diff --git a/neutron/agent/l3/agent.py b/neutron/agent/l3/agent.py
index 2f8b2559e14..a01a5fe991c 100644
--- a/neutron/agent/l3/agent.py
+++ b/neutron/agent/l3/agent.py
@@ -343,7 +343,20 @@ class L3NATAgent(ha.AgentMixin,
 
         self.router_info[router_id] = ri
 
-        ri.initialize(self.process_monitor)
+        # If initialize() fails, cleanup and retrigger complete sync
+        try:
+            ri.initialize(self.process_monitor)
+        except Exception:
+            with excutils.save_and_reraise_exception():
+                del self.router_info[router_id]
+                LOG.exception(_LE('Error while initializing router %s'),
+                              router_id)
+                self.namespaces_manager.ensure_router_cleanup(router_id)
+                try:
+                    ri.delete()
+                except Exception:
+                    LOG.exception(_LE('Error while deleting router %s'),
+                                  router_id)
 
     def _safe_router_removed(self, router_id):
         """Try to delete a router and return True if successful."""
diff --git a/neutron/agent/l3/ha_router.py b/neutron/agent/l3/ha_router.py
index fa7fdda172d..baca51c0ceb 100644
--- a/neutron/agent/l3/ha_router.py
+++ b/neutron/agent/l3/ha_router.py
@@ -20,7 +20,7 @@ import netaddr
 from neutron_lib import constants as n_consts
 from oslo_log import log as logging
 
-from neutron._i18n import _LE
+from neutron._i18n import _, _LE
 from neutron.agent.l3 import namespaces
 from neutron.agent.l3 import router_info as router
 from neutron.agent.linux import external_process
@@ -110,12 +110,13 @@ class HaRouter(router.RouterInfo):
             return False
 
     def initialize(self, process_monitor):
-        super(HaRouter, self).initialize(process_monitor)
         ha_port = self.router.get(n_consts.HA_INTERFACE_KEY)
         if not ha_port:
-            LOG.error(_LE('Unable to process HA router %s without HA port'),
-                      self.router_id)
-            return
+            msg = _("Unable to process HA router %s without "
+                    "HA port") % self.router_id
+            LOG.exception(msg)
+            raise Exception(msg)
+        super(HaRouter, self).initialize(process_monitor)
 
         self.ha_port = ha_port
         self._init_keepalived_manager(process_monitor)
diff --git a/neutron/tests/unit/agent/l3/test_agent.py b/neutron/tests/unit/agent/l3/test_agent.py
index ba2f11e5467..f45302487f6 100644
--- a/neutron/tests/unit/agent/l3/test_agent.py
+++ b/neutron/tests/unit/agent/l3/test_agent.py
@@ -1715,6 +1715,54 @@ class TestBasicRouterOperations(BasicRouterOperationsFramework):
             mock_update_fip_status.assert_called_once_with(
                 mock.ANY, ri.router_id, {fip2['id']: 'ACTIVE'})
 
+    @mock.patch.object(l3_agent.LOG, 'exception')
+    def _retrigger_initialize(self, log_exception, delete_fail=False):
+        agent = l3_agent.L3NATAgent(HOSTNAME, self.conf)
+        router = {'id': _uuid(),
+                  'external_gateway_info': {'network_id': 'aaa'}}
+        self.plugin_api.get_routers.return_value = [router]
+        update = router_processing_queue.RouterUpdate(
+            router['id'],
+            router_processing_queue.PRIORITY_SYNC_ROUTERS_TASK,
+            router=router,
+            timestamp=timeutils.utcnow())
+        agent._queue.add(update)
+
+        ri = legacy_router.LegacyRouter(agent, router['id'], router,
+                                        **self.ri_kwargs)
+        calls = [mock.call('Error while initializing router %s',
+                           router['id'])]
+        if delete_fail:
+            # if delete fails, then also retrigger initialize
+            ri.delete = mock.Mock(side_effect=RuntimeError())
+            calls.append(
+                 mock.call('Error while deleting router %s',
+                           router['id']))
+        else:
+            ri.delete = mock.Mock()
+        calls.append(
+            mock.call('Failed to process compatible router: %s' %
+                      router['id']))
+        ri.process = mock.Mock()
+        ri.initialize = mock.Mock(side_effect=RuntimeError())
+        agent._create_router = mock.Mock(return_value=ri)
+        agent._process_router_update()
+        log_exception.assert_has_calls(calls)
+
+        ri.initialize.side_effect = None
+        agent._process_router_update()
+        self.assertTrue(ri.delete.called)
+        self.assertEqual(2, ri.initialize.call_count)
+        self.assertEqual(2, agent._create_router.call_count)
+        self.assertEqual(1, ri.process.call_count)
+        self.assertIn(ri.router_id, agent.router_info)
+
+    def test_initialize_fail_retrigger_initialize(self):
+        self._retrigger_initialize()
+
+    def test_initialize_and_delete_fail_retrigger_initialize(self):
+        self._retrigger_initialize(delete_fail=True)
+
     def test_process_router_floatingip_status_update_if_processed(self):
         agent = l3_agent.L3NATAgent(HOSTNAME, self.conf)
         router = l3_test_common.prepare_router_data(num_internal_ports=1)