diff --git a/.azure-pipelines/build-template.yml b/.azure-pipelines/build-template.yml
index 33bd75cfd15..c859e4b6393 100644
--- a/.azure-pipelines/build-template.yml
+++ b/.azure-pipelines/build-template.yml
@@ -104,11 +104,12 @@ jobs:
     clean: true
     submodules: true
   - script: |
+      set -xe
       sudo apt-get update
       sudo apt-get install -y \
         libhiredis-dev \
         libzmq3-dev \
-        swig4.0 \
+        swig \
         libdbus-1-dev \
         libteam-dev
       sudo pip3 install lcov_cobertura
diff --git a/teamsyncd/Makefile.am b/teamsyncd/Makefile.am
index c72498d9e30..594ea1ba944 100644
--- a/teamsyncd/Makefile.am
+++ b/teamsyncd/Makefile.am
@@ -12,7 +12,7 @@ teamsyncd_SOURCES = teamsyncd.cpp teamsync.cpp
 
 teamsyncd_CFLAGS = $(DBGFLAGS) $(AM_CFLAGS) $(CFLAGS_COMMON) $(CFLAGS_ASAN)
 teamsyncd_CPPFLAGS = $(DBGFLAGS) $(AM_CFLAGS) $(CFLAGS_COMMON) $(CFLAGS_ASAN)
-teamsyncd_LDADD = $(LDFLAGS_ASAN) -lnl-3 -lnl-route-3 -lhiredis -lswsscommon -lteam
+teamsyncd_LDADD = $(LDFLAGS_ASAN) -lnl-3 -lnl-route-3 -lhiredis -lswsscommon -lteam -lteamdctl
 
 if GCOV_ENABLED
 teamsyncd_SOURCES += ../gcovpreload/gcovpreload.cpp
diff --git a/teamsyncd/teamsync.cpp b/teamsyncd/teamsync.cpp
index e8dcb1fc55a..93c48547ef7 100644
--- a/teamsyncd/teamsync.cpp
+++ b/teamsyncd/teamsync.cpp
@@ -12,6 +12,8 @@
 #include "warm_restart.h"
 #include "teamsync.h"
 
+#include <team.h>
+#include <teamdctl.h>
 #include <unistd.h>
 
 using namespace std;
@@ -279,19 +281,51 @@ TeamSync::TeamPortSync::TeamPortSync(const string &lagName, int ifindex,
                                    "Unable to register port change event");
             }
 
+            struct teamdctl *m_teamdctl = teamdctl_alloc();
+            if (!m_teamdctl)
+            {
+                team_free(m_team);
+                m_team = NULL;
+                throw system_error(make_error_code(errc::address_not_available),
+                                   "Unable to allocate teamdctl socket");
+            }
+
+            err = teamdctl_connect(m_teamdctl, lagName.c_str(), nullptr, "usock");
+            if (err)
+            {
+                team_free(m_team);
+                m_team = NULL;
+                teamdctl_free(m_teamdctl);
+                throw system_error(make_error_code(errc::connection_refused),
+                                   "Unable to connect to teamd");
+            }
+
+            char *response;
+            err = teamdctl_config_get_raw_direct(m_teamdctl, &response);
+            if (err)
+            {
+                team_free(m_team);
+                m_team = NULL;
+                teamdctl_disconnect(m_teamdctl);
+                teamdctl_free(m_teamdctl);
+                throw system_error(make_error_code(errc::io_error),
+                                   "Unable to get config from teamd (to prove that it is running and alive)");
+            }
+
+            teamdctl_disconnect(m_teamdctl);
+            teamdctl_free(m_teamdctl);
+
             break;
         }
         catch (const system_error& e)
         {
+            SWSS_LOG_WARN("Failed to initialize team handler. LAG=%s error=%d:%s, attempt=%d",
+                          lagName.c_str(), e.code().value(), e.what(), count);
+
             if (++count == max_retries)
             {
                 throw;
             }
-            else
-            {
-                SWSS_LOG_WARN("Failed to initialize team handler. LAG=%s error=%d:%s, attempt=%d",
-                              lagName.c_str(), e.code().value(), e.what(), count);
-            }
 
             sleep(1);
         }
diff --git a/tests/mock_tests/Makefile.am b/tests/mock_tests/Makefile.am
index b5b5c353c29..18de34cd97f 100644
--- a/tests/mock_tests/Makefile.am
+++ b/tests/mock_tests/Makefile.am
@@ -9,9 +9,9 @@ CXXFLAGS = -g -O0
 
 CFLAGS_SAI = -I /usr/include/sai
 
-TESTS = tests tests_intfmgrd tests_teammgrd tests_portsyncd tests_fpmsyncd tests_response_publisher
+TESTS = tests tests_intfmgrd tests_teammgrd tests_portsyncd tests_fpmsyncd tests_response_publisher tests_teamsyncd
 
