diff --git a/test/e2e/framework/ssh/ssh.go b/test/e2e/framework/ssh/ssh.go
index c71ab599df3..86ccdcbefff 100644
--- a/test/e2e/framework/ssh/ssh.go
+++ b/test/e2e/framework/ssh/ssh.go
@@ -24,6 +24,7 @@ import (
 	"net"
 	"os"
 	"path/filepath"
+	"sync"
 	"time"
 
 	"github.com/onsi/gomega"
@@ -133,13 +134,41 @@ func NodeSSHHosts(c clientset.Interface) ([]string, error) {
 			len(hosts), len(nodelist.Items), nodelist)
 	}
 
-	sshHosts := make([]string, 0, len(hosts))
-	for _, h := range hosts {
-		sshHosts = append(sshHosts, net.JoinHostPort(h, SSHPort))
+	lenHosts := len(hosts)
+	wg := &sync.WaitGroup{}
+	wg.Add(lenHosts)
+	sshHosts := make([]string, 0, lenHosts)
+	var sshHostsLock sync.Mutex
+
+	for _, host := range hosts {
+		go func(host string) {
+			defer wg.Done()
+			if canConnect(host) {
+				e2elog.Logf("Assuming SSH on host %s", host)
+				sshHostsLock.Lock()
+				sshHosts = append(sshHosts, net.JoinHostPort(host, SSHPort))
+				sshHostsLock.Unlock()
+			} else {
+				e2elog.Logf("Skipping host %s because it does not run anything on port %s", host, SSHPort)
+			}
+		}(host)
 	}
+	wg.Wait()
+
 	return sshHosts, nil
 }
 
+// canConnect returns true if a network connection is possible to the SSHPort.
+func canConnect(host string) bool {
+	hostPort := net.JoinHostPort(host, SSHPort)
+	conn, err := net.DialTimeout("tcp", hostPort, 3*time.Second)
+	if err != nil {
+		return false
+	}
+	conn.Close()
+	return true
+}
+
 // Result holds the execution result of SSH command
 type Result struct {
 	User   string
diff --git a/test/e2e/node/crictl.go b/test/e2e/node/crictl.go
index 7d35012c4da..86ba1bdd6b4 100644
--- a/test/e2e/node/crictl.go
+++ b/test/e2e/node/crictl.go
@@ -44,6 +44,7 @@ var _ = SIGDescribe("crictl", func() {
 		if err != nil {
 			framework.Failf("Error getting node hostnames: %v", err)
 		}
+		e2eskipper.SkipUnlessAtLeast(len(hosts), 1, "Skipping test because found no SSH'able node")
 
 		testCases := []struct {
 			cmd string
@@ -53,22 +54,22 @@ var _ = SIGDescribe("crictl", func() {
 		}
 
 		for _, testCase := range testCases {
-			// Choose an arbitrary node to test.
-			host := hosts[0]
-			ginkgo.By(fmt.Sprintf("SSH'ing to node %q to run %q", host, testCase.cmd))
+			for _, host := range hosts {
+				ginkgo.By(fmt.Sprintf("SSH'ing to node %q to run %q", host, testCase.cmd))
 
-			result, err := e2essh.SSH(testCase.cmd, host, framework.TestContext.Provider)
-			stdout, stderr := strings.TrimSpace(result.Stdout), strings.TrimSpace(result.Stderr)
-			if err != nil {
-				framework.Failf("Ran %q on %q, got error %v", testCase.cmd, host, err)
-			}
-			// Log the stdout/stderr output.
-			// TODO: Verify the output.
-			if len(stdout) > 0 {
-				framework.Logf("Got stdout from %q:\n %s\n", host, strings.TrimSpace(stdout))
-			}
-			if len(stderr) > 0 {
-				framework.Logf("Got stderr from %q:\n %s\n", host, strings.TrimSpace(stderr))
+				result, err := e2essh.SSH(testCase.cmd, host, framework.TestContext.Provider)
+				stdout, stderr := strings.TrimSpace(result.Stdout), strings.TrimSpace(result.Stderr)
+				if err != nil {
+					framework.Failf("Ran %q on %q, got error %v", testCase.cmd, host, err)
+				}
+				// Log the stdout/stderr output.
+				// TODO: Verify the output.
+				if len(stdout) > 0 {
+					framework.Logf("Got stdout from %q:\n %s\n", host, strings.TrimSpace(stdout))
+				}
+				if len(stderr) > 0 {
+					framework.Logf("Got stderr from %q:\n %s\n", host, strings.TrimSpace(stderr))
+				}
 			}
 		}
 	})