diff --git a/src/main/java/org/elasticsearch/cluster/metadata/MetaDataMappingService.java b/src/main/java/org/elasticsearch/cluster/metadata/MetaDataMappingService.java
index 9ca59f86968..d829b8a70ba 100644
--- a/src/main/java/org/elasticsearch/cluster/metadata/MetaDataMappingService.java
+++ b/src/main/java/org/elasticsearch/cluster/metadata/MetaDataMappingService.java
@@ -160,80 +160,87 @@ public class MetaDataMappingService extends AbstractComponent {
 
                     if (task instanceof RefreshTask) {
                         RefreshTask refreshTask = (RefreshTask) task;
-                        IndexService indexService = indicesService.indexService(index);
-                        if (indexService == null) {
-                            // we need to create the index here, and add the current mapping to it, so we can merge
-                            indexService = indicesService.createIndex(indexMetaData.index(), indexMetaData.settings(), currentState.nodes().localNode().id());
-                            removeIndex = true;
+                        try {
+                            IndexService indexService = indicesService.indexService(index);
+                            if (indexService == null) {
+                                // we need to create the index here, and add the current mapping to it, so we can merge
+                                indexService = indicesService.createIndex(indexMetaData.index(), indexMetaData.settings(), currentState.nodes().localNode().id());
+                                removeIndex = true;
+                                for (String type : refreshTask.types) {
+                                    // only add the current relevant mapping (if exists)
+                                    if (indexMetaData.mappings().containsKey(type)) {
+                                        // don't apply the default mapping, it has been applied when the mapping was created
+                                        indexService.mapperService().merge(type, indexMetaData.mappings().get(type).source(), false);
+                                    }
+                                }
+                            }
+                            IndexMetaData.Builder indexMetaDataBuilder = IndexMetaData.builder(indexMetaData);
+                            List<String> updatedTypes = Lists.newArrayList();
                             for (String type : refreshTask.types) {
+                                if (processedRefreshes.contains(type)) {
+                                    continue;
+                                }
+                                DocumentMapper mapper = indexService.mapperService().documentMapper(type);
+                                if (!mapper.mappingSource().equals(indexMetaData.mappings().get(type).source())) {
+                                    updatedTypes.add(type);
+                                    indexMetaDataBuilder.putMapping(new MappingMetaData(mapper));
+                                }
+                                processedRefreshes.add(type);
+                            }
+
+                            if (updatedTypes.isEmpty()) {
+                                continue;
+                            }
+
+                            logger.warn("[{}] re-syncing mappings with cluster state for types [{}]", index, updatedTypes);
+                            mdBuilder.put(indexMetaDataBuilder);
+                            dirty = true;
+                        } catch (Throwable t) {
+                            logger.warn("[{}] failed to refresh-mapping in cluster state, types [{}]", index, refreshTask.types);
+                        }
+                    } else if (task instanceof UpdateTask) {
+                        UpdateTask updateTask = (UpdateTask) task;
+                        try {
+                            String type = updateTask.type;
+                            CompressedString mappingSource = updateTask.mappingSource;
+
+                            if (indexMetaData.mappings().containsKey(type) && indexMetaData.mapping(type).source().equals(mappingSource)) {
+                                logger.debug("[{}] update_mapping [{}] ignoring mapping update task as its source is equal to ours", index, updateTask.type);
+                                continue;
+                            }
+
+                            IndexService indexService = indicesService.indexService(index);
+                            if (indexService == null) {
+                                // we need to create the index here, and add the current mapping to it, so we can merge
+                                indexService = indicesService.createIndex(indexMetaData.index(), indexMetaData.settings(), currentState.nodes().localNode().id());
+                                removeIndex = true;
                                 // only add the current relevant mapping (if exists)
                                 if (indexMetaData.mappings().containsKey(type)) {
-                                    // don't apply the default mapping, it has been applied when the mapping was created
                                     indexService.mapperService().merge(type, indexMetaData.mappings().get(type).source(), false);
                                 }
                             }
-                        }
