diff --git a/esi_leap/resource_objects/ironic_node.py b/esi_leap/resource_objects/ironic_node.py
index 0f9b110..a5b995b 100644
--- a/esi_leap/resource_objects/ironic_node.py
+++ b/esi_leap/resource_objects/ironic_node.py
@@ -170,10 +170,21 @@ def remove_lease(self, lease):
         get_ironic_client().node.set_console_mode(self._uuid, False)
         console_auth_token.ConsoleAuthToken.clean_console_tokens_for_node(self._uuid)
 
-        # unprovision the node if needed
+        # unprovision the node if needed; otherwise remove any vif attachments
         state = self._get_node().provision_state
-        if state == "active":
+        if state in [
+            "active",
+            "wait call-back",
+            "deploying",
+            "deploy failed",
+            "adopting",
+            "adopt failed",
+        ]:
             get_ironic_client().node.set_provision_state(self._uuid, "deleted")
+        else:
+            vifs = get_ironic_client().node.vif_list(self._uuid)
+            for vif in vifs:
+                get_ironic_client().node.vif_detach(self._uuid, vif.id)
 
     def _get_node(self, resource_list=None):
         try:
diff --git a/esi_leap/tests/resource_objects/test_ironic_node.py b/esi_leap/tests/resource_objects/test_ironic_node.py
index 9bf2b68..9e04051 100644
--- a/esi_leap/tests/resource_objects/test_ironic_node.py
+++ b/esi_leap/tests/resource_objects/test_ironic_node.py
@@ -208,6 +208,49 @@ def test_remove_lease(self, mock_client, mock_gn, mock_glu, mock_glpi, mock_cctf
         mock_client.return_value.node.set_provision_state.assert_called_once_with(
             fake_uuid, "deleted"
         )
+        mock_client.return_value.node.vif_list.assert_not_called()
+
+    @mock.patch(
+        "esi_leap.objects.console_auth_token.ConsoleAuthToken.clean_console_tokens_for_node"
+    )
+    @mock.patch(
+        "esi_leap.resource_objects.ironic_node.IronicNode." "get_lessee_project_id"
+    )
+    @mock.patch("esi_leap.resource_objects.ironic_node.IronicNode." "get_lease_uuid")
+    @mock.patch("esi_leap.resource_objects.ironic_node.IronicNode._get_node")
+    @mock.patch.object(ironic_node, "get_ironic_client", autospec=True)
+    def test_remove_lease_node_available(
+        self, mock_client, mock_gn, mock_glu, mock_glpi, mock_cctfn
+    ):
+        fake_get_node = FakeIronicNode()
+        fake_get_node.provision_state = "available"
+        fake_lease = FakeLease()
+
+        mock_gn.return_value = fake_get_node
+        mock_glu.return_value = fake_lease.uuid
+        mock_glpi.return_value = fake_lease.project_id
+
+        test_ironic_node = ironic_node.IronicNode(fake_uuid)
+        test_ironic_node.remove_lease(fake_lease)
+
+        mock_glpi.assert_called_once()
+        mock_glu.assert_called_once()
+        self.assertEqual(mock_gn.call_count, 2)
+        self.assertEqual(mock_client.call_count, 3)
+        mock_client.return_value.node.update.assert_called_once_with(
+            fake_uuid,
+            [
+                {"op": "remove", "path": "/properties/lease_uuid"},
+                {"op": "remove", "path": "/lessee"},
+                {"op": "remove", "path": "/instance_info"},
+            ],
+        )
+        mock_client.return_value.node.set_console_mode.assert_called_once_with(
+            fake_uuid, False
+        )
+        mock_cctfn.assert_called_once_with(fake_uuid)
+        mock_client.return_value.node.set_provision_state.assert_not_called()
+        mock_client.return_value.node.vif_list.assert_called_once_with(fake_uuid)
 
     @mock.patch("esi_leap.resource_objects.ironic_node.IronicNode." "get_lease_uuid")
     def test_expire_lease_no_match(self, mock_glu):