diff --git a/tests/fakegithub.py b/tests/fakegithub.py
index 6b951ef514..df34c694b6 100644
--- a/tests/fakegithub.py
+++ b/tests/fakegithub.py
@@ -14,6 +14,7 @@
 # License for the specific language governing permissions and limitations
 # under the License.
 
+import github3.exceptions
 import re
 
 FAKE_BASE_URL = 'https://example.com/api/v3/'
@@ -82,6 +83,9 @@ class FakeRepository(object):
         self.data = data
         self.name = name
 
+        # fail the next commit requests with 404
+        self.fail_not_found = 0
+
     def branches(self, protected=False):
         if protected:
             # simulate there is no protected branch
@@ -121,6 +125,25 @@ class FakeRepository(object):
         commit.set_status(state, url, description, context, user)
 
     def commit(self, sha):
+
+        if self.fail_not_found > 0:
+            self.fail_not_found -= 1
+
+            class Response:
+                status_code = 0
+                message = ''
+
+                def json(self):
+                    return {
+                        'message': self.message
+                    }
+
+            resp = Response()
+            resp.status_code = 404
+            resp.message = 'Not Found'
+
+            raise github3.exceptions.NotFoundError(resp)
+
         commit = self._commits.get(sha, None)
         if commit is None:
             commit = FakeCommit(sha)
diff --git a/tests/unit/test_github_driver.py b/tests/unit/test_github_driver.py
index 14b9979ada..2b2f9bd3da 100644
--- a/tests/unit/test_github_driver.py
+++ b/tests/unit/test_github_driver.py
@@ -1000,6 +1000,37 @@ class TestGithubDriver(ZuulTestCase):
         self.assertEquals('https://github.com/org/project/pull/1',
                           job2_params['zuul']['items'][0]['change_url'])
 
+    @simple_layout('layouts/basic-github.yaml', driver='github')
+    def test_pull_commit_race(self):
+        """Test graceful handling of delayed availability of commits"""
+
+        github = self.fake_github.getGithubClient('org/project')
+        repo = github.repo_from_project('org/project')
+        repo.fail_not_found = 1
+
+        A = self.fake_github.openFakePullRequest('org/project', 'master', 'A')
+        self.fake_github.emitEvent(A.getPullRequestOpenedEvent())
+        self.waitUntilSettled()
+
+        self.assertEqual('SUCCESS',
+                         self.getJobFromHistory('project-test1').result)
+        self.assertEqual('SUCCESS',
+                         self.getJobFromHistory('project-test2').result)
+
+        job = self.getJobFromHistory('project-test2')
+        zuulvars = job.parameters['zuul']
+        self.assertEqual(str(A.number), zuulvars['change'])
+        self.assertEqual(str(A.head_sha), zuulvars['patchset'])
+        self.assertEqual('master', zuulvars['branch'])
+        self.assertEqual(1, len(A.comments))
+        self.assertThat(
+            A.comments[0],
+            MatchesRegex(r'.*\[project-test1 \]\(.*\).*', re.DOTALL))
+        self.assertThat(
+            A.comments[0],
+            MatchesRegex(r'.*\[project-test2 \]\(.*\).*', re.DOTALL))
+        self.assertEqual(2, len(self.history))
+
 
 class TestGithubUnprotectedBranches(ZuulTestCase):
     config_file = 'zuul-github-driver.conf'
diff --git a/zuul/driver/github/githubconnection.py b/zuul/driver/github/githubconnection.py
index 84419d3ba9..58c38183b0 100644
--- a/zuul/driver/github/githubconnection.py
+++ b/zuul/driver/github/githubconnection.py
@@ -1322,11 +1322,24 @@ class GithubConnection(BaseConnection):
         if not result:
             raise Exception('Pull request was not merged')
 
+    def _getCommit(self, repository, sha, retries=5):
+        try:
+            return repository.commit(sha)
+        except github3.exceptions.NotFoundError:
+            self.log.warning("Commit %s of project %s returned None",
+                             sha, repository.name)
+            if retries <= 0:
+                raise
+            time.sleep(1)
+            return self._getCommit(repository, sha, retries - 1)
+
     def getCommitStatuses(self, project, sha):
         github = self.getGithubClient(project)
         owner, proj = project.split('/')
         repository = github.repository(owner, proj)
-        commit = repository.commit(sha)
+
+        commit = self._getCommit(repository, sha, 5)
+
         # make a list out of the statuses so that we complete our
         # API transaction
         statuses = [status.as_dict() for status in commit.statuses()]