diff --git a/pkg/controller/node/node_controller_test.go b/pkg/controller/node/node_controller_test.go
index 6a89bd6b76..0eb2aa1516 100644
--- a/pkg/controller/node/node_controller_test.go
+++ b/pkg/controller/node/node_controller_test.go
@@ -452,13 +452,13 @@ func TestGetCandidateMachines(t *testing.T) {
 		expected: []*corev1.Node{newNodeWithReady("node-3", "v0", "v0", corev1.ConditionTrue)},
 	}, {
 		//progress on old stuck node
-		progress: 1,
+		progress: 0,
 		nodes: []*corev1.Node{
 			newNodeWithReady("node-0", "v1", "v1", corev1.ConditionTrue),
 			newNodeWithReady("node-1", "v0.1", "v0.2", corev1.ConditionFalse),
 			newNodeWithReady("node-2", "v0", "v0", corev1.ConditionTrue),
 		},
-		expected: []*corev1.Node{newNodeWithReady("node-1", "v0.1", "v0.2", corev1.ConditionFalse)},
+		expected: []*corev1.Node{},
 	}}
 
 	for idx, test := range tests {
diff --git a/pkg/controller/node/status.go b/pkg/controller/node/status.go
index 75c1647783..0db72cd25f 100644
--- a/pkg/controller/node/status.go
+++ b/pkg/controller/node/status.go
@@ -177,6 +177,7 @@ func isNodeReady(node *corev1.Node) bool {
 	return true
 }
 
+// TODO(runcom): drop currentConfig arg
 func getUnavailableMachines(currentConfig string, nodes []*corev1.Node) []*corev1.Node {
 	var unavail []*corev1.Node
 	for _, node := range nodes {
@@ -191,9 +192,14 @@ func getUnavailableMachines(currentConfig string, nodes []*corev1.Node) []*corev
 		if !ok || cconfig == "" {
 			continue
 		}
+		dstate, ok := node.Annotations[daemonconsts.MachineConfigDaemonStateAnnotationKey]
+		if !ok || dstate == "" {
+			continue
+		}
 
 		nodeNotReady := !isNodeReady(node)
-		if dconfig == currentConfig && (dconfig != cconfig || nodeNotReady) {
+		// we want to be able to roll back if a bad MC caused an unreconcilable state
+		if (dconfig != cconfig || nodeNotReady) && dstate != daemonconsts.MachineConfigDaemonStateUnreconcilable {
 			unavail = append(unavail, node)
 			glog.V(2).Infof("Node %s unavailable: different configs (desired: %s, current %s) or node not ready %v", node.Name, dconfig, cconfig, nodeNotReady)
 		}
diff --git a/pkg/controller/node/status_test.go b/pkg/controller/node/status_test.go
index e437ccd1e6..4a588ee293 100644
--- a/pkg/controller/node/status_test.go
+++ b/pkg/controller/node/status_test.go
@@ -239,7 +239,10 @@ func TestGetUnavailableMachines(t *testing.T) {
 			newNodeWithReady("node-2", "v0", "v2", corev1.ConditionTrue),
 		},
 		currentConfig: "v2",
-		unavail:       []*corev1.Node{newNodeWithReady("node-2", "v0", "v2", corev1.ConditionTrue)},
+		unavail: []*corev1.Node{
+			newNodeWithReady("node-0", "v0", "v1", corev1.ConditionTrue),
+			newNodeWithReady("node-2", "v0", "v2", corev1.ConditionTrue),
+		},
 	}, {
 		// 1 node updated, 1 updating, 1 updating but not v2 and is not ready
 		nodes: []*corev1.Node{
@@ -248,7 +251,10 @@ func TestGetUnavailableMachines(t *testing.T) {
 			newNodeWithReady("node-2", "v0", "v2", corev1.ConditionTrue),
 		},
 		currentConfig: "v2",
-		unavail:       []*corev1.Node{newNodeWithReady("node-2", "v0", "v2", corev1.ConditionTrue)},
+		unavail:       []*corev1.Node{
+			newNodeWithReady("node-0", "v0", "v1", corev1.ConditionFalse),
+			newNodeWithReady("node-2", "v0", "v2", corev1.ConditionTrue),
+		},
 	}, {
 		// 2 node updated, 1 updating
 		nodes: []*corev1.Node{