diff --git a/metalsmith/_cmd.py b/metalsmith/_cmd.py
index b908b90..e5ae636 100644
--- a/metalsmith/_cmd.py
+++ b/metalsmith/_cmd.py
@@ -56,7 +56,8 @@ def _do_deploy(api, args, formatter):
     if args.user_name:
         config.add_user(args.user_name, sudo=args.passwordless_sudo)
 
-    node = api.reserve_node(args.resource_class, capabilities=capabilities)
+    node = api.reserve_node(args.resource_class, capabilities=capabilities,
+                            candidates=args.candidate)
     instance = api.provision_node(node,
                                   image=args.image,
                                   nics=args.nics,
@@ -130,8 +131,11 @@ def _parse_args(args, config):
     deploy.add_argument('--ssh-public-key', help='SSH public key to load')
     deploy.add_argument('--hostname', help='Host name to use, defaults to '
                         'Node\'s name or UUID')
-    deploy.add_argument('--resource-class', required=True,
+    deploy.add_argument('--resource-class',
                         help='node resource class to deploy')
+    deploy.add_argument('--candidate', action='append',
+                        help='A candidate node to use for scheduling (can be '
+                        'specified several times)')
     deploy.add_argument('--user-name', help='Name of the admin user to create')
     deploy.add_argument('--passwordless-sudo', action='store_true',
                         help='allow password-less sudo for the user')
diff --git a/metalsmith/_provisioner.py b/metalsmith/_provisioner.py
index e9588a5..06ef913 100644
--- a/metalsmith/_provisioner.py
+++ b/metalsmith/_provisioner.py
@@ -49,7 +49,8 @@ class Provisioner(object):
         self._api = _os_api.API(session=session, cloud_region=cloud_region)
         self._dry_run = dry_run
 
-    def reserve_node(self, resource_class, capabilities=None):
+    def reserve_node(self, resource_class=None, capabilities=None,
+                     candidates=None):
         """Find and reserve a suitable node.
 
         Example::
@@ -57,20 +58,32 @@ class Provisioner(object):
          node = provisioner.reserve_node("compute",
                                          capabilities={"boot_mode": "uefi"})
 
-        :param resource_class: Requested resource class.
+        :param resource_class: Requested resource class. If ``None``, a node
+            with any resource class can be chosen.
         :param capabilities: Requested capabilities as a dict.
+        :param candidates: List of nodes (UUIDs, names or `Node` objects)
+            to pick from. The filters (for resource class and capabilities)
+            are still applied to the provided list. The order in which
+            the nodes are considered is retained.
         :return: reserved `Node` object.
         :raises: :py:class:`metalsmith.exceptions.ReservationFailed`
         """
         capabilities = capabilities or {}
 
-        nodes = self._api.list_nodes(resource_class=resource_class)
+        if candidates:
+            nodes = [self._api.get_node(node) for node in candidates]
+            if resource_class:
+                nodes = [node for node in nodes
+                         if node.resource_class == resource_class]
+        else:
+            nodes = self._api.list_nodes(resource_class=resource_class)
+            # Ensure parallel executions don't try nodes in the same sequence
+            random.shuffle(nodes)
+
         if not nodes:
             raise exceptions.ResourceClassNotFound(resource_class,
                                                    capabilities)
 
-        # Make sure parallel executions don't try nodes in the same sequence
-        random.shuffle(nodes)
         LOG.debug('Ironic nodes: %s', nodes)
 
