diff --git a/neutron/plugins/ml2/drivers/openvswitch/agent/ovs_neutron_agent.py b/neutron/plugins/ml2/drivers/openvswitch/agent/ovs_neutron_agent.py
index 45605db2088..dd7d3b67d73 100644
--- a/neutron/plugins/ml2/drivers/openvswitch/agent/ovs_neutron_agent.py
+++ b/neutron/plugins/ml2/drivers/openvswitch/agent/ovs_neutron_agent.py
@@ -186,7 +186,6 @@ class OVSNeutronAgent(l2population_rpc.L2populationRpcCallBackTunnelMixin,
         self.network_ports = collections.defaultdict(set)
         # keeps association between ports and ofports to detect ofport change
         self.vifname_to_ofport_map = {}
-        self.setup_rpc()
         # Stores newly created bridges
         self.added_bridges = list()
         self.bridge_mappings = self._parse_bridge_mappings(
@@ -229,6 +228,8 @@ class OVSNeutronAgent(l2population_rpc.L2populationRpcCallBackTunnelMixin,
             self.setup_tunnel_br(ovs_conf.tunnel_bridge)
             self.setup_tunnel_br_flows()
 
+        self.setup_rpc()
+
         self.dvr_agent = ovs_dvr_neutron_agent.OVSDVRNeutronAgent(
             self.context,
             self.dvr_plugin_rpc,
diff --git a/neutron/tests/unit/plugins/ml2/drivers/openvswitch/agent/test_ovs_neutron_agent.py b/neutron/tests/unit/plugins/ml2/drivers/openvswitch/agent/test_ovs_neutron_agent.py
index 20976b67b0a..9d831d9a63f 100644
--- a/neutron/tests/unit/plugins/ml2/drivers/openvswitch/agent/test_ovs_neutron_agent.py
+++ b/neutron/tests/unit/plugins/ml2/drivers/openvswitch/agent/test_ovs_neutron_agent.py
@@ -180,6 +180,20 @@ class TestOvsNeutronAgent(object):
                 "Port", mock.ANY, "other_config", vlan_mapping)
             self.assertTrue(needs_binding)
 
+    def test_setup_physical_bridges_during_agent_initialization(self):
+        with mock.patch.object(
+            self.mod_agent.OVSNeutronAgent,
+            'setup_physical_bridges') as setup_physical_bridges,\
+                mock.patch.object(
+                    self.mod_agent.OVSNeutronAgent, 'setup_rpc') as setup_rpc:
+            setup_rpc.side_effect = oslo_messaging.MessagingException(
+                "Test communication failure")
+            try:
+                self._make_agent()
+            except oslo_messaging.MessagingException:
+                pass
+            setup_physical_bridges.assert_called_once_with(mock.ANY)
+
     def test_datapath_type_system(self):
         # verify kernel datapath is default
         expected = constants.OVS_DATAPATH_SYSTEM