diff --git a/pkg/controller/deployment/deployment_controller.go b/pkg/controller/deployment/deployment_controller.go
index 25786fc175a..4e1cc0206c0 100644
--- a/pkg/controller/deployment/deployment_controller.go
+++ b/pkg/controller/deployment/deployment_controller.go
@@ -34,6 +34,7 @@ import (
 	unversionedcore "k8s.io/kubernetes/pkg/client/clientset_generated/internalclientset/typed/core/unversioned"
 	"k8s.io/kubernetes/pkg/client/record"
 	"k8s.io/kubernetes/pkg/controller"
+	"k8s.io/kubernetes/pkg/controller/deployment/util"
 	"k8s.io/kubernetes/pkg/controller/framework"
 	"k8s.io/kubernetes/pkg/runtime"
 	"k8s.io/kubernetes/pkg/util/metrics"
@@ -51,6 +52,8 @@ const (
 	// We must avoid creating new replica set / counting pods until the replica set / pods store has synced.
 	// If it hasn't synced, to avoid a hot loop, we'll wait this long between checks.
 	StoreSyncedPollPeriod = 100 * time.Millisecond
+	// MaxRetries is the number of times a deployment will be retried before it is dropped out of the queue.
+	MaxRetries = 5
 )
 
 // DeploymentController is responsible for synchronizing Deployment objects stored
@@ -70,19 +73,23 @@ type DeploymentController struct {
 	rsStore cache.StoreToReplicaSetLister
 	// Watches changes to all ReplicaSets
 	rsController *framework.Controller
-	// rsStoreSynced returns true if the ReplicaSet store has been synced at least once.
-	// Added as a member to the struct to allow injection for testing.
-	rsStoreSynced func() bool
 	// A store of pods, populated by the podController
 	podStore cache.StoreToPodLister
 	// Watches changes to all pods
 	podController *framework.Controller
+
+	// dStoreSynced returns true if the Deployment store has been synced at least once.
+	// Added as a member to the struct to allow injection for testing.
+	dStoreSynced func() bool
+	// rsStoreSynced returns true if the ReplicaSet store has been synced at least once.
+	// Added as a member to the struct to allow injection for testing.
+	rsStoreSynced func() bool
 	// podStoreSynced returns true if the pod store has been synced at least once.
 	// Added as a member to the struct to allow injection for testing.
 	podStoreSynced func() bool
 
 	// Deployments that need to be synced
-	queue *workqueue.Type
+	queue workqueue.RateLimitingInterface
 }
 
 // NewDeploymentController creates a new DeploymentController.
@@ -98,7 +105,7 @@ func NewDeploymentController(client clientset.Interface, resyncPeriod controller
 	dc := &DeploymentController{
 		client:        client,
 		eventRecorder: eventBroadcaster.NewRecorder(api.EventSource{Component: "deployment-controller"}),
-		queue:         workqueue.New(),
+		queue:         workqueue.NewRateLimitingQueue(workqueue.DefaultControllerRateLimiter()),
 	}
 
 	dc.dStore.Store, dc.dController = framework.NewInformer(
@@ -158,6 +165,7 @@ func NewDeploymentController(client clientset.Interface, resyncPeriod controller
 	)
 
 	dc.syncHandler = dc.syncDeployment
+	dc.dStoreSynced = dc.dController.HasSynced
 	dc.rsStoreSynced = dc.rsController.HasSynced
 	dc.podStoreSynced = dc.podController.HasSynced
 	return dc
@@ -166,17 +174,43 @@ func NewDeploymentController(client clientset.Interface, resyncPeriod controller
 // Run begins watching and syncing.
 func (dc *DeploymentController) Run(workers int, stopCh <-chan struct{}) {
 	defer utilruntime.HandleCrash()
+
 	go dc.dController.Run(stopCh)
 	go dc.rsController.Run(stopCh)
 	go dc.podController.Run(stopCh)
+
+	// Wait for the rc and dc stores to sync before starting any work in this controller.
+	ready := make(chan struct{})
+	go dc.waitForSyncedStores(ready, stopCh)
+	select {
+	case <-ready:
+	case <-stopCh:
+		return
+	}
+
 	for i := 0; i < workers; i++ {
 		go wait.Until(dc.worker, time.Second, stopCh)
 	}
+
 	<-stopCh
 	glog.Infof("Shutting down deployment controller")
 	dc.queue.ShutDown()
 }
 
+func (dc *DeploymentController) waitForSyncedStores(ready chan<- struct{}, stopCh <-chan struct{}) {
+	defer utilruntime.HandleCrash()
+
+	for !dc.dStoreSynced() || !dc.rsStoreSynced() || !dc.podStoreSynced() {
+		select {
+		case <-time.After(StoreSyncedPollPeriod):
+		case <-stopCh:
+			return
+		}
+	}
+
+	close(ready)
+}
+
 func (dc *DeploymentController) addDeploymentNotification(obj interface{}) {
 	d := obj.(*extensions.Deployment)
 	glog.V(4).Infof("Adding deployment %s", d.Name)
@@ -382,19 +416,40 @@ func (dc *DeploymentController) enqueueDeployment(deployment *extensions.Deploym
 // worker runs a worker thread that just dequeues items, processes them, and marks them done.
 // It enforces that the syncHandler is never invoked concurrently with the same key.
 func (dc *DeploymentController) worker() {
-	for {
-		func() {
-			key, quit := dc.queue.Get()
-			if quit {
-				return
-			}
-			defer dc.queue.Done(key)
-			err := dc.syncHandler(key.(string))
-			if err != nil {
-				glog.Errorf("Error syncing deployment %v: %v", key, err)
-			}
-		}()
+	work := func() bool {
+		key, quit := dc.queue.Get()
+		if quit {
+			return true
+		}
+		defer dc.queue.Done(key)
+
+		err := dc.syncHandler(key.(string))
+		dc.handleErr(err, key)
+
+		return false
 	}
+
+	for {
+		if quit := work(); quit {
+			return
+		}
+	}
+}
+
+func (dc *DeploymentController) handleErr(err error, key interface{}) {
+	if err == nil {
+		dc.queue.Forget(key)
+		return
+	}
+
+	if dc.queue.NumRequeues(key) < MaxRetries {
+		glog.V(2).Infof("Error syncing deployment %v: %v", key, err)
+		dc.queue.AddRateLimited(key)
+		return
+	}
+
+	utilruntime.HandleError(err)
+	dc.queue.Forget(key)
 }
 
