diff --git a/go.mod b/go.mod
index 56803414..ff13b90c 100644
--- a/go.mod
+++ b/go.mod
@@ -15,6 +15,7 @@ require (
 	github.com/opencontainers/umoci v0.4.6
 	github.com/pkg/errors v0.9.1
 	github.com/spf13/cobra v1.1.1
+	github.com/stretchr/testify v1.7.0
 	github.com/talos-systems/go-smbios v0.1.1
 	golang.org/x/term v0.0.0-20201126162022-7de9c90e9dd1
 	gopkg.in/yaml.v2 v2.4.0
diff --git a/internal/pkg/node/modifiers.go b/internal/pkg/node/modifiers.go
index 3dab2ac4..50e55c31 100644
--- a/internal/pkg/node/modifiers.go
+++ b/internal/pkg/node/modifiers.go
@@ -61,14 +61,16 @@ func (config *nodeYaml) NodeUpdate(node NodeInfo) error {
 	config.Nodes[nodeID].ClusterName = node.ClusterName.GetReal()
 	config.Nodes[nodeID].Ipxe = node.Ipxe.GetReal()
 	config.Nodes[nodeID].Init = node.Init.GetReal()
-	if node.Kernel.Override.GotReal() || node.Kernel.Args.GotReal() {
+
+	if node.Kernel != nil && (node.Kernel.Override.GotReal() || node.Kernel.Args.GotReal()) {
 		config.Nodes[nodeID].Kernel = new(KernelConf)
 		config.Nodes[nodeID].Kernel.Override = node.Kernel.Override.GetReal()
 		config.Nodes[nodeID].Kernel.Args = node.Kernel.Args.GetReal()
 	}
-	if node.Ipmi.Ipaddr.GotReal() || node.Ipmi.Netmask.GotReal() ||
+
+	if node.Ipmi != nil && (node.Ipmi.Ipaddr.GotReal() || node.Ipmi.Netmask.GotReal() ||
 		node.Ipmi.Port.GotReal() || node.Ipmi.Gateway.GotReal() || node.Ipmi.UserName.GotReal() ||
-		node.Ipmi.Password.GotReal() || node.Ipmi.Interface.GotReal() || node.Ipmi.Write.GotReal() {
+		node.Ipmi.Password.GotReal() || node.Ipmi.Interface.GotReal() || node.Ipmi.Write.GotReal()) {
 		config.Nodes[nodeID].Ipmi = new(IpmiConf)
 		config.Nodes[nodeID].Ipmi.Ipaddr = node.Ipmi.Ipaddr.GetReal()
 		config.Nodes[nodeID].Ipmi.Netmask = node.Ipmi.Netmask.GetReal()
diff --git a/internal/pkg/node/node_test.go b/internal/pkg/node/node_test.go
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..3a3943e5
--- /dev/null
+++ b/internal/pkg/node/node_test.go
@@ -0,0 +1,40 @@
+package node
+
+import (
+	"testing"
+
+	"gopkg.in/yaml.v2"
+	"github.com/stretchr/testify/assert"
+)
+
+func TestNodeUpdate(t *testing.T) {
+	var nodeConfig = `
+WW_INTERNAL: 43
+nodeprofiles:
+  default:
+    comment: This profile is automatically included for each node
+nodes:
+  n0000:
+    discoverable: true
+    profiles:
+    - default
+    network devices:
+      default:
+        onboot: true
+        device: eth0
+        hwaddr: 08:00:27:39:46:70
+        ipaddr: 10.0.8.150	
+`
+	var nodeYaml nodeYaml
+	err := yaml.Unmarshal([]byte(nodeConfig), &nodeYaml)
+	assert.NoError(t, err)
+
+	err = nodeYaml.NodeUpdate(
+		NodeInfo{
+			Id: Entry {
+				value: []string{"n0000"},
+			},
+		},
+	)
+	assert.NoError(t, err)
+}
\ No newline at end of file