diff --git a/nova/servicegroup/drivers/db.py b/nova/servicegroup/drivers/db.py
index 28471d86f137..99bad8522ed0 100644
--- a/nova/servicegroup/drivers/db.py
+++ b/nova/servicegroup/drivers/db.py
@@ -14,20 +14,18 @@
 # limitations under the License.
 
 from oslo_config import cfg
-from oslo_db import exception as db_exception
 from oslo_log import log as logging
 import oslo_messaging as messaging
 from oslo_utils import timeutils
 import six
 
-from nova.i18n import _, _LI, _LW
+from nova.i18n import _, _LI, _LW, _LE
 from nova.servicegroup import api
 from nova.servicegroup.drivers import base
 
 
 CONF = cfg.CONF
 CONF.import_opt('service_down_time', 'nova.service')
-CONF.import_opt('use_local', 'nova.conductor.api', group='conductor')
 
 LOG = logging.getLogger(__name__)
 
@@ -85,13 +83,6 @@ class DbDriver(base.Driver):
     def _report_state(self, service):
         """Update the state of this service in the datastore."""
 
-        if CONF.conductor.use_local:
-            # need to catch DB type errors
-            exc_cls = db_exception.DBError  # oslo.db exception base class
-        else:
-            # need to catch messaging timeouts
-            exc_cls = messaging.MessagingTimeout
-
         try:
             service.service_ref.report_count += 1
             service.service_ref.save()
@@ -100,12 +91,20 @@ class DbDriver(base.Driver):
             if getattr(service, 'model_disconnected', False):
                 service.model_disconnected = False
                 LOG.info(
-                    _LI('Recovered connection to nova-conductor '
-                        'for reporting service status.'))
-
-        # the type of failure depends on use of remote or local conductor
-        except exc_cls:
+                    _LI('Recovered from being unable to report status.'))
+        except messaging.MessagingTimeout:
+            # NOTE(johngarbutt) during upgrade we will see messaging timeouts
+            # as nova-conductor is restarted, so only log this error once.
             if not getattr(service, 'model_disconnected', False):
                 service.model_disconnected = True
                 LOG.warn(_LW('Lost connection to nova-conductor '
                              'for reporting service status.'))
+        except Exception:
+            # NOTE(rpodolyaka): we'd like to avoid catching of all possible
+            # exceptions here, but otherwise it would become possible for
+            # the state reporting thread to stop abruptly, and thus leave
+            # the service unusable until it's restarted.
+            LOG.exception(
+                _LE('Unexpected error while reporting service status'))
+            # trigger the recovery log message, if this error goes away
+            service.model_disconnected = True
diff --git a/nova/tests/unit/servicegroup/test_db_servicegroup.py b/nova/tests/unit/servicegroup/test_db_servicegroup.py
index b53684d4af88..05f5b25f4dee 100644
--- a/nova/tests/unit/servicegroup/test_db_servicegroup.py
+++ b/nova/tests/unit/servicegroup/test_db_servicegroup.py
@@ -86,6 +86,7 @@ class DBServiceGroupTestCase(test.NoDBTestCase):
         fn(service)
         upd_mock.assert_called_once_with()
         self.assertEqual(11, service_ref.report_count)
+        self.assertFalse(service.model_disconnected)
 
     @mock.patch.object(objects.Service, 'save')
     def _test_report_state_error(self, exc_cls, upd_mock):
@@ -96,12 +97,23 @@ class DBServiceGroupTestCase(test.NoDBTestCase):
                                  service_ref=service_ref)
         fn = self.servicegroup_api._driver._report_state
         fn(service)  # fail if exception not caught
+        self.assertTrue(service.model_disconnected)
 
     def test_report_state_remote_error_handling(self):
+        # test error handling using remote conductor
+        self.flags(use_local=False, group='conductor')
+        self._test_report_state_error(messaging.RemoteError)
+
+    def test_report_state_remote_error_handling_timeout(self):
         # test error handling using remote conductor
         self.flags(use_local=False, group='conductor')
         self._test_report_state_error(messaging.MessagingTimeout)
 
+    def test_report_state_remote_unexpected_error(self):
+        # unexpected errors must be handled, but disconnected flag not touched
+        self.flags(use_local=False, group='conductor')
+        self._test_report_state_error(RuntimeError)
+
     def test_report_state_local_error_handling(self):
         # if using local conductor, the db driver must handle DB errors
         self.flags(use_local=True, group='conductor')
@@ -109,3 +121,8 @@ class DBServiceGroupTestCase(test.NoDBTestCase):
         # mock an oslo.db DBError as it's an exception base class for
         # oslo.db DB errors (eg DBConnectionError)
         self._test_report_state_error(db_exception.DBError)
+
+    def test_report_state_local_unexpected_error(self):
+        # unexpected errors must be handled, but disconnected flag not touched
+        self.flags(use_local=True, group='conductor')
+        self._test_report_state_error(RuntimeError)