-noinst_PROGRAMS = tests tests_intfmgrd tests_teammgrd tests_portsyncd tests_fpmsyncd tests_response_publisher
+noinst_PROGRAMS = tests tests_intfmgrd tests_teammgrd tests_portsyncd tests_fpmsyncd tests_response_publisher tests_teamsyncd
 
 LDADD_SAI = -lsaimeta -lsaimetadata -lsaivs -lsairedis
 
@@ -312,3 +312,12 @@ tests_response_publisher_CFLAGS = $(DBGFLAGS) $(AM_CFLAGS) $(CFLAGS_COMMON) $(CF
 tests_response_publisher_CPPFLAGS = $(DBGFLAGS) $(AM_CFLAGS) $(CFLAGS_COMMON) $(CFLAGS_GTEST) $(CFLAGS_SAI) $(tests_response_publisher_INCLUDES)
 tests_response_publisher_LDADD = $(LDADD_GTEST) $(LDADD_SAI) -lnl-genl-3 -lhiredis -lhiredis \
         -lswsscommon -lswsscommon -lgtest -lgtest_main -lzmq -lnl-3 -lnl-route-3 -lpthread
+
+tests_teamsyncd_SOURCES = teamsync_ut.cpp \
+                          $(top_srcdir)/teamsyncd/teamsync.cpp
+
+tests_teamsyncd_INCLUDES = $(tests_INCLUDES) -I$(top_srcdir)/teamsyncd
+tests_teamsyncd_CFLAGS = $(DBGFLAGS) $(AM_CFLAGS) $(CFLAGS_COMMON) $(CFLAGS_GTEST) $(CFLAGS_SAI)
+tests_teamsyncd_CPPFLAGS = $(DBGFLAGS) $(AM_CFLAGS) $(CFLAGS_COMMON) $(CFLAGS_GTEST) $(CFLAGS_SAI) $(tests_teamsyncd_INCLUDES)
+tests_teamsyncd_LDADD = $(LDADD_GTEST) $(LDADD_SAI) -lnl-genl-3 \
+        -lswsscommon -lgtest -lgtest_main -lpthread -lteam -lteamdctl
diff --git a/tests/mock_tests/teamsync_ut.cpp b/tests/mock_tests/teamsync_ut.cpp
new file mode 100644
index 00000000000..471f89f5e86
--- /dev/null
+++ b/tests/mock_tests/teamsync_ut.cpp
@@ -0,0 +1,185 @@
+#include "gmock/gmock.h"
+#include "gtest/gtest.h"
+#include <dlfcn.h>
+#include <stdexcept>
+#include <team.h>
+#include <teamdctl.h>
+#include "teamsync.h"
+
+static unsigned int (*callback_sleep)(unsigned int seconds) = NULL;
+static int (*callback_team_init)(struct team_handle *th, uint32_t ifindex) = NULL;
+static int (*callback_team_change_handler)(struct team_handle *th, struct team_change_handler *handler, void *priv) = NULL;
+static int (*callback_teamdctl_connect)(struct teamdctl *tdc, const char *team_name, const char *addr, const char *cli_type) = NULL;
+static int (*callback_teamdctl_config_get_raw_direct)(struct teamdctl *tdc, char **response) = NULL;
+static void (*callback_teamdctl_disconnect)(struct teamdctl *tdc) = NULL;
+
+static unsigned int cb_sleep(unsigned int seconds)
+{
+    return 0;
+}
+
+unsigned int sleep(unsigned int seconds)
+{
+    if (callback_sleep)
+    {
+        return callback_sleep(seconds);
+    }
+    unsigned int (*realfunc)(unsigned int) =
+        (unsigned int    (*)(unsigned int))(dlsym (RTLD_NEXT, "sleep"));
+    return realfunc(seconds);
+}
+
+
+static int cb_team_init(struct team_handle *th, uint32_t ifindex)
+{
+    return 0;
+}
+
+int team_init(struct team_handle *th, uint32_t ifindex)
+{
+    if (callback_team_init)
+    {
+        return callback_team_init(th, ifindex);
+    }
+    int (*realfunc)(struct team_handle *, uint32_t) =
+        (int    (*)(struct team_handle *, uint32_t))(dlsym (RTLD_NEXT, "team_init"));
+    return realfunc(th, ifindex);
+}
+
+static int cb_team_change_handler(struct team_handle *th, struct team_change_handler *handler, void *priv)
+{
+    return 0;
+}
+
+int team_change_handler(struct team_handle *th, struct team_change_handler *handler, void *priv)
+{
+    if (callback_team_change_handler)
+    {
+        return callback_team_change_handler(th, handler, priv);
+    }
+    int (*realfunc)(struct team_handle *, struct team_change_handler*, void*) =
+        (int    (*)(struct team_handle *, struct team_change_handler*, void*))(dlsym (RTLD_NEXT, "team_change_handler"));
+    return realfunc(th, handler, priv);
+}
+
+static int cb_teamdctl_connect(struct teamdctl *tdc, const char *team_name, const char *addr, const char *cli_type)
+{
+    return 0;
+}
+
+int teamdctl_connect(struct teamdctl *tdc, const char *team_name, const char *addr, const char *cli_type)
