diff --git a/ironic/conductor/base_manager.py b/ironic/conductor/base_manager.py
index c95a6e8eda..34319babf3 100644
--- a/ironic/conductor/base_manager.py
+++ b/ironic/conductor/base_manager.py
@@ -393,6 +393,9 @@ class BaseConductorManager(object):
             except db_exception.DBConnectionError:
                 LOG.warning('Conductor could not connect to database '
                             'while heartbeating.')
+            except Exception as e:
+                LOG.exception('Error while heartbeating. Error: %(err)s',
+                              {'err': e})
             self._keepalive_evt.wait(CONF.conductor.heartbeat_interval)
 
     def _mapped_to_this_conductor(self, node_uuid, driver):
diff --git a/ironic/tests/unit/conductor/test_base_manager.py b/ironic/tests/unit/conductor/test_base_manager.py
index 060da59d1b..ea2ff86aa3 100644
--- a/ironic/tests/unit/conductor/test_base_manager.py
+++ b/ironic/tests/unit/conductor/test_base_manager.py
@@ -320,6 +320,19 @@ class KeepAliveTestCase(mgr_utils.ServiceSetUpMixin, db_base.DbTestCase):
                 self.service._conductor_service_record_keepalive()
             self.assertEqual(3, mock_touch.call_count)
 
+    def test__conductor_service_record_keepalive_failed_error(self):
+        self._start_service()
+        # avoid wasting time at the event.wait()
+        CONF.set_override('heartbeat_interval', 0, 'conductor')
+        with mock.patch.object(self.dbapi, 'touch_conductor') as mock_touch:
+            mock_touch.side_effect = [None, Exception(),
+                                      None]
+            with mock.patch.object(self.service._keepalive_evt,
+                                   'is_set') as mock_is_set:
+                mock_is_set.side_effect = [False, False, False, True]
+                self.service._conductor_service_record_keepalive()
+            self.assertEqual(3, mock_touch.call_count)
+
 
 class ManagerSpawnWorkerTestCase(tests_base.TestCase):
     def setUp(self):
diff --git a/releasenotes/notes/bug-1696296-a972c8d879b98940.yaml b/releasenotes/notes/bug-1696296-a972c8d879b98940.yaml
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..eb9f19212d
--- /dev/null
+++ b/releasenotes/notes/bug-1696296-a972c8d879b98940.yaml
@@ -0,0 +1,9 @@
+---
+fixes:
+  - |
+    Fixes an issue where an ironic-conductor service was deemed dead because
+    the service could not report its heartbeat due to the database connection
+    experiencing an unexpected failure. Full tracebacks of these exceptions are
+    now logged, and if the database connection recovers in a reasonable amount
+    of time the service will still be available.
+    See https://bugs.launchpad.net/ironic/+bug/1696296.
\ No newline at end of file