The general focus of policy is to achieve pre-designed goals considered by policy-makers to be of interest to societies or targeted groups. Policy research has, therefore, witnessed a significant tilt towards improving scientific knowledge and understanding policy enactment processes, and the extent to which they achieve desired goals. Policy deviance – the tendency for members of society to ignore or disrespect laid-down policy guidelines – has often been considered a crucial determinant for poor policy outcomes. However, the benefits of policy deviance, and the conditions under which societal groups register such benefits currently account for only a negligible number of studies. This article reduces this existing knowledge gap by examining the nexus between policy deviance and poverty reduction, based on a case study of deviant migrant households who relocated to settle around the Lake Nyos area in Cameroon. The empirical analysis through a livelihoods lens revealed a positive relationship between deviance and poverty reduction. The conclusion suggests that not all policy deviance situations lead to negative outcomes. It emphasises the need for a constant analysis of the policy outcome nexus, as opposed to the assumption that deviance leads to negative outcomes. Further research is needed to ground this contention.