diff --git a/ironic/conductor/task_manager.py b/ironic/conductor/task_manager.py
index b4089d6187..7ed3eab3c4 100644
--- a/ironic/conductor/task_manager.py
+++ b/ironic/conductor/task_manager.py
@@ -283,7 +283,7 @@ class TaskManager(object):
 
         reserve_node()
 
-    def upgrade_lock(self, purpose=None):
+    def upgrade_lock(self, purpose=None, retry=None):
         """Upgrade a shared lock to an exclusive lock.
 
         Also reloads node object from the database.
@@ -291,11 +291,16 @@ class TaskManager(object):
         when provided with one.
 
         :param purpose: optionally change the purpose of the lock
+        :param retry: whether to retry locking if it fails, the class-level
+            value is used by default
         :raises: NodeLocked if an exclusive lock remains on the node after
                             "node_locked_retry_attempts"
         """
         if purpose is not None:
             self._purpose = purpose
+        if retry is not None:
+            self._retry = retry
+
         if self.shared:
             LOG.debug('Upgrading shared lock on node %(uuid)s for %(purpose)s '
                       'to an exclusive one (shared lock was held %(time).2f '
diff --git a/ironic/drivers/modules/agent_base.py b/ironic/drivers/modules/agent_base.py
index 00b66952f1..ee1af290d4 100644
--- a/ironic/drivers/modules/agent_base.py
+++ b/ironic/drivers/modules/agent_base.py
@@ -626,7 +626,7 @@ class HeartbeatMixin(object):
             return
 
         try:
-            task.upgrade_lock()
+            task.upgrade_lock(retry=False)
         except exception.NodeLocked:
             LOG.warning('Node %s is currently locked, skipping heartbeat '
                         'processing (will retry on the next heartbeat)',
diff --git a/ironic/tests/unit/conductor/test_task_manager.py b/ironic/tests/unit/conductor/test_task_manager.py
index 8a57d7deaa..e49982d593 100644
--- a/ironic/tests/unit/conductor/test_task_manager.py
+++ b/ironic/tests/unit/conductor/test_task_manager.py
@@ -200,6 +200,28 @@ class TaskManagerTestCase(db_base.DbTestCase):
         reserve_mock.assert_called_once_with(self.context, self.host,
                                              'fake-node-id')
 
+    def test_excl_lock_upgade_exception_no_retries(
+            self, get_voltgt_mock, get_volconn_mock, get_portgroups_mock,
+            get_ports_mock, build_driver_mock,
+            reserve_mock, release_mock, node_get_mock):
+        retry_attempts = 3
+        self.config(node_locked_retry_attempts=retry_attempts,
+                    group='conductor')
+
+        node_get_mock.return_value = self.node
+        # Fail on the first lock attempt, succeed on the second.
+        reserve_mock.side_effect = [exception.NodeLocked(node='foo',
+                                                         host='foo'),
+                                    self.node]
+
+        task = task_manager.TaskManager(self.context, 'fake-node-id',
+                                        shared=True)
+        self.assertRaises(exception.NodeLocked,
+                          task.upgrade_lock, retry=False)
+
+        reserve_mock.assert_called_once_with(self.context, self.host,
+                                             'fake-node-id')
+
     def test_excl_lock_reserve_exception(
             self, get_voltgt_mock, get_volconn_mock, get_portgroups_mock,
             get_ports_mock, build_driver_mock,
diff --git a/releasenotes/notes/no-heartbeat-retries-d6837684e7257249.yaml b/releasenotes/notes/no-heartbeat-retries-d6837684e7257249.yaml
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..4932fb66b5
--- /dev/null
+++ b/releasenotes/notes/no-heartbeat-retries-d6837684e7257249.yaml
@@ -0,0 +1,6 @@
+---
+fixes:
+  - |
+    Agent heartbeat implementation will no longer retry attempts to acquire
+    an exclusive lock. This is done to avoid several attempts to get a lock
+    in a busy environment with shorter heartbeat period.