diff --git a/nova/tests/unit/virt/ironic/test_driver.py b/nova/tests/unit/virt/ironic/test_driver.py
index 45f581c93e77..76fbf00220b1 100644
--- a/nova/tests/unit/virt/ironic/test_driver.py
+++ b/nova/tests/unit/virt/ironic/test_driver.py
@@ -665,14 +665,20 @@ class IronicDriverTestCase(test.NoDBTestCase):
             # a node in deleted
             {'uuid': uuidutils.generate_uuid(),
              'power_state': ironic_states.POWER_ON,
-             'provision_state': ironic_states.DELETED}
+             'provision_state': ironic_states.DELETED},
+            # a node in AVAILABLE with an instance uuid
+            {'uuid': uuidutils.generate_uuid(),
+             'instance_uuid': uuidutils.generate_uuid(),
+             'power_state': ironic_states.POWER_OFF,
+             'provision_state': ironic_states.AVAILABLE}
         ]
         for n in node_dicts:
             node = ironic_utils.get_test_node(**n)
             self.assertTrue(self.driver._node_resources_unavailable(node))
 
         for ok_state in (ironic_states.AVAILABLE, ironic_states.NOSTATE):
-            # these are both ok and should present as available
+            # these are both ok and should present as available as they
+            # have no instance_uuid
             avail_node = ironic_utils.get_test_node(
                             power_state=ironic_states.POWER_OFF,
                             provision_state=ok_state)
diff --git a/nova/virt/ironic/driver.py b/nova/virt/ironic/driver.py
index 88653ccf27cb..593afffc3400 100644
--- a/nova/virt/ironic/driver.py
+++ b/nova/virt/ironic/driver.py
@@ -179,7 +179,9 @@ class IronicDriver(virt_driver.ComputeDriver):
             ironic_states.AVAILABLE, ironic_states.NOSTATE]
         return (node_obj.maintenance or
                 node_obj.power_state in bad_power_states or
-                node_obj.provision_state not in good_provision_states)
+                node_obj.provision_state not in good_provision_states or
+                (node_obj.provision_state in good_provision_states and
+                 node_obj.instance_uuid is not None))
 
     def _node_resources_used(self, node_obj):
         """Determine whether the node's resources are currently used.