diff --git a/src/python/grpcio/grpc/_channel.py b/src/python/grpcio/grpc/_channel.py
index 4316449ac65d4d701a070183bd061eaba4274ec4..012ed8ec8120ceddd67fc6e64a812cd244a6c268 100644
--- a/src/python/grpcio/grpc/_channel.py
+++ b/src/python/grpcio/grpc/_channel.py
@@ -786,7 +786,7 @@ def _channel_managed_call_management(state):
 class _ChannelConnectivityState(object):
 
     def __init__(self, channel):
-        self.lock = threading.Lock()
+        self.lock = threading.RLock()
         self.channel = channel
         self.polling = False
         self.connectivity = None
@@ -926,6 +926,11 @@ class Channel(grpc.Channel):
         self._call_state = _ChannelCallState(self._channel)
         self._connectivity_state = _ChannelConnectivityState(self._channel)
 
+        # TODO(https://github.com/grpc/grpc/issues/9884)
+        # Temporary work around UNAVAILABLE issues
+        # Remove this once c-core has retry support
+        _subscribe(self._connectivity_state, lambda *args: None, None)
+
     def subscribe(self, callback, try_to_connect=None):
         _subscribe(self._connectivity_state, callback, try_to_connect)
 
diff --git a/src/python/grpcio_tests/tests/tests.json b/src/python/grpcio_tests/tests/tests.json
index f750b0510220ee7078896ba7f88503617c1cdbb5..5f641d870108bdfcc668f7bb7ef91010c248bd20 100644
--- a/src/python/grpcio_tests/tests/tests.json
+++ b/src/python/grpcio_tests/tests/tests.json
@@ -31,6 +31,7 @@
   "unit._invocation_defects_test.InvocationDefectsTest",
   "unit._metadata_code_details_test.MetadataCodeDetailsTest",
   "unit._metadata_test.MetadataTest",
+  "unit._reconnect_test.ReconnectTest",
   "unit._resource_exhausted_test.ResourceExhaustedTest",
   "unit._rpc_test.RPCTest",
   "unit._sanity._sanity_test.Sanity",
diff --git a/src/python/grpcio_tests/tests/unit/_reconnect_test.py b/src/python/grpcio_tests/tests/unit/_reconnect_test.py
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000000000000000000000000000000000..6c316476b3e5feb7f98499967e2e29347230cd3c
--- /dev/null
+++ b/src/python/grpcio_tests/tests/unit/_reconnect_test.py
@@ -0,0 +1,70 @@
+# Copyright 2017, Google Inc.
+# All rights reserved.
+#
+# Redistribution and use in source and binary forms, with or without
+# modification, are permitted provided that the following conditions are
+# met:
+#
+#     * Redistributions of source code must retain the above copyright
+# notice, this list of conditions and the following disclaimer.
+#     * Redistributions in binary form must reproduce the above
+# copyright notice, this list of conditions and the following disclaimer
+# in the documentation and/or other materials provided with the
+# distribution.
+#     * Neither the name of Google Inc. nor the names of its
+# contributors may be used to endorse or promote products derived from
+# this software without specific prior written permission.
+#
+# THIS SOFTWARE IS PROVIDED BY THE COPYRIGHT HOLDERS AND CONTRIBUTORS
+# "AS IS" AND ANY EXPRESS OR IMPLIED WARRANTIES, INCLUDING, BUT NOT
+# LIMITED TO, THE IMPLIED WARRANTIES OF MERCHANTABILITY AND FITNESS FOR
+# A PARTICULAR PURPOSE ARE DISCLAIMED. IN NO EVENT SHALL THE COPYRIGHT
+# OWNER OR CONTRIBUTORS BE LIABLE FOR ANY DIRECT, INDIRECT, INCIDENTAL,
+# SPECIAL, EXEMPLARY, OR CONSEQUENTIAL DAMAGES (INCLUDING, BUT NOT
+# LIMITED TO, PROCUREMENT OF SUBSTITUTE GOODS OR SERVICES; LOSS OF USE,
+# DATA, OR PROFITS; OR BUSINESS INTERRUPTION) HOWEVER CAUSED AND ON ANY
+# THEORY OF LIABILITY, WHETHER IN CONTRACT, STRICT LIABILITY, OR TORT
+# (INCLUDING NEGLIGENCE OR OTHERWISE) ARISING IN ANY WAY OUT OF THE USE
+# OF THIS SOFTWARE, EVEN IF ADVISED OF THE POSSIBILITY OF SUCH DAMAGE.
+"""Tests that a channel will reconnect if a connection is dropped"""
+
+import unittest
+
+import grpc
+from grpc.framework.foundation import logging_pool
+
+from tests.unit.framework.common import test_constants
+
+_REQUEST = b'\x00\x00\x00'
+_RESPONSE = b'\x00\x00\x01'
+
+_UNARY_UNARY = '/test/UnaryUnary'
+
+
+def _handle_unary_unary(unused_request, unused_servicer_context):
+    return _RESPONSE
+
+
+class ReconnectTest(unittest.TestCase):
+
+    def test_reconnect(self):
+        server_pool = logging_pool.pool(test_constants.THREAD_CONCURRENCY)
+        handler = grpc.method_handlers_generic_handler('test', {
+            'UnaryUnary':
+            grpc.unary_unary_rpc_method_handler(_handle_unary_unary)
+        })
+        server = grpc.server(server_pool, (handler,))
+        port = server.add_insecure_port('[::]:0')
+        server.start()
+        channel = grpc.insecure_channel('localhost:%d' % port)
+        multi_callable = channel.unary_unary(_UNARY_UNARY)
+        self.assertEqual(_RESPONSE, multi_callable(_REQUEST))
+        server.stop(None)
+        server = grpc.server(server_pool, (handler,))
+        server.add_insecure_port('[::]:{}'.format(port))
+        server.start()
+        self.assertEqual(_RESPONSE, multi_callable(_REQUEST))
+
+
+if __name__ == '__main__':
+    unittest.main(verbosity=2)