diff --git a/reframe/core/schedulers/slurm.py b/reframe/core/schedulers/slurm.py
index b739585937..f8b07de60c 100644
--- a/reframe/core/schedulers/slurm.py
+++ b/reframe/core/schedulers/slurm.py
@@ -4,6 +4,7 @@
 import re
 import time
 from argparse import ArgumentParser
+from contextlib import suppress
 from datetime import datetime
 
 import reframe.core.schedulers as sched
@@ -177,7 +178,7 @@ def get_all_nodes(self):
             raise JobError('could not retrieve node information') from e
 
         node_descriptions = completed.stdout.splitlines()
-        return {SlurmNode(descr) for descr in node_descriptions}
+        return create_nodes(node_descriptions)
 
     def _get_default_partition(self):
         completed = _run_strict('scontrol -a show -o partitions')
@@ -266,20 +267,13 @@ def _get_reservation_nodes(self, reservation):
 
         completed = _run_strict('scontrol -a show -o %s' % reservation_nodes)
         node_descriptions = completed.stdout.splitlines()
-        return {SlurmNode(descr) for descr in node_descriptions}
+        return create_nodes(node_descriptions)
 
     def _get_nodes_by_name(self, nodespec):
         completed = os_ext.run_command('scontrol -a show -o node %s' %
                                        nodespec)
         node_descriptions = completed.stdout.splitlines()
-        nodes_avail = set()
-        for descr in node_descriptions:
-            try:
-                nodes_avail.add(SlurmNode(descr))
-            except JobError:
-                pass
-
-        return nodes_avail
+        return create_nodes(node_descriptions)
 
     def _set_nodelist(self, nodespec):
         if self._nodelist is not None:
@@ -489,6 +483,15 @@ def cancel(self):
         self._cancelled = True
 
 
+def create_nodes(descriptions):
+    nodes = set()
+    for descr in descriptions:
+        with suppress(JobError):
+            nodes.add(SlurmNode(descr))
+
+    return nodes
+
+
 class SlurmNode:
     '''Class representing a Slurm node.'''
 
diff --git a/unittests/test_schedulers.py b/unittests/test_schedulers.py
index 68e247c392..7ab2ff9c27 100644
--- a/unittests/test_schedulers.py
+++ b/unittests/test_schedulers.py
@@ -15,7 +15,7 @@
 from reframe.core.launchers.local import LocalLauncher
 from reframe.core.launchers.registry import getlauncher
 from reframe.core.schedulers.registry import getscheduler
-from reframe.core.schedulers.slurm import SlurmNode
+from reframe.core.schedulers.slurm import SlurmNode, create_nodes
 
 
 class _TestJob(abc.ABC):
@@ -534,6 +534,8 @@ def create_dummy_nodes(obj):
                              'ExtSensorsTemp=n/s Reason=Foo/ '
                              'failed [reframe_user@01 Jan 2018]',
 
+                             'Node invalid_node1 not found',
+
                              'NodeName=nid00003 Arch=x86_64 CoresPerSocket=12 '
                              'CPUAlloc=0 CPUErr=0 CPUTot=24 CPULoad=0.00 '
                              'AvailableFeatures=f1,f3 ActiveFeatures=f1,f3 '
@@ -585,16 +587,17 @@ def create_dummy_nodes(obj):
                              'LowestJoules=100000000 ConsumedJoules=0 '
                              'ExtSensorsJoules=n/s ExtSensorsWatts=0 '
                              'ExtSensorsTemp=n/s Reason=Foo/ '
-                             'failed [reframe_user@01 Jan 2018]']
+                             'failed [reframe_user@01 Jan 2018]',
+
+                             'Node invalid_node2 not found']
 
-        return {SlurmNode(desc) for desc in node_descriptions}
+        return create_nodes(node_descriptions)
 
     def create_reservation_nodes(obj, res):
-        return {n for n in obj.create_dummy_nodes() if n.name != 'nid00001'}
+        return {n for n in obj.testjob.get_all_nodes() if n.name != 'nid00001'}
 
-    def get_nodes_by_name(obj, node_names):
-        nodes = obj.create_dummy_nodes()
-        return {n for n in nodes if n.name in node_names}
+    def create_dummy_nodes_by_name(obj, name):
+        return {n for n in obj.testjob.get_all_nodes() if n.name == name}
 
     def setUp(self):
         self.workdir = tempfile.mkdtemp(dir='unittests')
@@ -736,14 +739,16 @@ def test_valid_reservation_option(self):
     def test_exclude_nodes_cmd(self):
         self.testjob._sched_access = ['--constraint=f1']
         self.testjob._sched_exclude_nodelist = 'nid00001'
-        self.testjob._get_nodes_by_name = self.get_nodes_by_name
+        # monkey patch `_get_nodes_by_name` to simulate extraction of
+        # slurm nodes by name through the use of `scontrol show`
+        self.testjob._get_nodes_by_name = self.create_dummy_nodes_by_name
         self.prepare_job()
         self.assertEqual(self.testjob.num_tasks, 8)
 
     def test_exclude_nodes_opt(self):
         self.testjob._sched_access = ['--constraint=f1']
         self.testjob.options = ['-x nid00001']
-        self.testjob._get_nodes_by_name = self.get_nodes_by_name
+        self.testjob._get_nodes_by_name = self.create_dummy_nodes_by_name
         self.prepare_job()
         self.assertEqual(self.testjob.num_tasks, 8)