diff --git a/nipype/interfaces/base.py b/nipype/interfaces/base.py
index 62ea7851ac..b12289ea2f 100644
--- a/nipype/interfaces/base.py
+++ b/nipype/interfaces/base.py
@@ -774,7 +774,7 @@ def __init__(self, from_file=None, **inputs):
                             self.__class__.__name__)
 
         self.inputs = self.input_spec(**inputs)
-        self.estimated_memory_gb = 1
+        self.estimated_memory_gb = 0.25
         self.num_threads = 1
 
         if from_file is not None:
diff --git a/nipype/pipeline/engine/nodes.py b/nipype/pipeline/engine/nodes.py
index 71331d38f5..cbfa70cebb 100644
--- a/nipype/pipeline/engine/nodes.py
+++ b/nipype/pipeline/engine/nodes.py
@@ -79,7 +79,8 @@ class Node(EngineBase):
 
     def __init__(self, interface, name, iterables=None, itersource=None,
                  synchronize=False, overwrite=None, needed_outputs=None,
-                 run_without_submitting=False, **kwargs):
+                 run_without_submitting=False, n_procs=1, mem_gb=None,
+                 **kwargs):
         """
         Parameters
         ----------
@@ -168,6 +169,11 @@ def __init__(self, interface, name, iterables=None, itersource=None,
         self.input_source = {}
         self.needed_outputs = []
         self.plugin_args = {}
+
+        self._interface.num_threads = n_procs
+        if mem_gb is not None:
+            self._interface.estimated_memory_gb = mem_gb
+
         if needed_outputs:
             self.needed_outputs = sorted(needed_outputs)
         self._got_inputs = False
diff --git a/nipype/pipeline/plugins/multiproc.py b/nipype/pipeline/plugins/multiproc.py
index 0465b4f880..3994f2e1cd 100644
--- a/nipype/pipeline/plugins/multiproc.py
+++ b/nipype/pipeline/plugins/multiproc.py
@@ -231,11 +231,12 @@ def _send_procs_to_workers(self, updatehash=False, graph=None):
                 busy_processors += self.procs[jobid]._interface.num_threads
 
             else:
-                raise ValueError("Resources required by jobid %d (%f GB, %d threads)"
-                                 "exceed what is available on the system (%f GB, %d threads)"%(jobid,
-                    self.procs[jobid].__interface.estimated_memory_gb,
-                    self.procs[jobid].__interface.num_threads,
-                    self.memory_gb,self.processors))
+                raise ValueError(
+                    "Resources required by jobid {0} ({3}GB, {4} threads) exceed what is "
+                    "available on the system ({1}GB, {2} threads)".format(
+                        jobid, self.memory_gb, self.processors,
+                        self.procs[jobid]._interface.estimated_memory_gb,
+                        self.procs[jobid]._interface.num_threads))
 
         free_memory_gb = self.memory_gb - busy_memory_gb
         free_processors = self.processors - busy_processors