diff --git a/ironic/drivers/modules/agent_client.py b/ironic/drivers/modules/agent_client.py
index cd5e04471b..e03153833e 100644
--- a/ironic/drivers/modules/agent_client.py
+++ b/ironic/drivers/modules/agent_client.py
@@ -14,6 +14,7 @@
 
 from http import client as http_client
 import os
+import ssl
 
 from ironic_lib import metrics_utils
 from oslo_log import log
@@ -203,7 +204,7 @@ class AgentClient(object):
                 url, params=request_params, data=body,
                 verify=self._get_verify(node),
                 timeout=CONF.agent.command_timeout)
-        except (requests.ConnectionError, requests.Timeout) as e:
+        except (requests.ConnectionError, requests.Timeout, ssl.SSLError) as e:
             result = self._handle_timeout_on_command_execution(node, method,
                                                                params, e)
             response = None
diff --git a/ironic/tests/unit/drivers/modules/test_agent_client.py b/ironic/tests/unit/drivers/modules/test_agent_client.py
index 9396639193..8bad2b96b9 100644
--- a/ironic/tests/unit/drivers/modules/test_agent_client.py
+++ b/ironic/tests/unit/drivers/modules/test_agent_client.py
@@ -14,6 +14,7 @@
 
 from http import client as http_client
 import json
+import ssl
 from unittest import mock
 
 import requests
@@ -757,10 +758,11 @@ class TestAgentClientAttempts(base.TestCase):
         method = 'standby.run_image'
         image_info = {'image_id': 'test_image'}
         params = {'image_info': image_info}
-        self.client.session.post.side_effect = [requests.Timeout(error),
-                                                requests.Timeout(error),
-                                                requests.Timeout(error),
-                                                requests.Timeout(error)]
+        self.client.session.post.side_effect = [
+            requests.Timeout(error),
+            ssl.SSLError('timed out'),
+            requests.ConnectionError(error),
+            requests.Timeout(error)]
         self.client._get_command_url(self.node)
         self.client._get_command_body(method, params)
 
@@ -781,7 +783,7 @@ class TestAgentClientAttempts(base.TestCase):
         image_info = {'image_id': 'test_image'}
         params = {'image_info': image_info}
         self.client.session.post.side_effect = [requests.Timeout(error),
-                                                requests.Timeout(error),
+                                                ssl.SSLError('timed out'),
                                                 MockResponse(response_data)]
 
         response = self.client._command(self.node, method, params)
diff --git a/releasenotes/notes/sslerror-287edf7f8b3c5f1c.yaml b/releasenotes/notes/sslerror-287edf7f8b3c5f1c.yaml
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..9eac955bfe
--- /dev/null
+++ b/releasenotes/notes/sslerror-287edf7f8b3c5f1c.yaml
@@ -0,0 +1,4 @@
+---
+fixes:
+  - |
+    Retries ``ssl.SSLError`` when connecting to the agent.