diff --git a/ironicclient/common/http.py b/ironicclient/common/http.py
index 081b0d6b7..c46e098be 100644
--- a/ironicclient/common/http.py
+++ b/ironicclient/common/http.py
@@ -170,7 +170,7 @@ def with_retries(func):
         for attempt in range(1, num_attempts + 1):
             try:
                 return func(self, url, method, **kwargs)
-            except exc.Conflict as error:
+            except (exc.Conflict, exc.ServiceUnavailable) as error:
                 msg = ("Error contacting Ironic server: %(error)s. "
                        "Attempt %(attempt)d of %(total)d" %
                        {'attempt': attempt,
diff --git a/ironicclient/tests/unit/test_http.py b/ironicclient/tests/unit/test_http.py
index 9192a08b3..ec39fcb15 100644
--- a/ironicclient/tests/unit/test_http.py
+++ b/ironicclient/tests/unit/test_http.py
@@ -541,6 +541,26 @@ class RetriesTestCase(utils.BaseTestCase):
         self.assertEqual(200, response.status)
         self.assertEqual(2, mock_getcon.call_count)
 
+    @mock.patch.object(http.HTTPClient, 'get_connection', autospec=True)
+    def test_http_retry_503(self, mock_getcon):
+        error_body = _get_error_body()
+        bad_resp = utils.FakeResponse(
+            {'content-type': 'text/plain'},
+            six.StringIO(error_body),
+            version=1,
+            status=503)
+        good_resp = utils.FakeResponse(
+            {'content-type': 'text/plain'},
+            six.StringIO("meow"),
+            version=1,
+            status=200)
+        client = http.HTTPClient('http://localhost/')
+        mock_getcon.side_effect = iter((utils.FakeConnection(bad_resp),
+                                        utils.FakeConnection(good_resp)))
+        response, body_iter = client._http_request('/v1/resources', 'GET')
+        self.assertEqual(200, response.status)
+        self.assertEqual(2, mock_getcon.call_count)
+
     @mock.patch.object(http.HTTPClient, 'get_connection', autospec=True)
     def test_http_failed_retry(self, mock_getcon):
         error_body = _get_error_body()
@@ -602,6 +622,24 @@ class RetriesTestCase(utils.BaseTestCase):
         client.json_request('GET', '/v1/resources')
         self.assertEqual(2, fake_session.request.call_count)
 
+    def test_session_retry_503(self):
+        error_body = _get_error_body()
+
+        fake_resp = utils.FakeSessionResponse(
+            {'Content-Type': 'application/json'},
+            error_body,
+            503)
+        ok_resp = utils.FakeSessionResponse(
+            {'Content-Type': 'application/json'},
+            b"OK",
+            200)
+        fake_session = mock.Mock(spec=utils.FakeSession)
+        fake_session.request.side_effect = iter((fake_resp, ok_resp))
+
+        client = _session_client(session=fake_session)
+        client.json_request('GET', '/v1/resources')
+        self.assertEqual(2, fake_session.request.call_count)
+
     def test_session_retry_fail(self):
         error_body = _get_error_body()