diff --git a/ironic/conductor/utils.py b/ironic/conductor/utils.py
index cb30fdf549..82efd76a79 100644
--- a/ironic/conductor/utils.py
+++ b/ironic/conductor/utils.py
@@ -1449,8 +1449,8 @@ def node_cache_bios_settings(task, node):
     except exception.UnsupportedDriverExtension:
         LOG.warning('BIOS settings are not supported for node %s, '
                     'skipping', node.uuid)
-    # TODO(zshi) remove this check when classic drivers are removed
     except Exception:
+        # NOTE(dtantsur): the caller expects this function to never fail
         msg = (_('Caching of bios settings failed on node %(node)s.')
                % {'node': node.uuid})
         LOG.exception(msg)
@@ -1474,6 +1474,7 @@ def node_cache_vendor(task):
     except exception.UnsupportedDriverExtension:
         return
     except Exception as exc:
+        # NOTE(dtantsur): the caller expects this function to never fail
         LOG.warning('Unexpected exception when trying to detect vendor '
                     'for node %(node)s. %(class)s: %(exc)s',
                     {'node': task.node.uuid,
@@ -1840,6 +1841,10 @@ def node_cache_firmware_components(task):
     except exception.UnsupportedDriverExtension:
         LOG.warning('Firmware Components are not supported for node %s, '
                     'skipping', task.node.uuid)
+    except Exception:
+        # NOTE(dtantsur): the caller expects this function to never fail
+        LOG.exception('Caching of firmware components failed on node %s',
+                      task.node.uuid)
 
 
 def run_node_action(task, call, error_msg, success_msg=None, **kwargs):
diff --git a/ironic/drivers/modules/redfish/firmware.py b/ironic/drivers/modules/redfish/firmware.py
index 207c61aadf..c325213a6d 100644
--- a/ironic/drivers/modules/redfish/firmware.py
+++ b/ironic/drivers/modules/redfish/firmware.py
@@ -71,6 +71,7 @@ class RedfishFirmware(base.FirmwareInterface):
         """
         redfish_utils.parse_driver_info(task.node)
 
+    @METRICS.timer('RedfishFirmware.cache_firmware_components')
     def cache_firmware_components(self, task):
         """Store or update Firmware Components on the given node.
 
@@ -90,25 +91,27 @@ class RedfishFirmware(base.FirmwareInterface):
 
         system = redfish_utils.get_system(task.node)
 
-        bios_fw = {'component': 'bios',
-                   'current_version': system.bios_version}
-        settings.append(bios_fw)
+        if system.bios_version:
+            bios_fw = {'component': 'bios',
+                       'current_version': system.bios_version}
+            settings.append(bios_fw)
 
         # NOTE(iurygregory): normally we only relay on the System to
         # perform actions, but to retrieve the BMC Firmware we need to
         # access the Manager.
         try:
             manager = redfish_utils.get_manager(task.node, system)
-            bmc_fw = {'component': 'bmc',
-                      'current_version': manager.firmware_version}
-            settings.append(bmc_fw)
+            if manager.firmware_version:
+                bmc_fw = {'component': 'bmc',
+                          'current_version': manager.firmware_version}
+                settings.append(bmc_fw)
         except exception.RedfishError:
             LOG.warning('No manager available to retrieve Firmware '
                         'from the bmc of node %s', task.node.uuid)
 
         if not settings:
-            error_msg = (_('Cannot retrieve firmware for node %s.')
-                         % task.node.uuid)
+            error_msg = (_('Cannot retrieve firmware for node %s: no '
+                           'supported components') % task.node.uuid)
             LOG.error(error_msg)
             raise exception.UnsupportedDriverExtension(error_msg)
 
diff --git a/releasenotes/notes/firmware-fail-c6f6c70220373033.yaml b/releasenotes/notes/firmware-fail-c6f6c70220373033.yaml
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..98663df1f2
--- /dev/null
+++ b/releasenotes/notes/firmware-fail-c6f6c70220373033.yaml
@@ -0,0 +1,8 @@
+---
+fixes:
+  - |
+    Nodes no longer get stuck in cleaning when the firmware components caching
+    code raises an unexpected exception.
+  - |
+    Prevents a database constraints error on caching firmware components
+    when a supported component does not have the current version.