diff --git a/lib/cmdlib.py b/lib/cmdlib.py
index 37c45d06647775ee881b2ded5b4ad1c4f615402b..dee811d35fbbb158ab8c08a8f170e6396f0998c8 100644
--- a/lib/cmdlib.py
+++ b/lib/cmdlib.py
@@ -2580,6 +2580,16 @@ class LUFailoverInstance(LogicalUnit):
   HPATH = "instance-failover"
   HTYPE = constants.HTYPE_INSTANCE
   _OP_REQP = ["instance_name", "ignore_consistency"]
+  REQ_BGL = False
+
+  def ExpandNames(self):
+    self._ExpandAndLockInstance()
+    self.needed_locks[locking.LEVEL_NODE] = []
+    self.recalculate_locks[locking.LEVEL_NODE] = 'replace'
+
+  def DeclareLocks(self, level):
+    if level == locking.LEVEL_NODE:
+      self._LockInstancesNodes()
 
   def BuildHooksEnv(self):
     """Build hooks env.
@@ -2600,11 +2610,9 @@ class LUFailoverInstance(LogicalUnit):
     This checks that the instance is in the cluster.
 
     """
-    instance = self.cfg.GetInstanceInfo(
-      self.cfg.ExpandInstanceName(self.op.instance_name))
-    if instance is None:
-      raise errors.OpPrereqError("Instance '%s' not known" %
-                                 self.op.instance_name)
+    self.instance = instance = self.cfg.GetInstanceInfo(self.op.instance_name)
+    assert self.instance is not None, \
+      "Cannot retrieve locked instance %s" % self.op.instance_name
 
     if instance.disk_template not in constants.DTS_NET_MIRROR:
       raise errors.OpPrereqError("Instance's disk layout is not"
@@ -2627,8 +2635,6 @@ class LUFailoverInstance(LogicalUnit):
                                  " exist on destination node '%s'" %
                                  (brlist, target_node))
 
-    self.instance = instance
-
   def Exec(self, feedback_fn):
     """Failover an instance.