diff --git a/neutron/agent/l3/agent.py b/neutron/agent/l3/agent.py
index 174234be956..f9f83e13c7a 100644
--- a/neutron/agent/l3/agent.py
+++ b/neutron/agent/l3/agent.py
@@ -489,14 +489,15 @@ class L3NATAgent(ha.AgentMixin,
         self.l3_ext_manager.add_router(self.context, router)
 
     def _process_updated_router(self, router):
+        ri = self.router_info[router['id']]
         is_dvr_only_agent = (self.conf.agent_mode in
                              [lib_const.L3_AGENT_MODE_DVR,
                               lib_const.L3_AGENT_MODE_DVR_NO_EXTERNAL])
+        is_ha_router = getattr(ri, 'ha_state', None) is not None
         # For HA routers check that DB state matches actual state
-        if router.get('ha') and not is_dvr_only_agent:
+        if router.get('ha') and not is_dvr_only_agent and is_ha_router:
             self.check_ha_state_for_router(
                 router['id'], router.get(l3_constants.HA_ROUTER_STATE_KEY))
-        ri = self.router_info[router['id']]
         ri.router = router
         registry.notify(resources.ROUTER, events.BEFORE_UPDATE,
                         self, router=ri)
diff --git a/neutron/tests/functional/agent/l3/test_dvr_router.py b/neutron/tests/functional/agent/l3/test_dvr_router.py
index ddeb86a64bc..47123b36b5f 100644
--- a/neutron/tests/functional/agent/l3/test_dvr_router.py
+++ b/neutron/tests/functional/agent/l3/test_dvr_router.py
@@ -1125,11 +1125,11 @@ class TestDvrRouter(framework.L3AgentTestFramework):
         self.assertFalse(sg_device)
         self.assertTrue(qg_device)
 
-    def _mocked_dvr_ha_router(self, agent, enable_gw=True,
+    def _mocked_dvr_ha_router(self, agent, enable_ha=True, enable_gw=True,
                               enable_centralized_fip=False,
                               snat_bound_fip=False):
         r_info = self.generate_dvr_router_info(
-            enable_ha=True,
+            enable_ha=enable_ha,
             enable_snat=True,
             agent=agent,
             enable_gw=enable_gw,
@@ -1165,7 +1165,7 @@ class TestDvrRouter(framework.L3AgentTestFramework):
 
     def _create_dvr_ha_router(self, agent, enable_gw=True,
                               enable_centralized_fip=False,
-                              snat_bound_fip=False):
+                              snat_bound_fip=False, ha_interface=True):
         get_ns_name = mock.patch.object(namespaces.RouterNamespace,
                                         '_get_ns_name').start()
         get_snat_ns_name = mock.patch.object(dvr_snat_ns.SnatNamespace,
@@ -1173,7 +1173,11 @@ class TestDvrRouter(framework.L3AgentTestFramework):
         (r_info,
          mocked_r_ns_name,
          mocked_r_snat_ns_name) = self._mocked_dvr_ha_router(
-             agent, enable_gw, enable_centralized_fip, snat_bound_fip)
+             agent, ha_interface, enable_gw, enable_centralized_fip,
+             snat_bound_fip)
+
+        if not ha_interface:
+            r_info['ha'] = True
 
         get_ns_name.return_value = mocked_r_ns_name
         get_snat_ns_name.return_value = mocked_r_snat_ns_name
@@ -1331,6 +1335,26 @@ class TestDvrRouter(framework.L3AgentTestFramework):
     def test_dvr_ha_router_failover_without_gw(self):
         self._test_dvr_ha_router_failover(enable_gw=False)
 
+    def test_dvr_non_ha_router_update(self):
+        self._setup_dvr_ha_agents()
+        self._setup_dvr_ha_bridges()
+
+        router1 = self._create_dvr_ha_router(self.agent)
+        router2 = self._create_dvr_ha_router(self.failover_agent,
+                                             ha_interface=False)
+
+        r1_chsfr = mock.patch.object(self.agent,
+                                     'check_ha_state_for_router').start()
+        r2_chsfr = mock.patch.object(self.failover_agent,
+                                     'check_ha_state_for_router').start()
+
+        utils.wait_until_true(lambda: router1.ha_state == 'master')
+
+        self.agent._process_updated_router(router1.router)
+        self.assertTrue(r1_chsfr.called)
+        self.failover_agent._process_updated_router(router2.router)
+        self.assertFalse(r2_chsfr.called)
+
     def _setup_dvr_router_static_routes(
         self, router_namespace=True, check_fpr_int_rule_delete=False):
         """Test to validate the extra routes on dvr routers."""
diff --git a/neutron/tests/unit/agent/l3/test_agent.py b/neutron/tests/unit/agent/l3/test_agent.py
index 540395f546d..d19bfece0b9 100644
--- a/neutron/tests/unit/agent/l3/test_agent.py
+++ b/neutron/tests/unit/agent/l3/test_agent.py
@@ -2532,9 +2532,10 @@ class TestBasicRouterOperations(BasicRouterOperationsFramework):
                   'distributed': True, 'ha': True,
                   'external_gateway_info': {}, 'routes': [],
                   'admin_state_up': True}
-
-        agent._process_router_if_compatible(router)
-        self.assertIn(router['id'], agent.router_info)
+        with mock.patch.object(agent, 'check_ha_state_for_router') as chsfr:
+            agent._process_router_if_compatible(router)
+            self.assertIn(router['id'], agent.router_info)
+            self.assertFalse(chsfr.called)
 
     def test_process_router_if_compatible_with_no_ext_net_in_conf(self):
         self.conf.set_override('external_network_bridge', 'br-ex')