diff --git a/lib/chef/knife/cloud/openstack_service.rb b/lib/chef/knife/cloud/openstack_service.rb
index 0df6b1dc..59c16caf 100644
--- a/lib/chef/knife/cloud/openstack_service.rb
+++ b/lib/chef/knife/cloud/openstack_service.rb
@@ -36,6 +36,26 @@ def initialize(options = {})
         def add_api_endpoint
           @auth_params.merge!({:openstack_auth_url => Chef::Config[:knife][:api_endpoint]}) unless Chef::Config[:knife][:api_endpoint].nil?
         end
+
+        def get_server(search_term)
+          begin
+            if server = connection.servers.get(search_term)
+              return server
+            end
+
+            if servers = connection.servers.all(:name => search_term)
+              if servers.length > 1
+                error_message = "Multiple server matches found for '#{search_term}', use an instance_id to be more specific."
+                ui.fatal(error_message)
+                raise CloudExceptions::ValidationError, error_message
+              else
+                servers.first
+              end
+            end
+          rescue Excon::Errors::BadRequest => e
+            handle_excon_exception(CloudExceptions::KnifeCloudError, e)
+          end
+        end
       end
     end
   end
diff --git a/spec/unit/openstack_service_spec.rb b/spec/unit/openstack_service_spec.rb
index 9a84a63e..dc1ad246 100644
--- a/spec/unit/openstack_service_spec.rb
+++ b/spec/unit/openstack_service_spec.rb
@@ -48,4 +48,40 @@
       Chef::Config[:knife][:openstack_endpoint_type].should == nil
     end
   end
+
+  describe "#get_server" do
+    before(:each) do
+      @instance = Chef::Knife::Cloud::OpenstackService.new
+      @instance.stub_chain(:connection,:servers,:get)
+    end
+
+    context "when instance_id given" do 
+      it "return server" do
+        server_id = "123f456-123-453e-9c0c-12345a6789"
+        @instance.connection.servers.should_receive(:get).and_return(server_id)
+        @instance.connection.servers.should_not_receive(:all)
+        @instance.get_server(server_id).should == server_id
+      end
+    end
+
+    context "when instance_name given" do
+      before(:each) do
+        @instance.connection.servers.should_receive(:get).and_return(nil)
+      end
+
+      let (:server_name) { "testname" }
+
+      it "return server" do
+        @instance.connection.servers.should_receive(:all).with({:name=>server_name}).and_return([server_name])
+        @instance.get_server(server_name).should == server_name
+      end
+
+      it "raise error if multiple server matches found for given instance name" do
+        error_message = "Multiple server matches found for '#{server_name}', use an instance_id to be more specific."
+        @instance.connection.servers.should_receive(:all).with({:name=>server_name}).and_return([server_name,server_name])
+        @instance.stub_chain(:ui,:fatal)
+        expect { @instance.get_server(server_name) }.to raise_error(Chef::Knife::Cloud::CloudExceptions::ValidationError, error_message)
+      end
+    end
+  end
 end