diff --git a/hbase-server/src/main/java/org/apache/hadoop/hbase/regionserver/handler/OpenRegionHandler.java b/hbase-server/src/main/java/org/apache/hadoop/hbase/regionserver/handler/OpenRegionHandler.java
index ef30f087797..bb3364575bf 100644
--- a/hbase-server/src/main/java/org/apache/hadoop/hbase/regionserver/handler/OpenRegionHandler.java
+++ b/hbase-server/src/main/java/org/apache/hadoop/hbase/regionserver/handler/OpenRegionHandler.java
@@ -319,13 +319,16 @@ public class OpenRegionHandler extends EventHandler {
     public void run() {
       try {
         this.services.postOpenDeployTasks(this.region);
-      } catch (IOException e) {
-        server.abort("Exception running postOpenDeployTasks; region=" +
-            this.region.getRegionInfo().getEncodedName(), e);
       } catch (Throwable e) {
-        LOG.warn("Exception running postOpenDeployTasks; region=" +
-          this.region.getRegionInfo().getEncodedName(), e);
+        String msg = "Exception running postOpenDeployTasks; region=" +
+          this.region.getRegionInfo().getEncodedName();
         this.exception = e;
+        if (e instanceof IOException
+            && isRegionStillOpening(region.getRegionInfo(), services)) {
+          server.abort(msg, e);
+        } else {
+          LOG.warn(msg, e);
+        }
       }
       // We're done.  Set flag then wake up anyone waiting on thread to complete.
       this.signaller.set(true);
@@ -394,9 +397,14 @@ public class OpenRegionHandler extends EventHandler {
     }
   }
 
-  private boolean isRegionStillOpening() {
+  private static boolean isRegionStillOpening(
+      HRegionInfo regionInfo, RegionServerServices rsServices) {
     byte[] encodedName = regionInfo.getEncodedNameAsBytes();
     Boolean action = rsServices.getRegionsInTransitionInRS().get(encodedName);
     return Boolean.TRUE.equals(action); // true means opening for RIT
   }
+
+  private boolean isRegionStillOpening() {
+    return isRegionStillOpening(regionInfo, rsServices);
+  }
 }