-                        IndexMetaData.Builder indexMetaDataBuilder = IndexMetaData.builder(indexMetaData);
-                        List<String> updatedTypes = Lists.newArrayList();
-                        for (String type : refreshTask.types) {
-                            if (processedRefreshes.contains(type)) {
+
+                            DocumentMapper updatedMapper = indexService.mapperService().merge(type, mappingSource, false);
+                            processedRefreshes.add(type);
+
+                            // if we end up with the same mapping as the original once, ignore
+                            if (indexMetaData.mappings().containsKey(type) && indexMetaData.mapping(type).source().equals(updatedMapper.mappingSource())) {
+                                logger.debug("[{}] update_mapping [{}] ignoring mapping update task as it results in the same source as what we have", index, updateTask.type);
                                 continue;
                             }
-                            DocumentMapper mapper = indexService.mapperService().documentMapper(type);
-                            if (!mapper.mappingSource().equals(indexMetaData.mappings().get(type).source())) {
-                                updatedTypes.add(type);
-                                indexMetaDataBuilder.putMapping(new MappingMetaData(mapper));
+
+                            // build the updated mapping source
+                            if (logger.isDebugEnabled()) {
+                                logger.debug("[{}] update_mapping [{}] (dynamic) with source [{}]", index, type, updatedMapper.mappingSource());
+                            } else if (logger.isInfoEnabled()) {
+                                logger.info("[{}] update_mapping [{}] (dynamic)", index, type);
                             }
-                            processedRefreshes.add(type);
+
+                            mdBuilder.put(IndexMetaData.builder(indexMetaData).putMapping(new MappingMetaData(updatedMapper)));
+                            dirty = true;
+                        } catch (Throwable t) {
+                            logger.warn("[{}] failed to update-mapping in cluster state, type [{}]", index, updateTask.type);
                         }
-
-                        if (updatedTypes.isEmpty()) {
-                            continue;
-                        }
-
-                        logger.warn("[{}] re-syncing mappings with cluster state for types [{}]", index, updatedTypes);
-                        mdBuilder.put(indexMetaDataBuilder);
-                        dirty = true;
-
-                    } else if (task instanceof UpdateTask) {
-                        UpdateTask updateTask = (UpdateTask) task;
-                        String type = updateTask.type;
-                        CompressedString mappingSource = updateTask.mappingSource;
-
-                        if (indexMetaData.mappings().containsKey(type) && indexMetaData.mapping(type).source().equals(mappingSource)) {
-                            logger.debug("[{}] update_mapping [{}] ignoring mapping update task as its source is equal to ours", index, updateTask.type);
-                            continue;
-                        }
-
-                        IndexService indexService = indicesService.indexService(index);
-                        if (indexService == null) {
-                            // we need to create the index here, and add the current mapping to it, so we can merge
-                            indexService = indicesService.createIndex(indexMetaData.index(), indexMetaData.settings(), currentState.nodes().localNode().id());
-                            removeIndex = true;
-                            // only add the current relevant mapping (if exists)
-                            if (indexMetaData.mappings().containsKey(type)) {
-                                indexService.mapperService().merge(type, indexMetaData.mappings().get(type).source(), false);
-                            }
-                        }
-
-                        DocumentMapper updatedMapper = indexService.mapperService().merge(type, mappingSource, false);
-                        processedRefreshes.add(type);
-
-                        // if we end up with the same mapping as the original once, ignore
-                        if (indexMetaData.mappings().containsKey(type) && indexMetaData.mapping(type).source().equals(updatedMapper.mappingSource())) {
-                            logger.debug("[{}] update_mapping [{}] ignoring mapping update task as it results in the same source as what we have", index, updateTask.type);
-                            continue;
-                        }
-
-                        // build the updated mapping source
-                        if (logger.isDebugEnabled()) {
-                            logger.debug("[{}] update_mapping [{}] (dynamic) with source [{}]", index, type, updatedMapper.mappingSource());
-                        } else if (logger.isInfoEnabled()) {
-                            logger.info("[{}] update_mapping [{}] (dynamic)", index, type);
-                        }
-
-                        mdBuilder.put(IndexMetaData.builder(indexMetaData).putMapping(new MappingMetaData(updatedMapper)));
-                        dirty = true;
                     } else {
                         logger.warn("illegal state, got wrong mapping task type [{}]", task);
                     }