diff --git a/trove/common/cfg.py b/trove/common/cfg.py
index 5dda7aca91..afab91ce5f 100644
--- a/trove/common/cfg.py
+++ b/trove/common/cfg.py
@@ -604,8 +604,8 @@ pxc_opts = [
                 help='Users to exclude when listing users.'),
     cfg.BoolOpt('cluster_support', default=True,
                 help='Enable clusters to be created and managed.'),
-    cfg.IntOpt('cluster_member_count', default=3,
-               help='Number of members in PXC cluster.'),
+    cfg.IntOpt('min_cluster_member_count', default=3,
+               help='Minimum number of members in PXC cluster.'),
     cfg.StrOpt('api_strategy',
                default='trove.common.strategies.cluster.experimental.'
                'pxc.api.PXCAPIStrategy',
diff --git a/trove/common/exception.py b/trove/common/exception.py
index 280f06a1bd..22ce29f5f1 100644
--- a/trove/common/exception.py
+++ b/trove/common/exception.py
@@ -513,6 +513,11 @@ class ClusterNumInstancesNotSupported(TroveError):
                 "be %(num_instances)s.")
 
 
+class ClusterNumInstancesNotLargeEnough(TroveError):
+    message = _("The number of instances for your initial cluster must "
+                "be at least %(num_instances)s.")
+
+
 class ClusterInstanceOperationNotSupported(TroveError):
     message = _("Operation not supported for instances that are part of a "
                 "cluster.")
diff --git a/trove/common/strategies/cluster/experimental/pxc/api.py b/trove/common/strategies/cluster/experimental/pxc/api.py
index 2fa8308860..c6aa403385 100644
--- a/trove/common/strategies/cluster/experimental/pxc/api.py
+++ b/trove/common/strategies/cluster/experimental/pxc/api.py
@@ -60,10 +60,10 @@ class PXCCluster(models.Cluster):
         pxc_conf = CONF.get(datastore_version.manager)
         num_instances = len(instances)
 
-        # Matching number of instances with configured cluster_member_count
-        if num_instances != pxc_conf.cluster_member_count:
-            raise exception.ClusterNumInstancesNotSupported(
-                num_instances=pxc_conf.cluster_member_count)
+        # Check number of instances is at least min_cluster_member_count
+        if num_instances < pxc_conf.min_cluster_member_count:
+            raise exception.ClusterNumInstancesNotLargeEnough(
+                num_instances=pxc_conf.min_cluster_member_count)
 
         # Checking flavors
         flavor_ids = [instance['flavor_id'] for instance in instances]
diff --git a/trove/tests/unittests/cluster/test_pxc_cluster.py b/trove/tests/unittests/cluster/test_pxc_cluster.py
index b2ed002cdf..36ed457300 100644
--- a/trove/tests/unittests/cluster/test_pxc_cluster.py
+++ b/trove/tests/unittests/cluster/test_pxc_cluster.py
@@ -33,9 +33,9 @@ CONF = cfg.CONF
 
 
 class FakeOptGroup(object):
-    def __init__(self, cluster_member_count=3,
+    def __init__(self, min_cluster_member_count=3,
                  volume_support=True, device_path='/dev/vdb'):
-        self.cluster_member_count = cluster_member_count
+        self.min_cluster_member_count = min_cluster_member_count
         self.volume_support = volume_support
         self.device_path = device_path
 
@@ -72,7 +72,7 @@ class ClusterTest(trove_testtools.TestCase):
         super(ClusterTest, self).tearDown()
 
     def test_create_empty_instances(self):
-        self.assertRaises(exception.ClusterNumInstancesNotSupported,
+        self.assertRaises(exception.ClusterNumInstancesNotLargeEnough,
                           Cluster.create,
                           Mock(),
                           self.cluster_name,
@@ -215,6 +215,28 @@ class ClusterTest(trove_testtools.TestCase):
             mock_db_create.return_value.id)
         self.assertEqual(3, mock_ins_create.call_count)
 
+    @patch.object(inst_models.Instance, 'create')
+    @patch.object(DBCluster, 'create')
+    @patch.object(task_api, 'load')
+    @patch.object(QUOTAS, 'check_quotas')
+    @patch.object(remote, 'create_nova_client')
+    def test_create_over_limit(self, mock_client, mock_check_quotas,
+                               mock_task_api, mock_db_create, mock_ins_create):
+        instances = [{'volume_size': 1, 'flavor_id': '1234'},
+                     {'volume_size': 1, 'flavor_id': '1234'},
+                     {'volume_size': 1, 'flavor_id': '1234'},
+                     {'volume_size': 1, 'flavor_id': '1234'}]
+        flavors = Mock()
+        mock_client.return_value.flavors = flavors
+        self.cluster.create(Mock(),
+                            self.cluster_name,
+                            self.datastore,
+                            self.datastore_version,
+                            instances, {})
+        mock_task_api.return_value.create_cluster.assert_called_with(
+            mock_db_create.return_value.id)
+        self.assertEqual(4, mock_ins_create.call_count)
+
     @patch.object(pxc_api, 'CONF')
     @patch.object(inst_models.Instance, 'create')
     @patch.object(DBCluster, 'create')