         filters = [_scheduler.CapabilitiesFilter(resource_class, capabilities),
diff --git a/metalsmith/test/test_cmd.py b/metalsmith/test/test_cmd.py
index f5a8077..28188d6 100644
--- a/metalsmith/test/test_cmd.py
+++ b/metalsmith/test/test_cmd.py
@@ -55,7 +55,8 @@ class TestDeploy(testtools.TestCase):
             dry_run=False)
         mock_pr.return_value.reserve_node.assert_called_once_with(
             resource_class='compute',
-            capabilities={}
+            capabilities={},
+            candidates=None
         )
         mock_pr.return_value.provision_node.assert_called_once_with(
             mock_pr.return_value.reserve_node.return_value,
@@ -100,7 +101,8 @@ class TestDeploy(testtools.TestCase):
             dry_run=False)
         mock_pr.return_value.reserve_node.assert_called_once_with(
             resource_class='compute',
-            capabilities={}
+            capabilities={},
+            candidates=None
         )
         mock_pr.return_value.provision_node.assert_called_once_with(
             mock_pr.return_value.reserve_node.return_value,
@@ -172,7 +174,8 @@ class TestDeploy(testtools.TestCase):
             dry_run=True)
         mock_pr.return_value.reserve_node.assert_called_once_with(
             resource_class='compute',
-            capabilities={}
+            capabilities={},
+            candidates=None
         )
         mock_pr.return_value.provision_node.assert_called_once_with(
             mock_pr.return_value.reserve_node.return_value,
@@ -194,7 +197,8 @@ class TestDeploy(testtools.TestCase):
             dry_run=False)
         mock_pr.return_value.reserve_node.assert_called_once_with(
             resource_class='compute',
-            capabilities={}
+            capabilities={},
+            candidates=None
         )
         mock_pr.return_value.provision_node.assert_called_once_with(
             mock_pr.return_value.reserve_node.return_value,
@@ -224,7 +228,8 @@ class TestDeploy(testtools.TestCase):
             dry_run=False)
         mock_pr.return_value.reserve_node.assert_called_once_with(
             resource_class='compute',
-            capabilities={}
+            capabilities={},
+            candidates=None
         )
         mock_pr.return_value.provision_node.assert_called_once_with(
             mock_pr.return_value.reserve_node.return_value,
@@ -256,7 +261,8 @@ class TestDeploy(testtools.TestCase):
             dry_run=False)
         mock_pr.return_value.reserve_node.assert_called_once_with(
             resource_class='compute',
-            capabilities={}
+            capabilities={},
+            candidates=None
         )
         mock_pr.return_value.provision_node.assert_called_once_with(
             mock_pr.return_value.reserve_node.return_value,
@@ -286,7 +292,8 @@ class TestDeploy(testtools.TestCase):
             dry_run=False)
         mock_pr.return_value.reserve_node.assert_called_once_with(
             resource_class='compute',
-            capabilities={}
+            capabilities={},
+            candidates=None
         )
         mock_pr.return_value.provision_node.assert_called_once_with(
             mock_pr.return_value.reserve_node.return_value,
@@ -316,7 +323,8 @@ class TestDeploy(testtools.TestCase):
             dry_run=False)
         mock_pr.return_value.reserve_node.assert_called_once_with(
             resource_class='compute',
-            capabilities={}
+            capabilities={},
+            candidates=None
         )
         mock_pr.return_value.provision_node.assert_called_once_with(
             mock_pr.return_value.reserve_node.return_value,
@@ -371,7 +379,8 @@ class TestDeploy(testtools.TestCase):
             dry_run=False)
         mock_pr.return_value.reserve_node.assert_called_once_with(
             resource_class='compute',
-            capabilities={'foo': 'bar', 'answer': '42'}
+            capabilities={'foo': 'bar', 'answer': '42'},
+            candidates=None
         )
         mock_pr.return_value.provision_node.assert_called_once_with(
             mock_pr.return_value.reserve_node.return_value,
@@ -396,7 +405,8 @@ class TestDeploy(testtools.TestCase):
                 dry_run=False)
             mock_pr.return_value.reserve_node.assert_called_once_with(
                 resource_class='compute',
-                capabilities={}
+                capabilities={},
+                candidates=None
             )
             mock_pr.return_value.provision_node.assert_called_once_with(
                 mock_pr.return_value.reserve_node.return_value,
@@ -420,7 +430,8 @@ class TestDeploy(testtools.TestCase):
             dry_run=False)
         mock_pr.return_value.reserve_node.assert_called_once_with(
             resource_class='compute',
-            capabilities={}
+            capabilities={},
+            candidates=None
         )
         mock_pr.return_value.provision_node.assert_called_once_with(
             mock_pr.return_value.reserve_node.return_value,
@@ -447,7 +458,8 @@ class TestDeploy(testtools.TestCase):
             dry_run=False)
         mock_pr.return_value.reserve_node.assert_called_once_with(
             resource_class='compute',
-            capabilities={}
+            capabilities={},
+            candidates=None
         )
         mock_pr.return_value.provision_node.assert_called_once_with(
             mock_pr.return_value.reserve_node.return_value,
@@ -471,7 +483,8 @@ class TestDeploy(testtools.TestCase):
             dry_run=False)
         mock_pr.return_value.reserve_node.assert_called_once_with(
             resource_class='compute',
-            capabilities={}
+            capabilities={},
+            candidates=None
         )
         mock_pr.return_value.provision_node.assert_called_once_with(
             mock_pr.return_value.reserve_node.return_value,
@@ -491,7 +504,8 @@ class TestDeploy(testtools.TestCase):
             dry_run=False)
         mock_pr.return_value.reserve_node.assert_called_once_with(
             resource_class='compute',
-            capabilities={}
+            capabilities={},
+            candidates=None
         )
         mock_pr.return_value.provision_node.assert_called_once_with(
             mock_pr.return_value.reserve_node.return_value,
@@ -513,7 +527,8 @@ class TestDeploy(testtools.TestCase):
             dry_run=False)
         mock_pr.return_value.reserve_node.assert_called_once_with(
             resource_class='compute',
-            capabilities={}
+            capabilities={},
+            candidates=None
         )
         mock_pr.return_value.provision_node.assert_called_once_with(
             mock_pr.return_value.reserve_node.return_value,
@@ -535,7 +550,30 @@ class TestDeploy(testtools.TestCase):
             dry_run=False)
         mock_pr.return_value.reserve_node.assert_called_once_with(
             resource_class='compute',
-            capabilities={}
+            capabilities={},
+            candidates=None
+        )
+        mock_pr.return_value.provision_node.assert_called_once_with(
+            mock_pr.return_value.reserve_node.return_value,
+            image='myimg',
+            nics=None,
+            root_disk_size=None,
+            config=mock.ANY,
+            hostname='host',
+            netboot=False,
+            wait=1800)
+
+    def test_args_with_candidates(self, mock_os_conf, mock_pr):
+        args = ['deploy', '--hostname', 'host', '--image', 'myimg',
+                '--candidate', 'node1', '--candidate', 'node2']
+        _cmd.main(args)
+        mock_pr.assert_called_once_with(
+            cloud_region=mock_os_conf.return_value.get_one.return_value,
+            dry_run=False)
+        mock_pr.return_value.reserve_node.assert_called_once_with(
+            resource_class=None,
+            capabilities={},
+            candidates=['node1', 'node2']
         )
         mock_pr.return_value.provision_node.assert_called_once_with(
             mock_pr.return_value.reserve_node.return_value,
@@ -556,7 +594,8 @@ class TestDeploy(testtools.TestCase):
             dry_run=False)
         mock_pr.return_value.reserve_node.assert_called_once_with(
             resource_class='compute',
-            capabilities={}
+            capabilities={},
+            candidates=None
         )
         mock_pr.return_value.provision_node.assert_called_once_with(
             mock_pr.return_value.reserve_node.return_value,
@@ -577,7 +616,8 @@ class TestDeploy(testtools.TestCase):
             dry_run=False)
         mock_pr.return_value.reserve_node.assert_called_once_with(
             resource_class='compute',
-            capabilities={}
+            capabilities={},
+            candidates=None
         )
         mock_pr.return_value.provision_node.assert_called_once_with(
             mock_pr.return_value.reserve_node.return_value,
diff --git a/metalsmith/test/test_provisioner.py b/metalsmith/test/test_provisioner.py
index ce15558..57b49e7 100644
--- a/metalsmith/test/test_provisioner.py
+++ b/metalsmith/test/test_provisioner.py
@@ -75,6 +75,19 @@ class TestReserveNode(Base):
         self.assertIn(node, nodes)
         self.assertFalse(self.api.update_node.called)
 
