diff --git a/hadoop-yarn-project/CHANGES.txt b/hadoop-yarn-project/CHANGES.txt
index 84265c686ce..dfb776ebf6a 100644
--- a/hadoop-yarn-project/CHANGES.txt
+++ b/hadoop-yarn-project/CHANGES.txt
@@ -93,6 +93,9 @@ Release 2.0.5-beta - UNRELEASED
     YARN-586. Fixed a typo in ApplicationSubmissionContext#setApplicationId.
     (Zhijie Shen via vinodkv)
 
+    YARN-542. Changed the default global AM max-attempts value to be not one.
+    (Zhijie Shen via vinodkv)
+
   OPTIMIZATIONS
 
   BUG FIXES
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 786598b9c36..1ff85eddc95 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
@@ -186,7 +186,7 @@ public class YarnConfiguration extends Configuration {
    */
   public static final String RM_AM_MAX_ATTEMPTS =
     RM_PREFIX + "am.max-attempts";
-  public static final int DEFAULT_RM_AM_MAX_ATTEMPTS = 1;
+  public static final int DEFAULT_RM_AM_MAX_ATTEMPTS = 2;
   
   /** The keytab for the resource manager.*/
   public static final String RM_KEYTAB = 
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 f873ff9d052..15775bed557 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
@@ -145,9 +145,10 @@
     setting for all application masters. Each application master can specify
     its individual maximum number of application attempts via the API, but the
     individual number cannot be more than the global upper bound. If it is,
-    the resourcemanager will override it.</description>
+    the resourcemanager will override it. The default number is set to 2, to
+    allow at least one retry for AM.</description>
     <name>yarn.resourcemanager.am.max-attempts</name>
-    <value>1</value>
+    <value>2</value>
   </property>
 
   <property>
diff --git a/hadoop-yarn-project/hadoop-yarn/hadoop-yarn-server/hadoop-yarn-server-resourcemanager/src/test/java/org/apache/hadoop/yarn/server/resourcemanager/TestRMRestart.java b/hadoop-yarn-project/hadoop-yarn/hadoop-yarn-server/hadoop-yarn-server-resourcemanager/src/test/java/org/apache/hadoop/yarn/server/resourcemanager/TestRMRestart.java
index 78adf79eba0..6e75297be7c 100644
--- a/hadoop-yarn-project/hadoop-yarn/hadoop-yarn-server/hadoop-yarn-server-resourcemanager/src/test/java/org/apache/hadoop/yarn/server/resourcemanager/TestRMRestart.java
+++ b/hadoop-yarn-project/hadoop-yarn/hadoop-yarn-server/hadoop-yarn-server-resourcemanager/src/test/java/org/apache/hadoop/yarn/server/resourcemanager/TestRMRestart.java
@@ -64,7 +64,9 @@ public class TestRMRestart {
     "org.apache.hadoop.yarn.server.resourcemanager.recovery.MemoryRMStateStore");
     conf.set(YarnConfiguration.RM_SCHEDULER, 
     "org.apache.hadoop.yarn.server.resourcemanager.scheduler.fair.FairScheduler");
-    conf.setInt(YarnConfiguration.RM_AM_MAX_ATTEMPTS, 5);
+    Assert.assertTrue(YarnConfiguration.DEFAULT_RM_AM_MAX_ATTEMPTS > 1);
+    conf.setInt(YarnConfiguration.RM_AM_MAX_ATTEMPTS,
+        YarnConfiguration.DEFAULT_RM_AM_MAX_ATTEMPTS);
 
     MemoryRMStateStore memStore = new MemoryRMStateStore();
     memStore.init(conf);
@@ -321,7 +323,9 @@ public class TestRMRestart {
     conf.set(YarnConfiguration.RECOVERY_ENABLED, "true");
     conf.set(YarnConfiguration.RM_STORE, 
     "org.apache.hadoop.yarn.server.resourcemanager.recovery.MemoryRMStateStore");
-    conf.setInt(YarnConfiguration.RM_AM_MAX_ATTEMPTS, 2);
+    Assert.assertTrue(YarnConfiguration.DEFAULT_RM_AM_MAX_ATTEMPTS > 1);
+    conf.setInt(YarnConfiguration.RM_AM_MAX_ATTEMPTS,
+        YarnConfiguration.DEFAULT_RM_AM_MAX_ATTEMPTS);
 
