diff --git a/hadoop-yarn-project/CHANGES.txt b/hadoop-yarn-project/CHANGES.txt
index 7ca9560a114..21ae6260bc6 100644
--- a/hadoop-yarn-project/CHANGES.txt
+++ b/hadoop-yarn-project/CHANGES.txt
@@ -49,6 +49,9 @@ Release 2.0.5-beta - UNRELEASED
     YARN-376. Fixes a bug which would prevent the NM knowing about completed
     containers and applications. (Jason Lowe via sseth)
 
+    YARN-196. Nodemanager should be more robust in handling connection failure
+    to ResourceManager when a cluster is started (Xuan Gong via hitesh)
+
 Release 2.0.4-alpha - UNRELEASED
 
   INCOMPATIBLE CHANGES
diff --git a/hadoop-yarn-project/hadoop-yarn/hadoop-yarn-common/src/main/java/org/apache/hadoop/yarn/conf/YarnConfiguration.java b/hadoop-yarn-project/hadoop-yarn/hadoop-yarn-common/src/main/java/org/apache/hadoop/yarn/conf/YarnConfiguration.java
index fcd22cbc8b7..6a900790a1e 100644
--- a/hadoop-yarn-project/hadoop-yarn/hadoop-yarn-common/src/main/java/org/apache/hadoop/yarn/conf/YarnConfiguration.java
+++ b/hadoop-yarn-project/hadoop-yarn/hadoop-yarn-common/src/main/java/org/apache/hadoop/yarn/conf/YarnConfiguration.java
@@ -621,6 +621,20 @@ public class YarnConfiguration extends Configuration {
   public static final long DEFAULT_NM_PROCESS_KILL_WAIT_MS =
       2000;
 
+  /** Max time to wait to establish a connection to RM when NM starts
+   */
+  public static final String RESOURCEMANAGER_CONNECT_WAIT_SECS =
+      NM_PREFIX + "resourcemanager.connect.wait.secs";
+  public static final int DEFAULT_RESOURCEMANAGER_CONNECT_WAIT_SECS =
+      15*60;
+
+  /** Time interval between each NM attempt to connect to RM
+   */
+  public static final String RESOURCEMANAGER_CONNECT_RETRY_INTERVAL_SECS =
+      NM_PREFIX + "resourcemanager.connect.retry_interval.secs";
+  public static final long DEFAULT_RESOURCEMANAGER_CONNECT_RETRY_INTERVAL_SECS
+      = 30;
+
   /**
    * CLASSPATH for YARN applications. A comma-separated list of CLASSPATH
    * entries
diff --git a/hadoop-yarn-project/hadoop-yarn/hadoop-yarn-common/src/main/resources/yarn-default.xml b/hadoop-yarn-project/hadoop-yarn/hadoop-yarn-common/src/main/resources/yarn-default.xml
index 588bb1bccfc..08936a3507a 100644
--- a/hadoop-yarn-project/hadoop-yarn/hadoop-yarn-common/src/main/resources/yarn-default.xml
+++ b/hadoop-yarn-project/hadoop-yarn/hadoop-yarn-common/src/main/resources/yarn-default.xml
@@ -597,6 +597,20 @@
     <value>2000</value>
   </property>
 
+  <property>
+    <description>Max time, in seconds, to wait to establish a connection to RM when NM starts.
+    The NM will shutdown if it cannot connect to RM within the specified max time period.
+    If the value is set as -1, then NM will retry forever.</description>
+    <name>yarn.nodemanager.resourcemanager.connect.wait.secs</name>
+    <value>900</value>
+  </property>
+
+  <property>
+    <description>Time interval, in seconds, between each NM attempt to connect to RM.</description>
+    <name>yarn.nodemanager.resourcemanager.connect.retry_interval.secs</name>
+    <value>30</value>
+  </property>
+
   <!--Map Reduce configuration-->
   <property>
     <name>yarn.nodemanager.aux-services.mapreduce.shuffle.class</name>
diff --git a/hadoop-yarn-project/hadoop-yarn/hadoop-yarn-server/hadoop-yarn-server-nodemanager/src/main/java/org/apache/hadoop/yarn/server/nodemanager/NodeStatusUpdaterImpl.java b/hadoop-yarn-project/hadoop-yarn/hadoop-yarn-server/hadoop-yarn-server-nodemanager/src/main/java/org/apache/hadoop/yarn/server/nodemanager/NodeStatusUpdaterImpl.java
index 841e16997da..e3dae41603a 100644
--- a/hadoop-yarn-project/hadoop-yarn/hadoop-yarn-server/hadoop-yarn-server-nodemanager/src/main/java/org/apache/hadoop/yarn/server/nodemanager/NodeStatusUpdaterImpl.java
+++ b/hadoop-yarn-project/hadoop-yarn/hadoop-yarn-server/hadoop-yarn-server-nodemanager/src/main/java/org/apache/hadoop/yarn/server/nodemanager/NodeStatusUpdaterImpl.java
@@ -151,7 +151,6 @@ public class NodeStatusUpdaterImpl extends AbstractService implements
         YarnConfiguration.DEFAULT_NM_WEBAPP_ADDRESS,
         YarnConfiguration.DEFAULT_NM_WEBAPP_PORT);
     try {
-      //      this.hostName = InetAddress.getLocalHost().getCanonicalHostName();
       this.httpPort = httpBindAddress.getPort();
       // Registration has to be in start so that ContainerManager can get the
       // perNM tokens needed to authenticate ContainerTokens.
@@ -189,15 +188,84 @@ public class NodeStatusUpdaterImpl extends AbstractService implements
   }
 
