diff --git a/kuryr_kubernetes/controller/handlers/vif.py b/kuryr_kubernetes/controller/handlers/vif.py
index 6ecab5408..20c304b98 100644
--- a/kuryr_kubernetes/controller/handlers/vif.py
+++ b/kuryr_kubernetes/controller/handlers/vif.py
@@ -52,7 +52,7 @@ class VIFHandler(k8s_base.ResourceEventHandler):
         self._drv_vif_pool.set_vif_driver(self._drv_vif)
 
     def on_present(self, pod):
-        if self._is_host_network(pod) or not self._is_pending(pod):
+        if self._is_host_network(pod) or not self._is_pending_node(pod):
             # REVISIT(ivc): consider an additional configurable check that
             # would allow skipping pods to enable heterogeneous environments
             # where certain pods/namespaces/nodes can be managed by other
@@ -96,7 +96,8 @@ class VIFHandler(k8s_base.ResourceEventHandler):
         return pod['spec'].get('hostNetwork', False)
 
     @staticmethod
-    def _is_pending(pod):
+    def _is_pending_node(pod):
+        """Checks if Pod is in PENDGING status and has node assigned."""
         try:
             return (pod['spec']['nodeName'] and
                     pod['status']['phase'] == constants.K8S_POD_STATUS_PENDING)
diff --git a/kuryr_kubernetes/tests/unit/controller/handlers/test_vif.py b/kuryr_kubernetes/tests/unit/controller/handlers/test_vif.py
index 173cbe13c..02d4c7ebe 100644
--- a/kuryr_kubernetes/tests/unit/controller/handlers/test_vif.py
+++ b/kuryr_kubernetes/tests/unit/controller/handlers/test_vif.py
@@ -62,12 +62,12 @@ class TestVIFHandler(test_base.TestCase):
         self._get_vif = self._handler._get_vif
         self._set_vif = self._handler._set_vif
         self._is_host_network = self._handler._is_host_network
-        self._is_pending = self._handler._is_pending
+        self._is_pending_node = self._handler._is_pending_node
 
         self._request_vif.return_value = self._vif
         self._get_vif.return_value = self._vif
         self._is_host_network.return_value = False
-        self._is_pending.return_value = True
+        self._is_pending_node.return_value = True
         self._get_project.return_value = self._project_id
         self._get_subnets.return_value = self._subnets
         self._get_security_groups.return_value = self._security_groups
@@ -113,15 +113,20 @@ class TestVIFHandler(test_base.TestCase):
         del pod['spec']['hostNetwork']
         self.assertFalse(h_vif.VIFHandler._is_host_network(pod))
 
-    def test_is_pending(self):
-        self.assertTrue(h_vif.VIFHandler._is_pending(self._pod))
+    def test_is_pending_node(self):
+        self.assertTrue(h_vif.VIFHandler._is_pending_node(self._pod))
 
     def test_is_not_pending(self):
         self._pod['status']['phase'] = 'Unknown'
-        self.assertFalse(h_vif.VIFHandler._is_pending(self._pod))
+        self.assertFalse(h_vif.VIFHandler._is_pending_node(self._pod))
+
+    def test_is_pending_no_node(self):
+        self._pod['spec']['nodeName'] = None
+        self.assertFalse(h_vif.VIFHandler._is_pending_node(self._pod))
 
     def test_unset_pending(self):
-        self.assertFalse(h_vif.VIFHandler._is_pending({}))
+        self.assertFalse(h_vif.VIFHandler._is_pending_node({'spec': {},
+                                                            'status': {}}))
 
     def test_on_present(self):
         h_vif.VIFHandler.on_present(self._handler, self._pod)
@@ -142,7 +147,7 @@ class TestVIFHandler(test_base.TestCase):
         self._set_vif.assert_not_called()
 
     def test_on_present_not_pending(self):
-        self._is_pending.return_value = False
+        self._is_pending_node.return_value = False
 
         h_vif.VIFHandler.on_present(self._handler, self._pod)