     MemoryRMStateStore memStore = new MemoryRMStateStore();
     memStore.init(conf);
diff --git a/hadoop-yarn-project/hadoop-yarn/hadoop-yarn-server/hadoop-yarn-server-resourcemanager/src/test/java/org/apache/hadoop/yarn/server/resourcemanager/rmapp/TestRMAppTransitions.java b/hadoop-yarn-project/hadoop-yarn/hadoop-yarn-server/hadoop-yarn-server-resourcemanager/src/test/java/org/apache/hadoop/yarn/server/resourcemanager/rmapp/TestRMAppTransitions.java
index 65d5b323263..60ea8fc5672 100644
--- a/hadoop-yarn-project/hadoop-yarn/hadoop-yarn-server/hadoop-yarn-server-resourcemanager/src/test/java/org/apache/hadoop/yarn/server/resourcemanager/rmapp/TestRMAppTransitions.java
+++ b/hadoop-yarn-project/hadoop-yarn/hadoop-yarn-server/hadoop-yarn-server-resourcemanager/src/test/java/org/apache/hadoop/yarn/server/resourcemanager/rmapp/TestRMAppTransitions.java
@@ -62,7 +62,8 @@ public class TestRMAppTransitions {
   static final Log LOG = LogFactory.getLog(TestRMAppTransitions.class);
 
   private RMContext rmContext;
-  private static int maxAppAttempts = 4;
+  private static int maxAppAttempts =
+      YarnConfiguration.DEFAULT_RM_AM_MAX_ATTEMPTS;
   private static int appId = 1;
   private DrainDispatcher rmDispatcher;
 
@@ -499,6 +500,7 @@ public class TestRMAppTransitions {
 
     RMApp application = testCreateAppAccepted(null);
     // ACCEPTED => ACCEPTED event RMAppEventType.RMAppEventType.ATTEMPT_FAILED
+    Assert.assertTrue(maxAppAttempts > 1);
     for (int i=1; i < maxAppAttempts; i++) {
       RMAppEvent event = 
           new RMAppFailedAttemptEvent(application.getApplicationId(), 
@@ -562,6 +564,7 @@ public class TestRMAppTransitions {
     Assert.assertEquals(expectedAttemptId, 
         appAttempt.getAppAttemptId().getAttemptId());
     // RUNNING => FAILED/RESTARTING event RMAppEventType.ATTEMPT_FAILED
+    Assert.assertTrue(maxAppAttempts > 1);
     for (int i=1; i<maxAppAttempts; i++) {
       RMAppEvent event = 
           new RMAppFailedAttemptEvent(application.getApplicationId(), 
diff --git a/hadoop-yarn-project/hadoop-yarn/hadoop-yarn-server/hadoop-yarn-server-resourcemanager/src/test/java/org/apache/hadoop/yarn/server/resourcemanager/webapp/TestRMWebServicesApps.java b/hadoop-yarn-project/hadoop-yarn/hadoop-yarn-server/hadoop-yarn-server-resourcemanager/src/test/java/org/apache/hadoop/yarn/server/resourcemanager/webapp/TestRMWebServicesApps.java
index 1d405bef529..a75a4373b06 100644
--- a/hadoop-yarn-project/hadoop-yarn/hadoop-yarn-server/hadoop-yarn-server-resourcemanager/src/test/java/org/apache/hadoop/yarn/server/resourcemanager/webapp/TestRMWebServicesApps.java
+++ b/hadoop-yarn-project/hadoop-yarn/hadoop-yarn-server/hadoop-yarn-server-resourcemanager/src/test/java/org/apache/hadoop/yarn/server/resourcemanager/webapp/TestRMWebServicesApps.java
@@ -83,7 +83,8 @@ public class TestRMWebServicesApps extends JerseyTest {
       bind(RMWebServices.class);
       bind(GenericExceptionHandler.class);
       Configuration conf = new Configuration();
-      conf.setInt(YarnConfiguration.RM_AM_MAX_ATTEMPTS, 2);
+      conf.setInt(YarnConfiguration.RM_AM_MAX_ATTEMPTS,
+          YarnConfiguration.DEFAULT_RM_AM_MAX_ATTEMPTS);
       conf.setClass(YarnConfiguration.RM_SCHEDULER, FifoScheduler.class,
           ResourceScheduler.class);
       rm = new MockRM(conf);
@@ -871,8 +872,10 @@ public class TestRMWebServicesApps extends JerseyTest {
     MockNM amNodeManager = rm.registerNode("amNM:1234", 2048);
     RMApp app1 = rm.submitApp(1024, "testwordcount", "user1");
     amNodeManager.nodeHeartbeat(true);
-    int maxAppAttempts = rm.getConfig().getInt(YarnConfiguration.RM_AM_MAX_ATTEMPTS,
+    int maxAppAttempts = rm.getConfig().getInt(
+        YarnConfiguration.RM_AM_MAX_ATTEMPTS,
         YarnConfiguration.DEFAULT_RM_AM_MAX_ATTEMPTS);
+    assertTrue(maxAppAttempts > 1);
     int retriesLeft = maxAppAttempts;
     while (--retriesLeft > 0) {
       RMAppEvent event =