
+    _none = ['None', 'none', None]
+    valid_bdevs = [x for x in map(ensure_block_device, bdevs) if x not in _none]
+    log('Valid ensured block devices: %s' % valid_bdevs)
+    return valid_bdevs
 
 
 def mkfs_xfs(bdev):