diff --git a/generic_config_updater/services_validator.py b/generic_config_updater/services_validator.py
index 89323df004..f69e870ed6 100644
--- a/generic_config_updater/services_validator.py
+++ b/generic_config_updater/services_validator.py
@@ -17,13 +17,42 @@ def set_verbose(verbose=False):
 
 def _service_restart(svc_name):
     rc = os.system(f"systemctl restart {svc_name}")
-    logger.log(logger.LOG_PRIORITY_NOTICE,
-            f"Restarted {svc_name}", print_to_console)
+    if rc != 0:
+        # This failure is likely due to too many restarts
+        #
+        rc = os.system(f"systemctl reset-failed {svc_name}")
+        logger.log(logger.LOG_PRIORITY_ERROR, 
+                f"Service has been reset. rc={rc}; Try restart again...",
+                print_to_console)
+
+        rc = os.system(f"systemctl restart {svc_name}")
+        if rc != 0:
+            # Even with reset-failed, restart fails.
+            # Give a pause before retry.
+            #
+            logger.log(logger.LOG_PRIORITY_ERROR,
+                    f"Restart failed for {svc_name} rc={rc} after reset; Pause for 10s & retry",
+                    print_to_console)
+            os.system("sleep 10s")
+            rc = os.system(f"systemctl restart {svc_name}")
+
+    if rc == 0:
+        logger.log(logger.LOG_PRIORITY_NOTICE,
+                f"Restart succeeded for {svc_name}",
+                print_to_console)
+    else:
+        logger.log(logger.LOG_PRIORITY_ERROR,
+                f"Restart failed for {svc_name} rc={rc}",
+                print_to_console)
     return rc == 0
 
 
 def rsyslog_validator(old_config, upd_config, keys):
-    return _service_restart("rsyslog-config")
+    rc = os.system("/usr/bin/rsyslog-config.sh")
+    if rc != 0:
+        return _service_restart("rsyslog")
+    else:
+        return True
 
 
 def dhcp_validator(old_config, upd_config, keys):
diff --git a/tests/generic_config_updater/service_validator_test.py b/tests/generic_config_updater/service_validator_test.py
index 749afaab2f..470e5428a7 100644
--- a/tests/generic_config_updater/service_validator_test.py
+++ b/tests/generic_config_updater/service_validator_test.py
@@ -6,18 +6,25 @@
 from collections import defaultdict
 from unittest.mock import patch
 
-from generic_config_updater.services_validator import vlan_validator
+from generic_config_updater.services_validator import vlan_validator, rsyslog_validator
 import generic_config_updater.gu_common
 
 
 # Mimics os.system call
 #
-os_system_expected_cmd = ""
+os_system_calls = []
+os_system_call_index = 0
 msg = ""
 
-def os_system_cfggen(cmd):
-    assert cmd == os_system_expected_cmd, msg
-    return 0
+def mock_os_system_call(cmd):
+    global os_system_calls, os_system_call_index
+
+    assert os_system_call_index < len(os_system_calls)
+    entry = os_system_calls[os_system_call_index]
+    os_system_call_index += 1
+
+    assert cmd == entry["cmd"], msg
+    return entry["rc"]
 
 
 test_data = [
@@ -53,19 +60,41 @@ def os_system_cfggen(cmd):
         }
     ]
 
+test_rsyslog_fail = [
+        # Fail the calls, to get the entire fail path calls invoked
+        #
+        { "cmd": "/usr/bin/rsyslog-config.sh", "rc": 1 },        # config update; fails
+        { "cmd": "systemctl restart rsyslog", "rc": 1 },         # rsyslog restart; fails
+        { "cmd": "systemctl reset-failed rsyslog", "rc": 1 },    # reset; failure here just logs
+        { "cmd": "systemctl restart rsyslog", "rc": 1 },         # restart again; fails
+        { "cmd": "sleep 10s", "rc": 0 },                         # sleep; rc ignored
+        { "cmd": "systemctl restart rsyslog", "rc": 1 },         # restart again; fails
+    ]
+
+
 class TestServiceValidator(unittest.TestCase):
 
     @patch("generic_config_updater.change_applier.os.system")
     def test_change_apply(self, mock_os_sys):
         global os_system_expected_cmd
+        global os_system_calls, os_system_call_index
 
-        mock_os_sys.side_effect = os_system_cfggen
+        mock_os_sys.side_effect = mock_os_system_call
 
         i = 0
         for entry in test_data:
-            os_system_expected_cmd = entry["cmd"]
+            if entry["cmd"]:
+                os_system_calls.append({"cmd": entry["cmd"], "rc": 0 })
             msg = "case failed: {}".format(str(entry))
 
             vlan_validator(entry["old"], entry["upd"], None)
 
 
+        # Test failure case
+        #
+        os_system_calls = test_rsyslog_fail
+        os_system_call_index = 0
+
+        rc = rsyslog_validator("", "", "")
+        assert not rc, "rsyslog_validator expected to fail"
+