diff --git a/neutron/agent/linux/keepalived.py b/neutron/agent/linux/keepalived.py
index 3c10f6a885c..ed02a9a65c8 100644
--- a/neutron/agent/linux/keepalived.py
+++ b/neutron/agent/linux/keepalived.py
@@ -20,7 +20,7 @@ import netaddr
 from oslo_config import cfg
 from oslo_log import log as logging
 
-from neutron._i18n import _
+from neutron._i18n import _, _LE
 from neutron.agent.linux import external_process
 from neutron.common import exceptions
 from neutron.common import utils as common_utils
@@ -367,6 +367,18 @@ class KeepalivedManager(object):
 
         return config_path
 
+    @staticmethod
+    def _safe_remove_pid_file(pid_file):
+        try:
+            os.remove(pid_file)
+        except OSError as e:
+            if e.errno != errno.ENOENT:
+                LOG.error(_LE("Could not delete file %s, keepalived can "
+                              "refuse to start."), pid_file)
+
+    def get_vrrp_pid_file_name(self, base_pid_file):
+        return '%s-vrrp' % base_pid_file
+
     def get_conf_on_disk(self):
         config_path = self.get_full_config_file_path('keepalived.conf')
         try:
@@ -381,7 +393,7 @@ class KeepalivedManager(object):
 
         keepalived_pm = self.get_process()
         vrrp_pm = self._get_vrrp_process(
-            '%s-vrrp' % keepalived_pm.get_pid_file_name())
+            self.get_vrrp_pid_file_name(keepalived_pm.get_pid_file_name()))
 
         keepalived_pm.default_cmd_callback = (
             self._get_keepalived_process_callback(vrrp_pm, config_path))
@@ -424,10 +436,14 @@ class KeepalivedManager(object):
             # and spawn keepalived successfully.
             if vrrp_pm.active:
                 vrrp_pm.disable()
+
+            self._safe_remove_pid_file(pid_file)
+            self._safe_remove_pid_file(self.get_vrrp_pid_file_name(pid_file))
+
             cmd = ['keepalived', '-P',
                    '-f', config_path,
                    '-p', pid_file,
-                   '-r', '%s-vrrp' % pid_file]
+                   '-r', self.get_vrrp_pid_file_name(pid_file)]
             return cmd
 
         return callback
diff --git a/neutron/tests/functional/agent/linux/test_keepalived.py b/neutron/tests/functional/agent/linux/test_keepalived.py
index eacbbaf0222..ac1fe80cc92 100644
--- a/neutron/tests/functional/agent/linux/test_keepalived.py
+++ b/neutron/tests/functional/agent/linux/test_keepalived.py
@@ -13,6 +13,10 @@
 #    License for the specific language governing permissions and limitations
 #    under the License.
 
+import fixtures
+from multiprocessing import Process
+import time
+
 from oslo_config import cfg
 
 from neutron._i18n import _
@@ -76,3 +80,53 @@ class KeepalivedManagerTestCase(base.BaseTestCase,
 
     def test_keepalived_respawn_with_unexpected_exit(self):
         self._test_keepalived_respawns(False)
+
+    def _test_keepalived_spawns_conflicting_pid(self, process, pid_file):
+        # Test the situation when keepalived PID file contains PID of an
+        # existing non-keepalived process. This situation can happen e.g.
+        # after hard node reset.
+
+        spawn_process = SleepyProcessFixture()
+        self.useFixture(spawn_process)
+
+        with open(pid_file, "w") as f_pid_file:
+            f_pid_file.write("%s" % spawn_process.pid)
+
+        self.manager.spawn()
+        utils.wait_until_true(
+            lambda: process.active,
+            timeout=5,
+            sleep=0.1,
+            exception=RuntimeError(_("Keepalived didn't spawn")))
+
+    def test_keepalived_spawns_conflicting_pid_base_process(self):
+        process = self.manager.get_process()
+        pid_file = process.get_pid_file_name()
+        self._test_keepalived_spawns_conflicting_pid(process, pid_file)
+
+    def test_keepalived_spawns_conflicting_pid_vrrp_subprocess(self):
+        process = self.manager.get_process()
+        pid_file = process.get_pid_file_name()
+        self._test_keepalived_spawns_conflicting_pid(
+            process,
+            self.manager.get_vrrp_pid_file_name(pid_file))
+
+
+class SleepyProcessFixture(fixtures.Fixture):
+
+    def __init__(self):
+        super(SleepyProcessFixture, self).__init__()
+
+    @staticmethod
+    def yawn():
+        time.sleep(60)
+
+    def _setUp(self):
+        self.process = Process(target=self.yawn)
+
+    def destroy(self):
+        self.process.terminate()
+
+    @property
+    def pid(self):
+        return self.process.pid