Apparatus for non-disruptive error recovery in a clustered system, comprises a node instance configuration activity quiescing component for quiescing configuration activity at a first virtual node instance; a node instance creation component for creating a second virtual node instance with I/O access blocked; a configuration transfer component for transferring configuration data from the first to the second virtual node instance; a commit component for committing the changeover from the first to the second virtual node instance; a node instance communications blocking component for blocking inbound communications to a first virtual node instance; a node instance communications unblocking component for unblocking I/O access at the second virtual node instance; a communication control component for monitoring outbound communications from the first virtual node instance and signalling completion of all pending outbound communications; and a node instance deletion component for deleting the first virtual node instance.