   private void registerWithRM() throws YarnRemoteException {
-    this.resourceTracker = getRMClient();
-    LOG.info("Connecting to ResourceManager at " + this.rmAddress);
-    
-    RegisterNodeManagerRequest request = recordFactory.newRecordInstance(RegisterNodeManagerRequest.class);
+    Configuration conf = getConfig();
+    long rmConnectWaitMS =
+        conf.getInt(
+            YarnConfiguration.RESOURCEMANAGER_CONNECT_WAIT_SECS,
+            YarnConfiguration.DEFAULT_RESOURCEMANAGER_CONNECT_WAIT_SECS)
+        * 1000;
+    long rmConnectionRetryIntervalMS =
+        conf.getLong(
+            YarnConfiguration.RESOURCEMANAGER_CONNECT_RETRY_INTERVAL_SECS,
+            YarnConfiguration
+                .DEFAULT_RESOURCEMANAGER_CONNECT_RETRY_INTERVAL_SECS)
+        * 1000;
+
+    if(rmConnectionRetryIntervalMS < 0) {
+      throw new YarnException("Invalid Configuration. " +
+          YarnConfiguration.RESOURCEMANAGER_CONNECT_RETRY_INTERVAL_SECS +
+          " should not be negative.");
+    }
+
+    boolean waitForEver = (rmConnectWaitMS == -1000);
+
+    if(! waitForEver) {
+      if(rmConnectWaitMS < 0) {
+          throw new YarnException("Invalid Configuration. " +
+              YarnConfiguration.RESOURCEMANAGER_CONNECT_WAIT_SECS +
+              " can be -1, but can not be other negative numbers");
+      }
+
+      //try connect once
+      if(rmConnectWaitMS < rmConnectionRetryIntervalMS) {
+        LOG.warn(YarnConfiguration.RESOURCEMANAGER_CONNECT_WAIT_SECS
+            + " is smaller than "
+            + YarnConfiguration.RESOURCEMANAGER_CONNECT_RETRY_INTERVAL_SECS
+            + ". Only try connect once.");
+        rmConnectWaitMS = 0;
+      }
+    }
+
+    int rmRetryCount = 0;
+    long waitStartTime = System.currentTimeMillis();
+
+    RegisterNodeManagerRequest request =
+        recordFactory.newRecordInstance(RegisterNodeManagerRequest.class);
     request.setHttpPort(this.httpPort);
     request.setResource(this.totalResource);
     request.setNodeId(this.nodeId);
-    RegistrationResponse regResponse =
-        this.resourceTracker.registerNodeManager(request).getRegistrationResponse();
+    RegistrationResponse regResponse;
+
+    while(true) {
+      try {
+        rmRetryCount++;
+        LOG.info("Connecting to ResourceManager at " + this.rmAddress
+            + ". current no. of attempts is " + rmRetryCount);
+        this.resourceTracker = getRMClient();
+        regResponse =
+            this.resourceTracker.registerNodeManager(request)
+                .getRegistrationResponse();
+        break;
+      } catch(Throwable e) {
+        LOG.warn("Trying to connect to ResourceManager, " +
+            "current no. of failed attempts is "+rmRetryCount);
+        if(System.currentTimeMillis() - waitStartTime < rmConnectWaitMS
+            || waitForEver) {
+          try {
+            LOG.info("Sleeping for " + rmConnectionRetryIntervalMS/1000
+                + " seconds before next connection retry to RM");
+            Thread.sleep(rmConnectionRetryIntervalMS);
+          } catch(InterruptedException ex) {
+            //done nothing
+          }
+        } else {
+          String errorMessage = "Failed to Connect to RM, " +
+              "no. of failed attempts is "+rmRetryCount;
+          LOG.error(errorMessage,e);
+          throw new YarnException(errorMessage,e);
+        }
+      }
+    }
     // if the Resourcemanager instructs NM to shutdown.
     if (NodeAction.SHUTDOWN.equals(regResponse.getNodeAction())) {
       throw new YarnException(
diff --git a/hadoop-yarn-project/hadoop-yarn/hadoop-yarn-server/hadoop-yarn-server-nodemanager/src/test/java/org/apache/hadoop/yarn/server/nodemanager/TestNodeStatusUpdater.java b/hadoop-yarn-project/hadoop-yarn/hadoop-yarn-server/hadoop-yarn-server-nodemanager/src/test/java/org/apache/hadoop/yarn/server/nodemanager/TestNodeStatusUpdater.java
index d65b096bbe8..ff9e0824efc 100644
--- a/hadoop-yarn-project/hadoop-yarn/hadoop-yarn-server/hadoop-yarn-server-nodemanager/src/test/java/org/apache/hadoop/yarn/server/nodemanager/TestNodeStatusUpdater.java
+++ b/hadoop-yarn-project/hadoop-yarn/hadoop-yarn-server/hadoop-yarn-server-nodemanager/src/test/java/org/apache/hadoop/yarn/server/nodemanager/TestNodeStatusUpdater.java
@@ -267,6 +267,36 @@ public class TestNodeStatusUpdater {
     }
   }
 
