diff --git a/core/src/main/java/org/elasticsearch/threadpool/ThreadPool.java b/core/src/main/java/org/elasticsearch/threadpool/ThreadPool.java
index cc09d09666d..a2fea47dc4b 100644
--- a/core/src/main/java/org/elasticsearch/threadpool/ThreadPool.java
+++ b/core/src/main/java/org/elasticsearch/threadpool/ThreadPool.java
@@ -50,6 +50,7 @@ import java.util.List;
 import java.util.Map;
 import java.util.concurrent.Executor;
 import java.util.concurrent.ExecutorService;
+import java.util.concurrent.RejectedExecutionException;
 import java.util.concurrent.RejectedExecutionHandler;
 import java.util.concurrent.ScheduledExecutorService;
 import java.util.concurrent.ScheduledFuture;
@@ -326,6 +327,7 @@ public class ThreadPool extends AbstractComponent implements Closeable {
      * @return a ScheduledFuture who's get will return when the task is has been added to its target thread pool and throw an exception if
      *         the task is canceled before it was added to its target thread pool. Once the task has been added to its target thread pool
      *         the ScheduledFuture will cannot interact with it.
+     * @throws java.util.concurrent.RejectedExecutionException {@inheritDoc}
      */
     public ScheduledFuture<?> schedule(TimeValue delay, String executor, Runnable command) {
         if (!Names.SAME.equals(executor)) {
@@ -792,7 +794,11 @@ public class ThreadPool extends AbstractComponent implements Closeable {
         public void onAfter() {
             // if this has not been cancelled reschedule it to run again
             if (run) {
-                threadPool.schedule(interval, executor, this);
+                try {
+                    threadPool.schedule(interval, executor, this);
+                } catch (final RejectedExecutionException e) {
+                    onRejection(e);
+                }
             }
         }
     }
diff --git a/core/src/test/java/org/elasticsearch/threadpool/ScheduleWithFixedDelayTests.java b/core/src/test/java/org/elasticsearch/threadpool/ScheduleWithFixedDelayTests.java
index e5be5aa430d..dd1f4991f95 100644
--- a/core/src/test/java/org/elasticsearch/threadpool/ScheduleWithFixedDelayTests.java
+++ b/core/src/test/java/org/elasticsearch/threadpool/ScheduleWithFixedDelayTests.java
@@ -35,7 +35,6 @@ import org.junit.Before;
 import java.util.concurrent.CountDownLatch;
 import java.util.concurrent.ScheduledFuture;
 import java.util.concurrent.TimeUnit;
-import java.util.concurrent.TimeoutException;
 import java.util.concurrent.atomic.AtomicBoolean;
 import java.util.concurrent.atomic.AtomicInteger;
 import java.util.concurrent.atomic.AtomicReference;