diff --git a/neutron/agent/common/ovs_lib.py b/neutron/agent/common/ovs_lib.py
index c837b2f3e8b..d22b0897a3e 100644
--- a/neutron/agent/common/ovs_lib.py
+++ b/neutron/agent/common/ovs_lib.py
@@ -23,8 +23,8 @@ from neutron_lib import exceptions
 from oslo_config import cfg
 from oslo_log import log as logging
 from oslo_utils import excutils
-import retrying
 import six
+import tenacity
 
 from neutron._i18n import _, _LE, _LI, _LW
 from neutron.agent.common import utils
@@ -74,12 +74,12 @@ def _ofport_retry(fn):
     @six.wraps(fn)
     def wrapped(*args, **kwargs):
         self = args[0]
-        new_fn = retrying.retry(
-            retry_on_result=_ofport_result_pending,
-            stop_max_delay=self.vsctl_timeout * 1000,
-            wait_exponential_multiplier=10,
-            wait_exponential_max=1000,
-            retry_on_exception=lambda _: False)(fn)
+        new_fn = tenacity.retry(
+            reraise=True,
+            retry=tenacity.retry_if_result(_ofport_result_pending),
+            wait=tenacity.wait_exponential(multiplier=0.01, max=1),
+            stop=tenacity.stop_after_delay(
+                self.vsctl_timeout))(fn)
         return new_fn(*args, **kwargs)
     return wrapped
 
@@ -275,7 +275,7 @@ class OVSBridge(BaseOVS):
         ofport = INVALID_OFPORT
         try:
             ofport = self._get_port_ofport(port_name)
-        except retrying.RetryError:
+        except tenacity.RetryError:
             LOG.exception(_LE("Timed out retrieving ofport on port %s."),
                           port_name)
         return ofport
diff --git a/neutron/agent/ovsdb/native/connection.py b/neutron/agent/ovsdb/native/connection.py
index ebc7529b933..cd9494b5ba6 100644
--- a/neutron/agent/ovsdb/native/connection.py
+++ b/neutron/agent/ovsdb/native/connection.py
@@ -18,8 +18,8 @@ import traceback
 
 from ovs.db import idl
 from ovs import poller
-import retrying
 from six.moves import queue as Queue
+import tenacity
 
 from neutron.agent.ovsdb.native import helpers
 from neutron.agent.ovsdb.native import idlutils
@@ -96,8 +96,9 @@ class Connection(object):
             helpers.enable_connection_uri(self.connection)
 
             # There is a small window for a race, so retry up to a second
-            @retrying.retry(wait_exponential_multiplier=10,
-                            stop_max_delay=1000)
+            @tenacity.retry(wait=tenacity.wait_exponential(multiplier=0.01),
+                            stop=tenacity.stop_after_delay(1),
+                            reraise=True)
             def do_get_schema_helper():
                 return idlutils.get_schema_helper(self.connection,
                                                   self.schema_name)
diff --git a/neutron/tests/unit/agent/common/test_ovs_lib.py b/neutron/tests/unit/agent/common/test_ovs_lib.py
index 7edf86c2589..dff216c841d 100644
--- a/neutron/tests/unit/agent/common/test_ovs_lib.py
+++ b/neutron/tests/unit/agent/common/test_ovs_lib.py
@@ -18,6 +18,7 @@ import mock
 from neutron_lib import exceptions
 from oslo_serialization import jsonutils
 from oslo_utils import uuidutils
+import tenacity
 import testtools
 
 from neutron.agent.common import config
@@ -805,6 +806,20 @@ class OVS_Lib_Test(base.BaseTestCase):
             'tap99id', data, extra_calls_and_values=extra_calls_and_values)
         self._assert_vif_port(vif_port, ofport=1337, mac="de:ad:be:ef:13:37")
 
+    def test_get_port_ofport_retry(self):
+        with mock.patch.object(
+                self.br, 'db_get_val',
+                side_effect=[[], [], [], [], 1]):
+            self.assertEqual(1, self.br._get_port_ofport('1'))
+
+    def test_get_port_ofport_retry_fails(self):
+        # after 16 calls the retry will timeout and raise
+        with mock.patch.object(
+                self.br, 'db_get_val',
+                side_effect=[[] for _ in range(16)]):
+            self.assertRaises(tenacity.RetryError,
+                              self.br._get_port_ofport, '1')
+
 
 class TestDeferredOVSBridge(base.BaseTestCase):
 
diff --git a/neutron/tests/unit/agent/ovsdb/native/test_connection.py b/neutron/tests/unit/agent/ovsdb/native/test_connection.py
index f60ea070bab..0b0ea091a29 100644
--- a/neutron/tests/unit/agent/ovsdb/native/test_connection.py
+++ b/neutron/tests/unit/agent/ovsdb/native/test_connection.py
@@ -82,3 +82,23 @@ class TestOVSNativeConnection(base.BaseTestCase):
         idl_instance = idl_class.return_value
         self.connection.start()
         self.assertEqual(idl_instance, self.connection.idl)
+
+    @mock.patch.object(connection, 'threading')
+    @mock.patch.object(connection.idlutils, 'wait_for_change')
+    @mock.patch.object(connection, 'idl')
+    @mock.patch.object(connection.helpers, 'enable_connection_uri')
+    @mock.patch.object(connection.idlutils, 'get_schema_helper')
+    def test_do_get_schema_helper_retry(self, mock_get_schema_helper,
+                                        mock_enable_conn,
+                                        mock_idl,
+                                        mock_wait_for_change,
+                                        mock_threading):
+        mock_helper = mock.Mock()
+        # raise until 3rd retry attempt
+        mock_get_schema_helper.side_effect = [Exception(), Exception(),
+                                              mock_helper]
+        conn = connection.Connection(
+            mock.Mock(), mock.Mock(), mock.Mock())
+        conn.start()
+        self.assertEqual(3, len(mock_get_schema_helper.mock_calls))
+        mock_helper.register_all.assert_called_once_with()
diff --git a/requirements.txt b/requirements.txt
index f02c1642af6..62f88dd2f16 100644
--- a/requirements.txt
+++ b/requirements.txt
@@ -19,7 +19,7 @@ netaddr!=0.7.16,>=0.7.13 # BSD
 netifaces>=0.10.4 # MIT
 neutron-lib>=0.4.0 # Apache-2.0
 python-neutronclient>=5.1.0 # Apache-2.0
-retrying!=1.3.0,>=1.2.3 # Apache-2.0
+tenacity>=3.1.1  # Apache-2.0
 ryu!=4.1,!=4.2,!=4.2.1,!=4.4,>=3.30 # Apache-2.0
 SQLAlchemy<1.1.0,>=1.0.10 # MIT
 WebOb>=1.6.0 # MIT