+  private class MyNodeStatusUpdater4 extends NodeStatusUpdaterImpl {
+    public ResourceTracker resourceTracker =
+        new MyResourceTracker(this.context);
+    private Context context;
+    private final long waitStartTime;
+    private final long rmStartIntervalMS;
+    private final boolean rmNeverStart;
+
+    public MyNodeStatusUpdater4(Context context, Dispatcher dispatcher,
+        NodeHealthCheckerService healthChecker, NodeManagerMetrics metrics,
+        long rmStartIntervalMS, boolean rmNeverStart) {
+      super(context, dispatcher, healthChecker, metrics);
+      this.context = context;
+      this.waitStartTime = System.currentTimeMillis();
+      this.rmStartIntervalMS = rmStartIntervalMS;
+      this.rmNeverStart = rmNeverStart;
+    }
+
+    @Override
+    protected ResourceTracker getRMClient() {
+      if(System.currentTimeMillis() - waitStartTime <= rmStartIntervalMS
+          || rmNeverStart) {
+        throw new YarnException("Faking RM start failure as start " +
+            "delay timer has not expired.");
+      } else {
+        return resourceTracker;
+      }
+    }
+  }
+
   private class MyNodeManager extends NodeManager {
     
     private MyNodeStatusUpdater3 nodeStatusUpdater;
@@ -580,6 +610,73 @@ public class TestNodeStatusUpdater {
         + "Recieved SHUTDOWN signal from Resourcemanager ,Registration of NodeManager failed");
   }
 
+  @Test (timeout = 15000)
+  public void testNMConnectionToRM() {
+    final long delta = 1500;
+    final long connectionWaitSecs = 5;
+    final long connectionRetryIntervalSecs = 1;
+    //Waiting for rmStartIntervalMS, RM will be started
+    final long rmStartIntervalMS = 2*1000;
+    YarnConfiguration conf = createNMConfig();
+    conf.setLong(YarnConfiguration.RESOURCEMANAGER_CONNECT_WAIT_SECS,
+        connectionWaitSecs);
+    conf.setLong(YarnConfiguration
+        .RESOURCEMANAGER_CONNECT_RETRY_INTERVAL_SECS,
+        connectionRetryIntervalSecs);
+
+    //Test NM try to connect to RM Several times, but finally fail
+    nm = new NodeManager() {
+      @Override
+      protected NodeStatusUpdater createNodeStatusUpdater(Context context,
+          Dispatcher dispatcher, NodeHealthCheckerService healthChecker) {
+        NodeStatusUpdater nodeStatusUpdater = new MyNodeStatusUpdater4(
+            context, dispatcher, healthChecker, metrics,
+            rmStartIntervalMS, true);
+        return nodeStatusUpdater;
+      }
+    };
+    nm.init(conf);
+    long waitStartTime = System.currentTimeMillis();
+    try {
+      nm.start();
+      Assert.fail("NM should have failed to start due to RM connect failure");
+    } catch(Exception e) {
+      Assert.assertTrue("NM should have tried re-connecting to RM during " +
+          "period of at least " + connectionWaitSecs + " seconds, but " +
+          "stopped retrying within " + (connectionWaitSecs + delta/1000) +
+          " seconds", (System.currentTimeMillis() - waitStartTime
+              >= connectionWaitSecs*1000) && (System.currentTimeMillis()
+              - waitStartTime < (connectionWaitSecs*1000+delta)));
+    }
+
+    //Test NM connect to RM, fail at first several attempts,
+    //but finally success.
+    nm = new NodeManager() {
+      @Override
+      protected NodeStatusUpdater createNodeStatusUpdater(Context context,
+          Dispatcher dispatcher, NodeHealthCheckerService healthChecker) {
+        NodeStatusUpdater nodeStatusUpdater = new MyNodeStatusUpdater4(
+            context, dispatcher, healthChecker, metrics, rmStartIntervalMS,
+            false);
+        return nodeStatusUpdater;
+      }
+    };
+
+    nm.init(conf);
+    waitStartTime = System.currentTimeMillis();
+    try {
+      nm.start();
+    } catch (Exception ex){
+      Assert.fail("NM should have started successfully " +
+          "after connecting to RM.");
+    }
+    Assert.assertTrue("NM should have connected to RM within " + delta/1000
+        +" seconds of RM starting up.",
+        (System.currentTimeMillis() - waitStartTime >= rmStartIntervalMS)
+        && (System.currentTimeMillis() - waitStartTime
+        < (rmStartIntervalMS+delta)));
+  }
+
   /**
    * Verifies that if for some reason NM fails to start ContainerManager RPC
    * server, RM is oblivious to NM's presence. The behaviour is like this