diff --git a/nfv/nfv-tests/nfv_unit_tests/tests/test_kube_upgrade_strategy.py b/nfv/nfv-tests/nfv_unit_tests/tests/test_kube_upgrade_strategy.py
index 2ae59587..5849f08f 100755
--- a/nfv/nfv-tests/nfv_unit_tests/tests/test_kube_upgrade_strategy.py
+++ b/nfv/nfv-tests/nfv_unit_tests/tests/test_kube_upgrade_strategy.py
@@ -269,7 +269,8 @@ class ApplyStageMixin(object):
             'total_steps': 1,
             'steps': [
                 {'name': 'kube-upgrade-start',
-                 'success_state': 'upgrade-started'},
+                 'success_state': 'upgrade-started',
+                 'fail_state': 'upgrade-starting-failed'},
             ],
         }
 
@@ -623,6 +624,39 @@ class TestSimplexApplyStrategy(sw_update_testcase.SwUpdateStrategyTestCase,
         self.worker_list = []
         self.storage_list = []
 
+    def test_resume_after_starting_failed(self):
+        """
+        Test the kube_upgrade strategy creation when the upgrade had previously
+        stopped with 'upgrade-starting-failed'
+        It is expected to resume at the 'upgrade-starting' stage
+        """
+        kube_upgrade = self._create_kube_upgrade_obj(
+            KUBE_UPGRADE_STATE.KUBE_UPGRADE_STARTING_FAILED,
+            self.default_from_version,
+            self.default_to_version)
+        stages = [
+            self._kube_upgrade_start_stage(),
+            self._kube_upgrade_download_images_stage(),
+            self._kube_upgrade_networking_stage(),
+            self._kube_upgrade_storage_stage(),
+        ]
+        if self.is_simplex():
+            stages.append(self._kube_host_cordon_stage())
+        for ver in self.kube_versions:
+            stages.append(self._kube_upgrade_first_control_plane_stage(ver))
+            stages.extend(self._kube_upgrade_kubelet_stages(
+                ver,
+                self.std_controller_list,
+                self.aio_controller_list,
+                self.worker_list))
+        if self.is_simplex():
+            stages.append(self._kube_host_uncordon_stage())
+        stages.extend([
+            self._kube_upgrade_complete_stage(),
+            self._kube_upgrade_cleanup_stage(),
+        ])
+        self.validate_apply_phase(self.is_simplex(), kube_upgrade, stages)
+
     def test_resume_after_download_images_failed(self):
         """
         Test the kube_upgrade strategy creation when the upgrade had previously
diff --git a/nfv/nfv-vim/nfv_vim/nfvi/objects/v1/_kube_upgrade.py b/nfv/nfv-vim/nfv_vim/nfvi/objects/v1/_kube_upgrade.py
index 328a08b2..04d50364 100755
--- a/nfv/nfv-vim/nfv_vim/nfvi/objects/v1/_kube_upgrade.py
+++ b/nfv/nfv-vim/nfv_vim/nfvi/objects/v1/_kube_upgrade.py
@@ -37,6 +37,8 @@ class KubeUpgradeState(Constants):
     Maintaining the same order as defined in kubernetes.py
     """
 
+    KUBE_UPGRADE_STARTING = Constant('upgrade-starting')
+    KUBE_UPGRADE_STARTING_FAILED = Constant('upgrade-starting-failed')
     KUBE_UPGRADE_STARTED = Constant('upgrade-started')
     KUBE_UPGRADE_DOWNLOADING_IMAGES = Constant('downloading-images')
     KUBE_UPGRADE_DOWNLOADING_IMAGES_FAILED = Constant('downloading-images-failed')
diff --git a/nfv/nfv-vim/nfv_vim/strategy/_strategy.py b/nfv/nfv-vim/nfv_vim/strategy/_strategy.py
index 464a94d1..7fc833ee 100755
--- a/nfv/nfv-vim/nfv_vim/strategy/_strategy.py
+++ b/nfv/nfv-vim/nfv_vim/strategy/_strategy.py
@@ -3800,6 +3800,10 @@ class KubeUpgradeStrategy(SwUpdateStrategy,
         # Note: there are no resume states for actions that are still running
         # ie:  KUBE_UPGRADE_DOWNLOADING_IMAGES
         RESUME_STATE = {
+            # If upgrade start failed, allow to restart
+            nfvi.objects.v1.KUBE_UPGRADE_STATE.KUBE_UPGRADE_STARTING_FAILED:
+                self._add_kube_upgrade_start_stage,
+
             # after upgrade-started -> download images
             nfvi.objects.v1.KUBE_UPGRADE_STATE.KUBE_UPGRADE_STARTED:
                 self._add_kube_upgrade_download_images_stage,
diff --git a/nfv/nfv-vim/nfv_vim/strategy/_strategy_steps.py b/nfv/nfv-vim/nfv_vim/strategy/_strategy_steps.py
index a32d7e86..1b9227d4 100755
--- a/nfv/nfv-vim/nfv_vim/strategy/_strategy_steps.py
+++ b/nfv/nfv-vim/nfv_vim/strategy/_strategy_steps.py
@@ -4135,7 +4135,8 @@ class KubeUpgradeStartStep(AbstractKubeUpgradeStep):
         super(KubeUpgradeStartStep, self).__init__(
             STRATEGY_STEP_NAME.KUBE_UPGRADE_START,
             nfvi.objects.v1.KUBE_UPGRADE_STATE.KUBE_UPGRADE_STARTED,
-            None)  # there is no failure state if upgrade-start fails
+            nfvi.objects.v1.KUBE_UPGRADE_STATE.KUBE_UPGRADE_STARTING_FAILED,
+            timeout_in_secs=1800)
         # next 2 attributes must be persisted through from_dict/as_dict
         self._to_version = to_version
         self._force = force
@@ -4171,13 +4172,9 @@ class KubeUpgradeStartStep(AbstractKubeUpgradeStep):
         response = (yield)
         DLOG.debug("%s callback response=%s." % (self._name, response))
 
-        # kube-upgrade-start will return a result when it completes,
-        # so we do not want to use handle_event
         if response['completed']:
             if self.strategy is not None:
                 self.strategy.nfvi_kube_upgrade = response['result-data']
-            result = strategy.STRATEGY_STEP_RESULT.SUCCESS
-            self.stage.step_complete(result, "")
         else:
             result = strategy.STRATEGY_STEP_RESULT.FAILED
             self.stage.step_complete(result, response['reason'])