 // syncDeployment will sync the deployment with the given key.
@@ -405,18 +460,9 @@ func (dc *DeploymentController) syncDeployment(key string) error {
 		glog.V(4).Infof("Finished syncing deployment %q (%v)", key, time.Now().Sub(startTime))
 	}()
 
-	if !dc.rsStoreSynced() || !dc.podStoreSynced() {
-		// Sleep so we give the replica set / pod reflector goroutine a chance to run.
-		time.Sleep(StoreSyncedPollPeriod)
-		glog.Infof("Waiting for replica set / pod controller to sync, requeuing deployment %s", key)
-		dc.queue.Add(key)
-		return nil
-	}
-
 	obj, exists, err := dc.dStore.Store.GetByKey(key)
 	if err != nil {
 		glog.Infof("Unable to retrieve deployment %v from store: %v", key, err)
-		dc.queue.Add(key)
 		return err
 	}
 	if !exists {
@@ -424,13 +470,20 @@ func (dc *DeploymentController) syncDeployment(key string) error {
 		return nil
 	}
 
-	d := obj.(*extensions.Deployment)
+	deployment := obj.(*extensions.Deployment)
 	everything := unversioned.LabelSelector{}
-	if reflect.DeepEqual(d.Spec.Selector, &everything) {
-		dc.eventRecorder.Eventf(d, api.EventTypeWarning, "SelectingAll", "This deployment is selecting all pods. A non-empty selector is required.")
+	if reflect.DeepEqual(deployment.Spec.Selector, &everything) {
+		dc.eventRecorder.Eventf(deployment, api.EventTypeWarning, "SelectingAll", "This deployment is selecting all pods. A non-empty selector is required.")
 		return nil
 	}
 
+	// Deep-copy otherwise we are mutating our cache.
+	// TODO: Deep-copy only when needed.
+	d, err := util.DeploymentDeepCopy(deployment)
+	if err != nil {
+		return err
+	}
+
 	if d.Spec.Paused {
 		return dc.sync(d)
 	}
diff --git a/pkg/controller/deployment/sync.go b/pkg/controller/deployment/sync.go
index 8ce7059a152..f9b071217a5 100644
--- a/pkg/controller/deployment/sync.go
+++ b/pkg/controller/deployment/sync.go
@@ -273,7 +273,6 @@ func (dc *DeploymentController) getNewReplicaSet(deployment *extensions.Deployme
 	deploymentutil.SetNewReplicaSetAnnotations(deployment, &newRS, newRevision, false)
 	createdRS, err := dc.client.Extensions().ReplicaSets(namespace).Create(&newRS)
 	if err != nil {
-		dc.enqueueDeployment(deployment)
 		return nil, fmt.Errorf("error creating replica set %v: %v", deployment.Name, err)
 	}
 	if newReplicasCount > 0 {
@@ -415,9 +414,6 @@ func (dc *DeploymentController) scaleReplicaSet(rs *extensions.ReplicaSet, newSc
 	rs, err := dc.client.Extensions().ReplicaSets(rs.ObjectMeta.Namespace).Update(rs)
 	if err == nil {
 		dc.eventRecorder.Eventf(deployment, api.EventTypeNormal, "ScalingReplicaSet", "Scaled %s replica set %s to %d", scalingOperation, rs.Name, newScale)
-	} else {
-		glog.Warningf("Cannot update replica set %q: %v", rs.Name, err)
-		dc.enqueueDeployment(deployment)
 	}
 	return rs, err
 }
diff --git a/pkg/controller/deployment/util/deployment_util.go b/pkg/controller/deployment/util/deployment_util.go
index e99a55e6682..16eb42b249a 100644
--- a/pkg/controller/deployment/util/deployment_util.go
+++ b/pkg/controller/deployment/util/deployment_util.go
@@ -753,3 +753,15 @@ func ResolveFenceposts(maxSurge, maxUnavailable *intstrutil.IntOrString, desired
 
 	return int32(surge), int32(unavailable), nil
 }
+
+func DeploymentDeepCopy(deployment *extensions.Deployment) (*extensions.Deployment, error) {
+	objCopy, err := api.Scheme.DeepCopy(deployment)
+	if err != nil {
+		return nil, err
+	}
+	copied, ok := objCopy.(*extensions.Deployment)
+	if !ok {
+		return nil, fmt.Errorf("expected Deployment, got %#v", objCopy)
+	}
+	return copied, nil
+}