diff --git a/core/api/src/main/java/org/onosproject/net/group/DefaultGroup.java b/core/api/src/main/java/org/onosproject/net/group/DefaultGroup.java
index 90da929..d0777ec 100644
--- a/core/api/src/main/java/org/onosproject/net/group/DefaultGroup.java
+++ b/core/api/src/main/java/org/onosproject/net/group/DefaultGroup.java
@@ -36,6 +36,7 @@
     private long referenceCount;
     private GroupId id;
     private int age;
+    private int failedRetryCount;
 
     /**
      * Initializes default values.
@@ -50,6 +51,7 @@
         bytes = 0;
         referenceCount = 0;
         age = 0;
+        failedRetryCount = 0;
     }
 
     /**
@@ -135,6 +137,11 @@
         return age;
     }
 
+    @Override
+    public int failedRetryCount() {
+        return failedRetryCount;
+    }
+
     /**
      * Sets the new state for this entry.
      *
@@ -190,6 +197,16 @@
         return referenceCount;
     }
 
+    @Override
+    public void incrFailedRetryCount() {
+        failedRetryCount++;
+    }
+
+    @Override
+    public void setFailedRetryCount(int failedRetryCount) {
+        this.failedRetryCount = failedRetryCount;
+    }
+
     /*
      * The deviceId, type and buckets are used for hash.
      *
diff --git a/core/api/src/main/java/org/onosproject/net/group/Group.java b/core/api/src/main/java/org/onosproject/net/group/Group.java
index 39c6a3d..dd2aa63 100644
--- a/core/api/src/main/java/org/onosproject/net/group/Group.java
+++ b/core/api/src/main/java/org/onosproject/net/group/Group.java
@@ -105,4 +105,12 @@
      * @return the age of the group as an integer
      */
     int age();
+
+    /**
+     * Returns the count for the number of attempts at programming a failed
+     * group.
+     *
+     * @return the count for the number of failed attempts at programming this group
+     */
+    int failedRetryCount();
 }
diff --git a/core/api/src/main/java/org/onosproject/net/group/StoredGroupEntry.java b/core/api/src/main/java/org/onosproject/net/group/StoredGroupEntry.java
index 6d22fa7..760fc5a 100644
--- a/core/api/src/main/java/org/onosproject/net/group/StoredGroupEntry.java
+++ b/core/api/src/main/java/org/onosproject/net/group/StoredGroupEntry.java
@@ -72,4 +72,20 @@
      * @param referenceCount reference count
      */
     void setReferenceCount(long referenceCount);
+
+    /**
+     * Increments the count for the number of failed attempts in programming
+     * this group.
+     *
+     */
+    void incrFailedRetryCount();
+
+    /**
+     * Sets the count for the number of failed attempts in programming this
+     * group.
+     *
+     * @param failedRetryCount count for number of failed attempts in
+     *            programming this group
+     */
+    void setFailedRetryCount(int failedRetryCount);
 }
diff --git a/core/api/src/test/java/org/onosproject/net/group/DefaultGroupTest.java b/core/api/src/test/java/org/onosproject/net/group/DefaultGroupTest.java
index 0c7df81..e8fb7b3 100644
--- a/core/api/src/test/java/org/onosproject/net/group/DefaultGroupTest.java
+++ b/core/api/src/test/java/org/onosproject/net/group/DefaultGroupTest.java
@@ -85,6 +85,7 @@
         assertThat(group1.referenceCount(), is(0L));
         assertThat(group1.buckets(), is(groupBuckets));
         assertThat(group1.state(), is(Group.GroupState.PENDING_ADD));
+        assertThat(group1.failedRetryCount(), is(0));
     }
 
     /**
@@ -101,5 +102,22 @@
         assertThat(group.referenceCount(), is(0L));
         assertThat(group.deviceId(), is(NetTestTools.did("1")));
         assertThat(group.buckets(), is(groupBuckets));
+        assertThat(group.failedRetryCount(), is(0));
+    }
+
+    /**
+     * Test failedRetryCount field.
+     */
+    @Test
+    public void checkFailedRetyCount() {
+        assertThat(group1.failedRetryCount(), is(0));
+        group1.incrFailedRetryCount();
+        assertThat(group1.failedRetryCount(), is(1));
+        group1.setFailedRetryCount(3);
+        assertThat(group1.failedRetryCount(), is(3));
+        group1.incrFailedRetryCount();
+        assertThat(group1.failedRetryCount(), is(4));
+        group1.setFailedRetryCount(0);
+        assertThat(group1.failedRetryCount(), is(0));
     }
 }
diff --git a/core/store/dist/src/main/java/org/onosproject/store/group/impl/DistributedGroupStore.java b/core/store/dist/src/main/java/org/onosproject/store/group/impl/DistributedGroupStore.java
index 58417a8..6e8b126 100644
--- a/core/store/dist/src/main/java/org/onosproject/store/group/impl/DistributedGroupStore.java
+++ b/core/store/dist/src/main/java/org/onosproject/store/group/impl/DistributedGroupStore.java
@@ -112,6 +112,7 @@
     private static final boolean GARBAGE_COLLECT = false;
     private static final int GC_THRESH = 6;
     private static final boolean ALLOW_EXTRANEOUS_GROUPS = true;
+    private static final int MAX_FAILED_ATTEMPTS = 3;
 
