diff --git a/nodepool/driver/openstack/handler.py b/nodepool/driver/openstack/handler.py
index 34499a23f..9ada75177 100644
--- a/nodepool/driver/openstack/handler.py
+++ b/nodepool/driver/openstack/handler.py
@@ -486,6 +486,15 @@ class OpenStackNodeRequestHandler(NodeRequestHandler):
         if len(self.request.node_types) > self.pool.max_servers:
             declined_reasons.append('it would exceed quota')
 
+        # For min-ready requests, which do not re-use READY nodes, let's
+        # decline if this provider is already at capacity. Otherwise, we
+        # could end up wedged until another request frees up a node.
+        if self.request.requestor == "NodePool:min-ready":
+            current_count = self.zk.countPoolNodes(self.provider.name,
+                                                   self.pool.name)
+            if current_count == self.pool.max_servers:
+                declined_reasons.append("provider cannot satisify min-ready")
+
         if declined_reasons:
             self.log.debug("Declining node request %s because %s",
                            self.request.id, ', '.join(declined_reasons))
diff --git a/nodepool/launcher.py b/nodepool/launcher.py
index 8010a974e..bd1fce8e0 100755
--- a/nodepool/launcher.py
+++ b/nodepool/launcher.py
@@ -786,7 +786,7 @@ class NodePool(threading.Thread):
             req.requestor = "NodePool:min-ready"
             req.node_types.append(label_name)
             req.reuse = False    # force new node launches
-            self.zk.storeNodeRequest(req)
+            self.zk.storeNodeRequest(req, priority="100")
             if label_name not in self._submittedRequests:
                 self._submittedRequests[label_name] = []
             self._submittedRequests[label_name].append(req)
diff --git a/nodepool/tests/fixtures/node_min_ready_capacity.yaml b/nodepool/tests/fixtures/node_min_ready_capacity.yaml
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..0c31e5590
--- /dev/null
+++ b/nodepool/tests/fixtures/node_min_ready_capacity.yaml
@@ -0,0 +1,47 @@
+elements-dir: .
+images-dir: '{images_dir}'
+
+zookeeper-servers:
+  - host: {zookeeper_host}
+    port: {zookeeper_port}
+    chroot: {zookeeper_chroot}
+
+labels:
+  - name: fake-label
+    min-ready: 0
+
+providers:
+  - name: fake-provider
+    cloud: fake
+    driver: fake
+    region-name: fake-region
+    rate: 0.0001
+    diskimages:
+      - name: fake-image
+        meta:
+          key: value
+          key2: value
+    pools:
+      - name: main
+        max-servers: 1
+        availability-zones:
+          - az1
+        networks:
+          - net-name
+        labels:
+          - name: fake-label
+            diskimage: fake-image
+            min-ram: 8192
+            flavor-name: 'Fake'
+
+diskimages:
+  - name: fake-image
+    elements:
+      - fedora
+      - vm
+    release: 21
+    env-vars:
+      TMPDIR: /opt/dib_tmp
+      DIB_IMAGE_CACHE: /opt/dib_cache
+      DIB_CLOUD_IMAGES: http://download.fedoraproject.org/pub/fedora/linux/releases/test/21-Beta/Cloud/Images/x86_64/
+      BASE_IMAGE_FILE: Fedora-Cloud-Base-20141029-21_Beta.x86_64.qcow2
diff --git a/nodepool/tests/test_launcher.py b/nodepool/tests/test_launcher.py
index 4b5594ec9..2eb75cece 100644
--- a/nodepool/tests/test_launcher.py
+++ b/nodepool/tests/test_launcher.py
@@ -228,6 +228,35 @@ class TestLauncher(tests.DBTestCase):
         self.assertEqual(req.state, zk.FAILED)
         self.assertNotEqual(req.declined_by, [])
 
+    def test_fail_minready_request_at_capacity(self):
+        '''
+        A min-ready request to a provider that is already at capacity should
+        be declined.
+        '''
+        configfile = self.setup_config('node_min_ready_capacity.yaml')
+        self._useBuilder(configfile)
+        self.waitForImage('fake-provider', 'fake-image')
+        pool = self.useNodepool(configfile, watermark_sleep=1)
+        pool.start()
+
+        # Get an initial node ready
+        req = zk.NodeRequest()
+        req.state = zk.REQUESTED
+        req.node_types.append("fake-label")
+        self.zk.storeNodeRequest(req)
+        req = self.waitForNodeRequest(req)
+        self.assertEqual(req.state, zk.FULFILLED)
+
+        # Now simulate a min-ready request
+        min_ready_req = zk.NodeRequest()
+        min_ready_req.state = zk.REQUESTED
+        min_ready_req.node_types.append("fake-label")
+        min_ready_req.requestor = "NodePool:min-ready"
+        self.zk.storeNodeRequest(min_ready_req)
+        min_ready_req = self.waitForNodeRequest(min_ready_req)
+        self.assertEqual(min_ready_req.state, zk.FAILED)
+        self.assertNotEqual(min_ready_req.declined_by, [])
+
     def test_invalid_image_fails(self):
         '''
         Test that an invalid image declines and fails the request.
diff --git a/nodepool/zk.py b/nodepool/zk.py
index 24a621a81..78829582e 100755
--- a/nodepool/zk.py
+++ b/nodepool/zk.py
@@ -1629,3 +1629,16 @@ class ZooKeeper(object):
             req = self.getNodeRequest(req_id)
             if req:
                 yield req
+
+    def countPoolNodes(self, provider_name, pool_name):
+        '''
+        Count the number of nodes that exist for the given provider pool.
+
+        :param str provider_name: The provider name.
+        :param str pool_name: The pool name.
+        '''
+        count = 0
+        for node in self.nodeIterator():
+            if node.provider == provider_name and node.pool == pool_name:
+                count = count + 1
+        return count