diff --git a/blivet/populator/populator.py b/blivet/populator/populator.py
index ebe205e62..743b8d09d 100644
--- a/blivet/populator/populator.py
+++ b/blivet/populator/populator.py
@@ -37,6 +37,7 @@
 from ..devices import MDRaidArrayDevice
 from ..devices import MultipathDevice
 from ..devices import NoDevice
+from ..devices import StorageDevice
 from ..devicelibs import disk as disklib
 from ..devicelibs import lvm
 from .. import formats
@@ -262,7 +263,19 @@ def handle_device(self, info, update_orig_fmt=False):
             helper_class = self._get_device_helper(info)
 
         if helper_class is not None:
-            device = helper_class(self, info).run()
+            try:
+                device = helper_class(self, info).run()
+            except DeviceTreeError as e:
+                log.error("error handling device %s: %s", name, str(e))
+                device = self.get_device_by_name(name, incomplete=True, hidden=True)
+                if device is None:
+                    try:
+                        parents = self._add_slave_devices(info)
+                    except DeviceTreeError:
+                        parents = []
+
+                    device = StorageDevice(name, parents=parents, uuid=udev.device_get_uuid(info),
+                                           exists=True)
 
         if not device:
             log.debug("no device obtained for %s", name)
@@ -302,7 +315,10 @@ def handle_format(self, info, device):
 
         helper_class = self._get_format_helper(info, device=device)
         if helper_class is not None:
-            helper_class(self, info, device).run()
+            try:
+                helper_class(self, info, device).run()
+            except DeviceTreeError as e:
+                log.error("error handling formatting on %s: %s", device.name, str(e))
 
         log.info("got format: %s", device.format)