     private final int dummyId = 0xffffffff;
     private final GroupId dummyGroupId = new GroupId(dummyId);
@@ -152,6 +153,7 @@
             extraneousGroupEntriesById = new ConcurrentHashMap<>();
     private ExecutorService messageHandlingExecutor;
     private static final int MESSAGE_HANDLER_THREAD_POOL_SIZE = 1;
+
     private final HashMap<DeviceId, Boolean> deviceAuditStatus = new HashMap<>();
 
     private final AtomicInteger groupIdGen = new AtomicInteger();
@@ -941,6 +943,7 @@
                 existing.setPackets(group.packets());
                 existing.setBytes(group.bytes());
                 existing.setReferenceCount(group.referenceCount());
+                existing.setFailedRetryCount(0);
                 if ((existing.state() == GroupState.PENDING_ADD) ||
                         (existing.state() == GroupState.PENDING_ADD_RETRY)) {
                     log.trace("addOrUpdateGroupEntry: group entry {} in device {} moving from {} to ADDED",
@@ -969,6 +972,7 @@
                              + "happening for a non-existing entry in the map");
         }
 
+        // XXX if map is going to trigger event, is this one needed?
         if (event != null) {
             notifyDelegate(event);
         }
@@ -1082,9 +1086,10 @@
             return;
         }
 
-        log.warn("groupOperationFailed: group operation {} failed"
+        log.warn("groupOperationFailed: group operation {} failed in state {} "
                          + "for group {} in device {} with code {}",
                  operation.opType(),
+                 existing.state(),
                  existing.id(),
                  existing.deviceId(),
                  operation.failureCode());
@@ -1107,9 +1112,26 @@
                         existing.buckets());
             }
         }
+        if (operation.failureCode() == GroupOperation.GroupMsgErrorCode.INVALID_GROUP) {
+            existing.incrFailedRetryCount();
+            if (existing.failedRetryCount() < MAX_FAILED_ATTEMPTS) {
+                log.warn("Group {} programming failed {} of {} times in dev {}, "
+                        + "retrying ..", existing.id(),
+                         existing.failedRetryCount(), MAX_FAILED_ATTEMPTS,
+                         deviceId);
+                return;
+            }
+            log.warn("Group {} programming failed {} of {} times in dev {}, "
+                    + "removing group from store", existing.id(),
+                     existing.failedRetryCount(), MAX_FAILED_ATTEMPTS,
+                     deviceId);
+            // fall through to case
+        }
+
         switch (operation.opType()) {
             case ADD:
-                if (existing.state() == GroupState.PENDING_ADD) {
+                if (existing.state() == GroupState.PENDING_ADD
+                    || existing.state() == GroupState.PENDING_ADD_RETRY) {
                     notifyDelegate(new GroupEvent(Type.GROUP_ADD_FAILED, existing));
                     log.warn("groupOperationFailed: cleaningup "
                                      + "group {} from store in device {}....",
diff --git a/core/store/dist/src/test/java/org/onosproject/store/group/impl/DistributedGroupStoreTest.java b/core/store/dist/src/test/java/org/onosproject/store/group/impl/DistributedGroupStoreTest.java
index fd9b484..0a44359 100644
--- a/core/store/dist/src/test/java/org/onosproject/store/group/impl/DistributedGroupStoreTest.java
+++ b/core/store/dist/src/test/java/org/onosproject/store/group/impl/DistributedGroupStoreTest.java
@@ -36,6 +36,7 @@
 import org.onosproject.net.group.DefaultGroupDescription;
 import org.onosproject.net.group.DefaultGroupKey;
 import org.onosproject.net.group.Group;
+import org.onosproject.net.group.Group.GroupState;
 import org.onosproject.net.group.GroupBucket;
 import org.onosproject.net.group.GroupBuckets;
 import org.onosproject.net.group.GroupDescription;
@@ -44,6 +45,7 @@
 import org.onosproject.net.group.GroupOperation;
 import org.onosproject.net.group.GroupStore;
 import org.onosproject.net.group.GroupStoreDelegate;
+import org.onosproject.net.group.GroupOperation.GroupMsgErrorCode;
 import org.onosproject.store.cluster.messaging.ClusterCommunicationServiceAdapter;
 import org.onosproject.store.service.ConsistentMap;
 import org.onosproject.store.service.TestStorageService;
@@ -379,6 +381,85 @@
     }
 
