diff --git a/src/main/java/org/elasticsearch/action/admin/cluster/health/TransportClusterHealthAction.java b/src/main/java/org/elasticsearch/action/admin/cluster/health/TransportClusterHealthAction.java
index c4cb95c501b..1f42557953f 100644
--- a/src/main/java/org/elasticsearch/action/admin/cluster/health/TransportClusterHealthAction.java
+++ b/src/main/java/org/elasticsearch/action/admin/cluster/health/TransportClusterHealthAction.java
@@ -84,6 +84,12 @@ public class TransportClusterHealthAction extends TransportMasterNodeReadAction<
                     executeHealth(request, listener);
                 }
 
+                @Override
+                public void onNoLongerMaster(String source) {
+                    logger.trace("stopped being master while waiting for events with priority [{}]. retrying.", request.waitForEvents());
+                    doExecute(request, listener);
+                }
+
                 @Override
                 public void onFailure(String source, Throwable t) {
                     logger.error("unexpected failure during [{}]", t, source);