diff --git a/esmvalcore/_data_finder.py b/esmvalcore/_data_finder.py
index 782042022b..c892ec959e 100644
--- a/esmvalcore/_data_finder.py
+++ b/esmvalcore/_data_finder.py
@@ -144,7 +144,11 @@ def _apply_caps(original, lower, upper):
 
 
 def _resolve_latestversion(dirname_template):
-    """Resolve the 'latestversion' tag."""
+    """Resolve the 'latestversion' tag.
+
+    This implementation avoid globbing on centralized clusters with very
+    large data root dirs (i.e. ESGF nodes like Jasmin/DKRZ).
+    """
     if '{latestversion}' not in dirname_template:
         return dirname_template
 
diff --git a/tests/integration/data_finder.yml b/tests/integration/data_finder.yml
index 81f907a046..1677e6ff32 100644
--- a/tests/integration/data_finder.yml
+++ b/tests/integration/data_finder.yml
@@ -116,6 +116,27 @@ get_input_filelist:
       - ta_Amon_HadGEM2-ES_historical_r1i1p1*.nc
     found_files: []
 
+  - drs: BADC
+    variable:
+      <<: *variable
+      start_year: 1980
+      end_year: 2002
+    available_files:
+      - MOHC/HadGEM2-ES/historical/mon/atmos/Amon/r1i1p1/v20110329/ta/ta_Amon_HadGEM2-ES_historical_r1i1p1_193412-195911.nc
+      - MOHC/HadGEM2-ES/historical/mon/atmos/Amon/r1i1p1/v20110329/ta/ta_Amon_HadGEM2-ES_historical_r1i1p1_195912-198411.nc
+      - MOHC/HadGEM2-ES/historical/mon/atmos/Amon/r1i1p1/v20110329/ta/ta_Amon_HadGEM2-ES_historical_r1i1p1_198412-200511.nc
+      - MOHC/HadGEM2-ES/historical/mon/atmos/Amon/r1i1p1/v20120928/ta/ta_Amon_HadGEM2-ES_historical_r1i1p1_193412-195911.nc
+      - MOHC/HadGEM2-ES/historical/mon/atmos/Amon/r1i1p1/v20120928/ta/ta_Amon_HadGEM2-ES_historical_r1i1p1_195912-198411.nc
+      - MOHC/HadGEM2-ES/historical/mon/atmos/Amon/r1i1p1/v20120928/ta/ta_Amon_HadGEM2-ES_historical_r1i1p1_198412-200511.nc
+    dirs:
+      - MOHC/HadGEM2-ES/historical/mon/atmos/Amon/r1i1p1/v20120928/ta
+    file_patterns:
+      - ta_Amon_HadGEM2-ES_historical_r1i1p1*.nc
+    found_files:
+      - MOHC/HadGEM2-ES/historical/mon/atmos/Amon/r1i1p1/v20120928/ta/ta_Amon_HadGEM2-ES_historical_r1i1p1_195912-198411.nc
+      - MOHC/HadGEM2-ES/historical/mon/atmos/Amon/r1i1p1/v20120928/ta/ta_Amon_HadGEM2-ES_historical_r1i1p1_198412-200511.nc
+
+
   - drs: BADC
     variable:
       <<: *variable