+    def test_any_resource_class(self):
+        nodes = [
+            mock.Mock(spec=['uuid', 'name', 'properties'],
+                      properties={'local_gb': 100})
+        ]
+        self.api.list_nodes.return_value = nodes
+        self.api.reserve_node.side_effect = lambda n, instance_uuid: n
+
+        node = self.pr.reserve_node()
+
+        self.assertIn(node, nodes)
+        self.assertFalse(self.api.update_node.called)
+
     def test_with_capabilities(self):
         nodes = [
             mock.Mock(spec=['uuid', 'name', 'properties'],
@@ -91,6 +104,54 @@ class TestReserveNode(Base):
         self.api.update_node.assert_called_once_with(
             node, {'/instance_info/capabilities': {'answer': '42'}})
 
+    def test_provided_node(self):
+        nodes = [
+            mock.Mock(spec=['uuid', 'name', 'properties'],
+                      properties={'local_gb': 100})
+        ]
+        self.api.reserve_node.side_effect = lambda n, instance_uuid: n
+
+        node = self.pr.reserve_node(candidates=nodes)
+
+        self.assertEqual(node, nodes[0])
+        self.assertFalse(self.api.list_nodes.called)
+        self.assertFalse(self.api.update_node.called)
+
+    def test_provided_nodes(self):
+        nodes = [
+            mock.Mock(spec=['uuid', 'name', 'properties'],
+                      properties={'local_gb': 100}),
+            mock.Mock(spec=['uuid', 'name', 'properties'],
+                      properties={'local_gb': 100})
+        ]
+        self.api.reserve_node.side_effect = lambda n, instance_uuid: n
+
+        node = self.pr.reserve_node(candidates=nodes)
+
+        self.assertEqual(node, nodes[0])
+        self.assertFalse(self.api.list_nodes.called)
+        self.assertFalse(self.api.update_node.called)
+
+    def test_nodes_filtered(self):
+        nodes = [
+            mock.Mock(spec=['uuid', 'name', 'properties', 'resource_class'],
+                      properties={'local_gb': 100}, resource_class='banana'),
+            mock.Mock(spec=['uuid', 'name', 'properties', 'resource_class'],
+                      properties={'local_gb': 100}, resource_class='compute'),
+            mock.Mock(spec=['uuid', 'name', 'properties', 'resource_class'],
+                      properties={'local_gb': 100, 'capabilities': 'cat:meow'},
+                      resource_class='compute'),
+        ]
+        self.api.reserve_node.side_effect = lambda n, instance_uuid: n
+
+        node = self.pr.reserve_node('compute', candidates=nodes,
+                                    capabilities={'cat': 'meow'})
+
+        self.assertEqual(node, nodes[2])
+        self.assertFalse(self.api.list_nodes.called)
+        self.api.update_node.assert_called_once_with(
+            node, {'/instance_info/capabilities': {'cat': 'meow'}})
+
 
