diff --git a/test/extended/node/node_utils.go b/test/extended/node/node_utils.go
index 0d9bf838c621..411891e8b0fb 100644
--- a/test/extended/node/node_utils.go
+++ b/test/extended/node/node_utils.go
@@ -991,6 +991,19 @@ func GetNotReadyNodes(ctx context.Context, oc *exutil.CLI) ([]string, error) {
 func EnsureNodesReady(ctx context.Context, oc *exutil.CLI) {
 	notReadyNodes, err := GetNotReadyNodes(ctx, oc)
 	o.Expect(err).NotTo(o.HaveOccurred(), "failed to check node readiness")
+
+	if exutil.ClusterDegraded && len(notReadyNodes) == 1 && exutil.IsTwoNodeFencing(ctx, oc.AdminConfigClient()) {
+		cpNodes, cpErr := getControlPlaneNodes(ctx, oc)
+		if cpErr == nil {
+			for _, cp := range cpNodes {
+				if cp.Name == notReadyNodes[0] {
+					framework.Logf("Tolerating NotReady control-plane node %s on intentionally degraded TNF cluster", notReadyNodes[0])
+					return
+				}
+			}
+		}
+	}
+
 	o.Expect(notReadyNodes).To(o.BeEmpty(),
 		"Cannot start test: nodes not Ready: %v. Cluster may be recovering from previous test.", notReadyNodes)
 }