diff --git a/neutron/tests/functional/agent/l3/framework.py b/neutron/tests/functional/agent/l3/framework.py
index e4f5e6daf73..e2fd86fa651 100644
--- a/neutron/tests/functional/agent/l3/framework.py
+++ b/neutron/tests/functional/agent/l3/framework.py
@@ -609,26 +609,30 @@ class L3AgentTestFramework(base.BaseSudoTestCase):
 
         return (router1, router2)
 
-    def _get_master_and_slave_routers(self, router1, router2):
+    def _get_master_and_slave_routers(self, router1, router2,
+                                      check_external_device=True):
 
         try:
             common_utils.wait_until_true(
                 lambda: router1.ha_state == 'master')
-            common_utils.wait_until_true(
-                lambda: self._check_external_device(router1))
+            if check_external_device:
+                common_utils.wait_until_true(
+                    lambda: self._check_external_device(router1))
             master_router = router1
             slave_router = router2
         except common_utils.WaitTimeout:
             common_utils.wait_until_true(
                 lambda: router2.ha_state == 'master')
-            common_utils.wait_until_true(
-                lambda: self._check_external_device(router2))
+            if check_external_device:
+                common_utils.wait_until_true(
+                    lambda: self._check_external_device(router2))
             master_router = router2
             slave_router = router1
 
         common_utils.wait_until_true(
                 lambda: master_router.ha_state == 'master')
-        common_utils.wait_until_true(
+        if check_external_device:
+            common_utils.wait_until_true(
                 lambda: self._check_external_device(master_router))
         common_utils.wait_until_true(
             lambda: slave_router.ha_state == 'backup')
diff --git a/neutron/tests/functional/agent/l3/test_dvr_router.py b/neutron/tests/functional/agent/l3/test_dvr_router.py
index d87b9783941..910abe8c497 100644
--- a/neutron/tests/functional/agent/l3/test_dvr_router.py
+++ b/neutron/tests/functional/agent/l3/test_dvr_router.py
@@ -1483,18 +1483,18 @@ class TestDvrRouter(framework.L3AgentTestFramework):
             self.failover_agent, enable_gw=enable_gw,
             enable_centralized_fip=enable_centralized_fip,
             snat_bound_fip=snat_bound_fip)
-        utils.wait_until_true(lambda: router1.ha_state == 'master')
-        utils.wait_until_true(lambda: router2.ha_state == 'backup')
+        master, backup = self._get_master_and_slave_routers(
+            router1, router2, check_external_device=False)
 
-        self._assert_ip_addresses_in_dvr_ha_snat_namespace_with_fip(router1)
-        self._assert_no_ip_addresses_in_dvr_ha_snat_namespace_with_fip(router2)
-        self.fail_ha_router(router1)
+        self._assert_ip_addresses_in_dvr_ha_snat_namespace_with_fip(master)
+        self._assert_no_ip_addresses_in_dvr_ha_snat_namespace_with_fip(backup)
+        self.fail_ha_router(master)
 
-        utils.wait_until_true(lambda: router2.ha_state == 'master')
-        utils.wait_until_true(lambda: router1.ha_state == 'backup')
+        utils.wait_until_true(lambda: backup.ha_state == 'master')
+        utils.wait_until_true(lambda: master.ha_state == 'backup')
 
-        self._assert_ip_addresses_in_dvr_ha_snat_namespace_with_fip(router2)
-        self._assert_no_ip_addresses_in_dvr_ha_snat_namespace_with_fip(router1)
+        self._assert_ip_addresses_in_dvr_ha_snat_namespace_with_fip(backup)
+        self._assert_no_ip_addresses_in_dvr_ha_snat_namespace_with_fip(master)
 
     def _test_dvr_ha_router_failover(self, enable_gw):
         self._setup_dvr_ha_agents()
@@ -1503,19 +1503,19 @@ class TestDvrRouter(framework.L3AgentTestFramework):
         router1 = self._create_dvr_ha_router(self.agent, enable_gw=enable_gw)
         router2 = self._create_dvr_ha_router(self.failover_agent, enable_gw)
 
-        utils.wait_until_true(lambda: router1.ha_state == 'master')
-        utils.wait_until_true(lambda: router2.ha_state == 'backup')
+        master, backup = self._get_master_and_slave_routers(
+            router1, router2, check_external_device=False)
 
-        self._assert_ip_addresses_in_dvr_ha_snat_namespace(router1)
-        self._assert_no_ip_addresses_in_dvr_ha_snat_namespace(router2)
+        self._assert_ip_addresses_in_dvr_ha_snat_namespace(master)
+        self._assert_no_ip_addresses_in_dvr_ha_snat_namespace(backup)
 
-        self.fail_ha_router(router1)
+        self.fail_ha_router(master)
 
-        utils.wait_until_true(lambda: router2.ha_state == 'master')
-        utils.wait_until_true(lambda: router1.ha_state == 'backup')
+        utils.wait_until_true(lambda: backup.ha_state == 'master')
+        utils.wait_until_true(lambda: master.ha_state == 'backup')
 
-        self._assert_ip_addresses_in_dvr_ha_snat_namespace(router2)
-        self._assert_no_ip_addresses_in_dvr_ha_snat_namespace(router1)
+        self._assert_ip_addresses_in_dvr_ha_snat_namespace(backup)
+        self._assert_no_ip_addresses_in_dvr_ha_snat_namespace(master)
 
     def test_dvr_ha_router_failover_with_gw(self):
         self._test_dvr_ha_router_failover(enable_gw=True)