 CLEAN_UP = {
     '/extra/metalsmith_created_ports': _os_api.REMOVE,
diff --git a/roles/metalsmith_deployment/README.rst b/roles/metalsmith_deployment/README.rst
index 9d655c7..cff9aec 100644
--- a/roles/metalsmith_deployment/README.rst
+++ b/roles/metalsmith_deployment/README.rst
@@ -13,12 +13,14 @@ The only required variable is:
 
 The following optional variables provide the defaults for Instance_ attributes:
 
+``metalsmith_candidates``
+    the default for ``candidates``.
+``metalsmith_capabilities``
+    the default for ``capabilities``.
 ``metalsmith_extra_args``
     the default for ``extra_args``.
 ``metalsmith_image``
     the default for ``image``.
-``metalsmith_capabilities``
-    the default for ``capabilities``.
 ``metalsmith_netboot``
     the default for ``netboot``
 ``metalsmith_nics``
@@ -35,12 +37,14 @@ Instance
 
 Each instances has the following attributes:
 
+``candidates`` (defaults to ``metalsmith_candidates``)
+    list of nodes (UUIDs or names) to be considered for deployment.
+``capabilities`` (defaults to ``metalsmith_capabilities``)
+    node capabilities to request when scheduling.
 ``extra_args`` (defaults to ``metalsmith_extra_args``)
     additional arguments to pass to the ``metalsmith`` CLI on all calls.
 ``image`` (defaults to ``metalsmith_image``)
     UUID or name of the image to use for deployment. Mandatory.
-``capabilities`` (defaults to ``metalsmith_capabilities``)
-    node capabilities to request when scheduling.
 ``netboot``
     whether to boot the deployed instance from network (PXE, iPXE, etc).
     The default is to use local boot (requires a bootloader on the image).
@@ -66,7 +70,7 @@ Each instances has the following attributes:
               - port: b2254316-7867-4615-9fb7-911b3f38ca2a
 
 ``resource_class`` (defaults to ``metalsmith_resource_class``)
-    requested node's resource class. Mandatory.
+    requested node's resource class.
 ``root_size`` (defaults to ``metalsmith_root_size``)
     size of the root partition, if partition images are used.
 
diff --git a/roles/metalsmith_deployment/defaults/main.yml b/roles/metalsmith_deployment/defaults/main.yml
index c45ae33..6915d17 100644
--- a/roles/metalsmith_deployment/defaults/main.yml
+++ b/roles/metalsmith_deployment/defaults/main.yml
@@ -1,8 +1,10 @@
 # Optional parameters
+metalsmith_candidates: []
 metalsmith_capabilities: {}
 metalsmith_extra_args:
 metalsmith_netboot: false
 metalsmith_nics: []
+metalsmith_resource_class:
 metalsmith_root_size:
 metalsmith_ssh_public_keys: []
 metalsmith_user_name: metalsmith
diff --git a/roles/metalsmith_deployment/tasks/main.yml b/roles/metalsmith_deployment/tasks/main.yml
index 5979f07..f6ab396 100644
--- a/roles/metalsmith_deployment/tasks/main.yml
+++ b/roles/metalsmith_deployment/tasks/main.yml
@@ -25,12 +25,18 @@
     {% if user_name %}
     --user-name {{ user_name }}
     {% endif %}
+    {% if resource_class %}
     --resource-class {{ resource_class }}
+    {% endif %}
+    {% for node in candidates %}
+      --candidate {{ node }}
+    {% endfor %}
   when: state == 'present'
   vars:
+    candidates: "{{ instance.candidates | default(metalsmith_candidates) }}"
+    capabilities: "{{ instance.capabilities | default(metalsmith_capabilities) }}"
     extra_args: "{{ instance.extra_args | default(metalsmith_extra_args) }}"
     image: "{{ instance.image | default(metalsmith_image) }}"
-    capabilities: "{{ instance.capabilities | default(metalsmith_capabilities) }}"
     netboot: "{{ instance.netboot | default(metalsmith_netboot) }}"
     nics: "{{ instance.nics | default(metalsmith_nics) }}"
     resource_class: "{{ instance.resource_class | default(metalsmith_resource_class) }}"