diff --git a/pkg/controller/deployment/rolling_test.go b/pkg/controller/deployment/rolling_test.go
index 5407a1e2c72..da929b95de7 100644
--- a/pkg/controller/deployment/rolling_test.go
+++ b/pkg/controller/deployment/rolling_test.go
@@ -390,6 +390,7 @@ func TestDeploymentController_scaleDownOldReplicaSetsForRollingUpdate(t *testing
 		oldReplicas         int
 		scaleExpected       bool
 		expectedOldReplicas int
+		errorExpected       bool
 	}{
 		{
 			deploymentReplicas:  10,
@@ -398,6 +399,7 @@ func TestDeploymentController_scaleDownOldReplicaSetsForRollingUpdate(t *testing
 			oldReplicas:         10,
 			scaleExpected:       true,
 			expectedOldReplicas: 9,
+			errorExpected:       false,
 		},
 		{
 			deploymentReplicas:  10,
@@ -406,6 +408,7 @@ func TestDeploymentController_scaleDownOldReplicaSetsForRollingUpdate(t *testing
 			oldReplicas:         10,
 			scaleExpected:       true,
 			expectedOldReplicas: 8,
+			errorExpected:       false,
 		},
 		{
 			deploymentReplicas: 10,
@@ -413,6 +416,7 @@ func TestDeploymentController_scaleDownOldReplicaSetsForRollingUpdate(t *testing
 			readyPods:          8,
 			oldReplicas:        10,
 			scaleExpected:      false,
+			errorExpected:      false,
 		},
 		{
 			deploymentReplicas: 10,
@@ -420,6 +424,7 @@ func TestDeploymentController_scaleDownOldReplicaSetsForRollingUpdate(t *testing
 			readyPods:          10,
 			oldReplicas:        0,
 			scaleExpected:      false,
+			errorExpected:      true,
 		},
 		{
 			deploymentReplicas: 10,
@@ -427,6 +432,7 @@ func TestDeploymentController_scaleDownOldReplicaSetsForRollingUpdate(t *testing
 			readyPods:          1,
 			oldReplicas:        10,
 			scaleExpected:      false,
+			errorExpected:      false,
 		},
 	}
 
@@ -466,7 +472,7 @@ func TestDeploymentController_scaleDownOldReplicaSetsForRollingUpdate(t *testing
 			eventRecorder: &record.FakeRecorder{},
 		}
 		scaled, err := controller.scaleDownOldReplicaSetsForRollingUpdate(allRSs, oldRSs, &deployment)
-		if err != nil {
+		if !test.errorExpected && err != nil {
 			t.Errorf("unexpected error: %v", err)
 			continue
 		}
diff --git a/pkg/controller/deployment/util/deployment_util.go b/pkg/controller/deployment/util/deployment_util.go
index 7ca9611c58e..e09aea55a68 100644
--- a/pkg/controller/deployment/util/deployment_util.go
+++ b/pkg/controller/deployment/util/deployment_util.go
@@ -585,7 +585,7 @@ func GetAvailablePodsForReplicaSets(c clientset.Interface, deployment *extension
 // CountAvailablePodsForReplicaSets returns the number of available pods corresponding to the given pod list and replica sets.
 // Note that the input pod list should be the pods targeted by the deployment of input replica sets.
 func CountAvailablePodsForReplicaSets(podList *api.PodList, rss []*extensions.ReplicaSet, minReadySeconds int32) (int32, error) {
-	rsPods, err := filterPodsMatchingReplicaSets(rss, podList)
+	rsPods, err := filterPodsMatchingReplicaSets(rss, podList, minReadySeconds)
 	if err != nil {
 		return 0, err
 	}
@@ -638,8 +638,8 @@ func IsPodAvailable(pod *api.Pod, minReadySeconds int32, now time.Time) bool {
 }
 
 // filterPodsMatchingReplicaSets filters the given pod list and only return the ones targeted by the input replicasets
-func filterPodsMatchingReplicaSets(replicaSets []*extensions.ReplicaSet, podList *api.PodList) ([]api.Pod, error) {
-	rsPods := []api.Pod{}
+func filterPodsMatchingReplicaSets(replicaSets []*extensions.ReplicaSet, podList *api.PodList, minReadySeconds int32) ([]api.Pod, error) {
+	allRSPods := []api.Pod{}
 	for _, rs := range replicaSets {
 		matchingFunc, err := rsutil.MatchingPodsFunc(rs)
 		if err != nil {
@@ -648,9 +648,16 @@ func filterPodsMatchingReplicaSets(replicaSets []*extensions.ReplicaSet, podList
 		if matchingFunc == nil {
 			continue
 		}
-		rsPods = append(rsPods, podutil.Filter(podList, matchingFunc)...)
+		rsPods := podutil.Filter(podList, matchingFunc)
+		avaPodsCount := countAvailablePods(rsPods, minReadySeconds)
+		if avaPodsCount > rs.Spec.Replicas {
+			msg := fmt.Sprintf("Found %s/%s with %d available pods, more than its spec replicas %d", rs.Namespace, rs.Name, avaPodsCount, rs.Spec.Replicas)
+			glog.Errorf("ERROR: %s", msg)
+			return nil, fmt.Errorf(msg)
+		}
+		allRSPods = append(allRSPods, podutil.Filter(podList, matchingFunc)...)
 	}
-	return rsPods, nil
+	return allRSPods, nil
 }
 
 // Revision returns the revision number of the input replica set