diff --git a/manila/compute/nova.py b/manila/compute/nova.py
index 2e742f2c73..18639cdb92 100644
--- a/manila/compute/nova.py
+++ b/manila/compute/nova.py
@@ -201,9 +201,16 @@ class API(base.Base):
         try:
             server = utils.find_resource(
                 novaclient(context).servers, instance_name_or_id)
-        except nova_exception.CommandError as e:
-            msg = _("Failed to get Nova VM. %s") % e
-            raise exception.ManilaException(msg)
+        except nova_exception.CommandError:
+            # we did not find the server in the current tenant,
+            # and proceed searching in all tenants
+            try:
+                server = utils.find_resource(
+                    novaclient(context).servers, instance_name_or_id,
+                    all_tenants=True)
+            except nova_exception.CommandError as e:
+                msg = _("Failed to get Nova VM. %s") % e
+                raise exception.ManilaException(msg)
         return _untranslate_server_summary_view(server)
 
     @translate_server_exception
diff --git a/manila/tests/compute/test_nova.py b/manila/tests/compute/test_nova.py
index 9a15087692..42f1b905b1 100644
--- a/manila/tests/compute/test_nova.py
+++ b/manila/tests/compute/test_nova.py
@@ -170,6 +170,20 @@ class NovaApiTestCase(test.TestCase):
         self.assertEqual(instance_id, result['id'])
         utils.find_resource.assert_called_once_with(mock.ANY, instance_id)
 
+    def test_server_get_by_name_or_id_failed(self):
+        instance_id = 'instance_id1'
+        server = {'id': instance_id, 'fake_key': 'fake_value'}
+        self.mock_object(utils, 'find_resource',
+                         mock.Mock(return_value=server,
+                                   side_effect=nova_exception.CommandError))
+
+        self.assertRaises(exception.ManilaException,
+                          self.api.server_get_by_name_or_id,
+                          self.ctx, instance_id)
+        utils.find_resource.assert_any_call(mock.ANY, instance_id)
+        utils.find_resource.assert_called_with(mock.ANY, instance_id,
+                                               all_tenants=True)
+
     @ddt.data(
         {'nova_e': nova_exception.NotFound(404),
          'manila_e': exception.InstanceNotFound},