diff --git a/ironic_tempest_plugin/common/waiters.py b/ironic_tempest_plugin/common/waiters.py
index cd13fe7..313b4c3 100644
--- a/ironic_tempest_plugin/common/waiters.py
+++ b/ironic_tempest_plugin/common/waiters.py
@@ -18,6 +18,7 @@
 from tempest.lib import exceptions as lib_exc
 
 from ironic_tempest_plugin.common import utils
+from ironic_tempest_plugin import exceptions as ironic_exc
 
 LOG = log.getLogger(__name__)
 
@@ -164,7 +165,8 @@
 
 def wait_node_value_in_field(client, node_id, field, value,
                              raise_if_insufficent_access=True,
-                             timeout=None, interval=None):
+                             timeout=None, interval=None,
+                             abort_on_error_state=False):
     """Waits for a node to have a field value appear.
 
     :param client: an instance of tempest plugin BaremetalClient.
@@ -173,6 +175,8 @@
     :param value: the value/key with-in the field to look for.
     :param timeout: the timeout after which the check is considered as failed.
     :param interval: an interval between show_node calls for status check.
+    :param abort_on_error_state: whether to abort waiting if the node reaches
+        an error state.
     """
 
     def is_field_updated():
@@ -181,7 +185,16 @@
         if raise_if_insufficent_access and '** Redacted' in field_value:
             msg = ('Unable to see contents of redacted field '
                    'indicating insufficient access to execute this test.')
-            raise lib_exc.InsufficientAPIAccess(msg)
+            raise ironic_exc.InsufficientAPIAccess(msg)
+        elif (abort_on_error_state
+              and (node['provision_state'].endswith('failed')
+                   or node['provision_state'] == 'error')):
+            msg = ('Node %(node)s reached failure state %(state)s while '
+                   'waiting Error: %(error)s' %
+                   {'node': node_id, 'state': node['provision_state'],
+                    'error': node.get('last_error')})
+            LOG.debug(msg)
+            raise lib_exc.TempestException(msg)
         return value in field_value
 
     if not test_utils.call_until_true(is_field_updated, timeout,
diff --git a/ironic_tempest_plugin/tests/scenario/baremetal_manager.py b/ironic_tempest_plugin/tests/scenario/baremetal_manager.py
index ad9e4c9..7e93fe0 100644
--- a/ironic_tempest_plugin/tests/scenario/baremetal_manager.py
+++ b/ironic_tempest_plugin/tests/scenario/baremetal_manager.py
@@ -139,14 +139,16 @@
                                                       instance_id)
 
     @classmethod
-    def wait_for_agent_heartbeat(cls, node_id, timeout=None):
+    def wait_for_agent_heartbeat(cls, node_id, timeout=None,
+                                 abort_on_error_state=True):
         ironic_waiters.wait_node_value_in_field(
             cls.baremetal_client,
             node_id=node_id,
             field='driver_internal_info',
             value='agent_last_heartbeat',
             timeout=timeout or CONF.baremetal.deploywait_timeout,
-            interval=10)
+            interval=10,
+            abort_on_error_state=abort_on_error_state)
 
     @classmethod
     def get_node(cls, node_id=None, instance_id=None, api_version=None):