     /**
+     * Tests group operation failed interface, with error codes for failures.
+     */
+    @Test
+    public void testGroupOperationFailedWithErrorCode() {
+        TestDelegate delegate = new TestDelegate();
+        groupStore.setDelegate(delegate);
+        groupStore.deviceInitialAuditCompleted(deviceId1, true);
+        groupStore.storeGroupDescription(groupDescription1);
+        groupStore.deviceInitialAuditCompleted(deviceId2, true);
+        groupStore.storeGroupDescription(groupDescription2);
+
+        List<GroupEvent> eventsAfterAdds = delegate.eventsSeen();
+        assertThat(eventsAfterAdds, hasSize(2));
+        eventsAfterAdds.forEach(event -> assertThat(event
+                .type(), is(GroupEvent.Type.GROUP_ADD_REQUESTED)));
+        delegate.resetEvents();
+
+        // test group exists
+        GroupOperation opAdd = GroupOperation
+                .createAddGroupOperation(groupId1, INDIRECT, buckets);
+        GroupOperation addFailedExists = GroupOperation
+                .createFailedGroupOperation(opAdd, GroupMsgErrorCode.GROUP_EXISTS);
+        groupStore.groupOperationFailed(deviceId1, addFailedExists);
+
+        List<GroupEvent> eventsAfterAddFailed = delegate.eventsSeen();
+        assertThat(eventsAfterAddFailed, hasSize(2));
+        assertThat(eventsAfterAddFailed.get(0).type(),
+                   is(GroupEvent.Type.GROUP_ADDED));
+        assertThat(eventsAfterAddFailed.get(1).type(),
+                   is(GroupEvent.Type.GROUP_ADDED));
+        Group g1 = groupStore.getGroup(deviceId1, groupId1);
+        assertEquals(0, g1.failedRetryCount());
+        delegate.resetEvents();
+
+        // test invalid group
+        Group g2 = groupStore.getGroup(deviceId2, groupId2);
+        assertEquals(0, g2.failedRetryCount());
+        assertEquals(GroupState.PENDING_ADD, g2.state());
+        GroupOperation opAdd1 = GroupOperation
+                .createAddGroupOperation(groupId2, INDIRECT, buckets);
+        GroupOperation addFailedInvalid = GroupOperation
+                .createFailedGroupOperation(opAdd1, GroupMsgErrorCode.INVALID_GROUP);
+
+        groupStore.groupOperationFailed(deviceId2, addFailedInvalid);
+        groupStore.pushGroupMetrics(deviceId2, ImmutableList.of());
+        List<GroupEvent> eventsAfterAddFailed1 = delegate.eventsSeen();
+        assertThat(eventsAfterAddFailed1, hasSize(1));
+        assertThat(eventsAfterAddFailed.get(0).type(),
+                   is(GroupEvent.Type.GROUP_ADD_REQUESTED));
+        g2 = groupStore.getGroup(deviceId2, groupId2);
+        assertEquals(1, g2.failedRetryCount());
+        assertEquals(GroupState.PENDING_ADD_RETRY, g2.state());
+        delegate.resetEvents();
+
+        groupStore.groupOperationFailed(deviceId2, addFailedInvalid);
+        groupStore.pushGroupMetrics(deviceId2, ImmutableList.of());
+        List<GroupEvent> eventsAfterAddFailed2 = delegate.eventsSeen();
+        assertThat(eventsAfterAddFailed2, hasSize(1));
+        assertThat(eventsAfterAddFailed.get(0).type(),
+                   is(GroupEvent.Type.GROUP_ADD_REQUESTED));
+        g2 = groupStore.getGroup(deviceId2, groupId2);
+        assertEquals(2, g2.failedRetryCount());
+        assertEquals(GroupState.PENDING_ADD_RETRY, g2.state());
+        delegate.resetEvents();
+
+        groupStore.groupOperationFailed(deviceId2, addFailedInvalid);
+        groupStore.pushGroupMetrics(deviceId2, ImmutableList.of());
+        List<GroupEvent> eventsAfterAddFailed3 = delegate.eventsSeen();
+        assertThat(eventsAfterAddFailed3, hasSize(2));
+        assertThat(eventsAfterAddFailed.get(0).type(),
+                   is(GroupEvent.Type.GROUP_ADD_FAILED));
+        assertThat(eventsAfterAddFailed.get(1).type(),
+                   is(GroupEvent.Type.GROUP_REMOVED));
+        g2 = groupStore.getGroup(deviceId2, groupId2);
+        assertEquals(null, g2);
+        delegate.resetEvents();
+    }
+
+    /**
      * Tests extraneous group operations.
      */
     @Test