diff --git a/core/store/dist/src/main/java/org/onlab/onos/store/device/impl/GossipDeviceStore.java b/core/store/dist/src/main/java/org/onlab/onos/store/device/impl/GossipDeviceStore.java
index 5449277..1d0343d 100644
--- a/core/store/dist/src/main/java/org/onlab/onos/store/device/impl/GossipDeviceStore.java
+++ b/core/store/dist/src/main/java/org/onlab/onos/store/device/impl/GossipDeviceStore.java
@@ -1266,6 +1266,12 @@
             DeviceId deviceId = event.deviceId();
             Timestamped<List<PortDescription>> portDescriptions = event.portDescriptions();
 
+            if (getDevice(deviceId) == null) {
+                log.info("{} not found on this node yet, ignoring.", deviceId);
+                // Note: dropped information will be recovered by anti-entropy
+                return;
+            }
+
             notifyDelegate(updatePortsInternal(providerId, deviceId, portDescriptions));
         }
     }
@@ -1282,6 +1288,12 @@
             DeviceId deviceId = event.deviceId();
             Timestamped<PortDescription> portDescription = event.portDescription();
 
+            if (getDevice(deviceId) == null) {
+                log.info("{} not found on this node yet, ignoring.", deviceId);
+                // Note: dropped information will be recovered by anti-entropy
+                return;
+            }
+
             notifyDelegateIfNotNull(updatePortStatusInternal(providerId, deviceId, portDescription));
         }
     }