diff --git a/lib/rpc_backend b/lib/rpc_backend
index 297ebacc08..33ab03d664 100644
--- a/lib/rpc_backend
+++ b/lib/rpc_backend
@@ -194,13 +194,22 @@ function restart_rpc_backend {
         # NOTE(bnemec): Retry initial rabbitmq configuration to deal with
         # the fact that sometimes it fails to start properly.
         # Reference: https://bugzilla.redhat.com/show_bug.cgi?id=1144100
+        # NOTE(tonyb): Extend the orginal retry logic to only restart rabbitmq
+        # every second time around the loop.
+        # See: https://bugs.launchpad.net/devstack/+bug/1449056 for details on
+        # why this is needed.  This can bee seen on vivid and Debian unstable
+        # (May 2015)
+        # TODO(tonyb): Remove this when Debian and Ubuntu have a fixed systemd
+        # service file.
         local i
-        for i in `seq 10`; do
+        for i in `seq 20`; do
             local rc=0
 
-            [[ $i -eq "10" ]] && die $LINENO "Failed to set rabbitmq password"
+            [[ $i -eq "20" ]] && die $LINENO "Failed to set rabbitmq password"
 
-            restart_service rabbitmq-server
+            if [[ $(( i % 2 )) == "0" ]] ; then
+                restart_service rabbitmq-server
+            fi
 
             rabbit_setuser "$RABBIT_USERID" "$RABBIT_PASSWORD" || rc=$?
             if [ $rc -ne 0 ]; then