+{
+    if (callback_teamdctl_connect)
+    {
+        return callback_teamdctl_connect(tdc, team_name, addr, cli_type);
+    }
+    int (*realfunc)(struct teamdctl *, const char *, const char *, const char *) =
+        (int    (*)(struct teamdctl *, const char *, const char *, const char *))(dlsym (RTLD_NEXT, "teamdctl_connect"));
+    return realfunc(tdc, team_name, addr, cli_type);
+}
+
+static int cb_teamdctl_config_get_raw_direct_force_error(struct teamdctl *tdc, char **response)
+{
+    // Forced error
+    return 1;
+}
+
+static int cb_teamdctl_config_get_raw_direct_success(struct teamdctl *tdc, char **response)
+{
+    return 0;
+}
+
+int teamdctl_config_get_raw_direct(struct teamdctl *tdc, char **response)
+{
+    if (callback_teamdctl_config_get_raw_direct)
+    {
+        return callback_teamdctl_config_get_raw_direct(tdc, response);
+    }
+    int (*realfunc)(struct teamdctl *, char **) =
+        (int    (*)(struct teamdctl *, char **))(dlsym (RTLD_NEXT, "teamdctl_config_get_raw_direct"));
+    return realfunc(tdc, response);
+}
+
+static void cb_teamdctl_disconnect(struct teamdctl *tdc)
+{
+}
+
+void teamdctl_disconnect(struct teamdctl *tdc)
+{
+    if (callback_teamdctl_disconnect)
+    {
+        callback_teamdctl_disconnect(tdc);
+        return;
+    }
+    int (*realfunc)(struct teamdctl *) =
+        (int    (*)(struct teamdctl *))(dlsym (RTLD_NEXT, "teamdctl_disconnect"));
+    realfunc(tdc);
+}
+
+namespace teamportsync_test
+{
+    struct TeamPortSyncTest : public ::testing::Test
+    {
+        virtual void SetUp() override
+        {
+            callback_sleep = cb_sleep;
+            callback_team_init = NULL;
+            callback_team_change_handler = NULL;
+            callback_teamdctl_connect = NULL;
+            callback_teamdctl_config_get_raw_direct = cb_teamdctl_config_get_raw_direct_force_error;
+            callback_teamdctl_disconnect = cb_teamdctl_disconnect;
+        }
+
+        virtual void TearDown() override
+        {
+            callback_sleep = NULL;
+            callback_team_init = NULL;
+            callback_team_change_handler = NULL;
+            callback_teamdctl_connect = NULL;
+            callback_teamdctl_config_get_raw_direct = NULL;
+            callback_teamdctl_disconnect = NULL;
+        }
+    };
+
+    TEST_F(TeamPortSyncTest, TestInvalidIfIndex)
+    {
+        try {
+            swss::TeamSync::TeamPortSync("testLag", 0, NULL);
+            FAIL();
+        } catch (std::runtime_error &exception) {
+            EXPECT_THAT(exception.what(), testing::HasSubstr("Unable to initialize team socket"));
+        }
+    }
+
+    TEST_F(TeamPortSyncTest, NoLagPresent)
+    {
+        try {
+            swss::TeamSync::TeamPortSync("testLag", 4, NULL);
+            FAIL();
+        } catch (std::runtime_error &exception) {
+            EXPECT_THAT(exception.what(), testing::HasSubstr("Unable to initialize team socket"));
+        }
+    }
+
+    TEST_F(TeamPortSyncTest, TeamdctlNoConfig)
+    {
+        callback_team_init = cb_team_init;
+        callback_team_change_handler = cb_team_change_handler;
+        callback_teamdctl_connect = cb_teamdctl_connect;
+        try {
+            swss::TeamSync::TeamPortSync("testLag", 4, NULL);
+            FAIL();
+        } catch (std::runtime_error &exception) {
+            EXPECT_THAT(exception.what(), testing::HasSubstr("Unable to get config from teamd"));
+        }
+    }
+
+    TEST_F(TeamPortSyncTest, AllSuccess)
+    {
+        callback_team_init = cb_team_init;
+        callback_team_change_handler = cb_team_change_handler;
+        callback_teamdctl_connect = cb_teamdctl_connect;
+        callback_teamdctl_config_get_raw_direct = cb_teamdctl_config_get_raw_direct_success;
+        swss::TeamSync::TeamPortSync("testLag", 4, NULL);
+    }
+}