diff --git a/core/src/main/java/hudson/lifecycle/ExitLifecycle.java b/core/src/main/java/hudson/lifecycle/ExitLifecycle.java
index f8fcc3abef..038dafc442 100644
--- a/core/src/main/java/hudson/lifecycle/ExitLifecycle.java
+++ b/core/src/main/java/hudson/lifecycle/ExitLifecycle.java
@@ -26,6 +26,7 @@ package hudson.lifecycle;
 
 import edu.umd.cs.findbugs.annotations.SuppressFBWarnings;
 import hudson.Extension;
+import hudson.util.BootFailure;
 import java.util.logging.Level;
 import java.util.logging.Logger;
 import jenkins.model.Jenkins;
@@ -72,4 +73,9 @@ public class ExitLifecycle extends Lifecycle {
 
         System.exit(exitOnRestart);
     }
+
+    @Override
+    public void onBootFailure(BootFailure problem) {
+        restart();
+    }
 }
diff --git a/core/src/main/java/hudson/lifecycle/Lifecycle.java b/core/src/main/java/hudson/lifecycle/Lifecycle.java
index dbc53d2b50..fcd7769aef 100644
--- a/core/src/main/java/hudson/lifecycle/Lifecycle.java
+++ b/core/src/main/java/hudson/lifecycle/Lifecycle.java
@@ -32,6 +32,8 @@ import hudson.PluginManager;
 import hudson.Util;
 import hudson.init.InitMilestone;
 import hudson.init.Initializer;
+import hudson.util.BootFailure;
+import hudson.util.JenkinsReloadFailed;
 import java.io.File;
 import java.io.IOException;
 import java.io.UncheckedIOException;
@@ -324,6 +326,14 @@ public abstract class Lifecycle implements ExtensionPoint {
         return true;
     }
 
+    /**
+     * Called when Jenkins has failed to boot.
+     * @param problem a boot failure (could be {@link JenkinsReloadFailed})
+     * @since TODO
+     */
+    public void onBootFailure(BootFailure problem) {
+    }
+
     @Restricted(NoExternalUse.class)
     public static final class PlaceholderLifecycle extends ExitLifecycle {
 
diff --git a/core/src/main/java/hudson/util/BootFailure.java b/core/src/main/java/hudson/util/BootFailure.java
index a460ffea14..f23cf7fa66 100644
--- a/core/src/main/java/hudson/util/BootFailure.java
+++ b/core/src/main/java/hudson/util/BootFailure.java
@@ -15,6 +15,7 @@ import java.util.List;
 import java.util.logging.Level;
 import java.util.logging.Logger;
 import javax.servlet.ServletContext;
+import jenkins.model.Jenkins;
 import jenkins.util.groovy.GroovyHookScript;
 import org.kohsuke.stapler.WebApp;
 
@@ -51,6 +52,7 @@ public abstract class BootFailure extends ErrorObject {
                 .bind("servletContext", context)
                 .bind("attempts", loadAttempts(home))
                 .run();
+        Jenkins.get().getLifecycle().onBootFailure(this);
     }
 
     /**