diff --git a/.github/workflows/tox.yaml b/.github/workflows/tox.yaml
index c2f83a3ff..3bdd5dba2 100644
--- a/.github/workflows/tox.yaml
+++ b/.github/workflows/tox.yaml
@@ -50,6 +50,8 @@ jobs:
             bundle: first
           - juju_channel: 2.8/stable
             bundle: second
+    env:
+      TEST_ZAZA_BUG_LP1987332: "on"  # http://pad.lv/1987332
     needs: build
     steps:
     - uses: actions/checkout@v1
diff --git a/unit_tests/utilities/test_zaza_utilities_juju.py b/unit_tests/utilities/test_zaza_utilities_juju.py
index f15b3e4f5..7fa5e2187 100644
--- a/unit_tests/utilities/test_zaza_utilities_juju.py
+++ b/unit_tests/utilities/test_zaza_utilities_juju.py
@@ -13,6 +13,7 @@
 # limitations under the License.
 
 import mock
+import os
 import unit_tests.utils as ut_utils
 from zaza.utilities import juju as juju_utils
 
@@ -411,6 +412,51 @@ def test_get_subordinate_units(self):
                 status=juju_status),
             ['cinder-ceph/3'])
 
+    def test_get_subordinate_units_lp1987332(self):
+        juju_status = mock.MagicMock()
+        juju_status.applications = {
+            'nova-compute': {
+                'charm': 'ch:amd64/focal/nova-compute-1',
+                'units': {
+                    'nova-compute/0': {
+                        'subordinates': {
+                            'neutron-openvswitch/2': {
+                                'charm': ''}}}}},
+            'cinder': {
+                'charm': 'ch:amd64/focal/cinder-2',
+                'units': {
+                    'cinder/1': {
+                        'subordinates': {
+                            'cinder-hacluster/0': {
+                                'charm': ''},
+                            'cinder-ceph/3': {
+                                'charm': ''}}}}},
+            'cinder-hacluster': {
+                'charm': 'ch:amd64/focal/hacluster-3',
+            },
+            'cinder-ceph': {
+                'charm': 'ch:amd64/focal/cinder-ceph-4',
+            },
+            'neutron-openvswitch': {
+                'charm': 'ch:amd64/focal/neutron-openvswitch-5',
+            },
+        }
+        self.model.get_status.return_Value = juju_status
+        with mock.patch.dict(os.environ,
+                             {'TEST_ZAZA_BUG_LP1987332': '1'}):
+            self.assertEqual(
+                sorted(juju_utils.get_subordinate_units(
+                    ['nova-compute/0', 'cinder/1'],
+                    status=juju_status)),
+                sorted(['neutron-openvswitch/2', 'cinder-hacluster/0',
+                        'cinder-ceph/3']))
+            self.assertEqual(
+                juju_utils.get_subordinate_units(
+                    ['nova-compute/0', 'cinder/1'],
+                    charm_name='ceph',
+                    status=juju_status),
+                ['cinder-ceph/3'])
+
     def test_get_application_ip(self):
         self.model.get_application_config.return_value = {
             'vip': {'value': '10.0.0.10'}}
diff --git a/zaza/utilities/juju.py b/zaza/utilities/juju.py
index 95dd94671..de9b942e9 100644
--- a/zaza/utilities/juju.py
+++ b/zaza/utilities/juju.py
@@ -480,9 +480,14 @@ def get_subordinate_units(unit_list, charm_name=None, status=None,
         subs = status.applications[app_name]['units'][unit_name].get(
             'subordinates') or {}
         if charm_name:
-            for unit_name, unit_data in subs.items():
-                if charm_name in unit_data['charm']:
-                    sub_units.append(unit_name)
+            for subordinate_name, unit_data in subs.items():
+                if os.environ.get('TEST_ZAZA_BUG_LP1987332'):
+                    sub_app = subordinate_name.split('/')[0]
+                    charm = status.applications[sub_app]['charm']
+                else:
+                    charm = unit_data['charm']
+                if charm_name in charm:
+                    sub_units.append(subordinate_name)
         else:
             sub_units.extend([n for n in subs.keys()])
     return sub_units