diff --git a/swift/common/ring/builder.py b/swift/common/ring/builder.py
index 0459cd60de..ee25ad7caa 100644
--- a/swift/common/ring/builder.py
+++ b/swift/common/ring/builder.py
@@ -443,10 +443,10 @@ class RingBuilder(object):
         self._set_parts_wanted(replica_plan)
 
         assign_parts = defaultdict(list)
-        # gather parts from failed devices
-        removed_devs = self._gather_parts_from_failed_devices(assign_parts)
         # gather parts from replica count adjustment
         self._adjust_replica2part2dev_size(assign_parts)
+        # gather parts from failed devices
+        removed_devs = self._gather_parts_from_failed_devices(assign_parts)
         # gather parts for dispersion (N.B. this only picks up parts that
         # *must* disperse according to the replica plan)
         self._gather_parts_for_dispersion(assign_parts, replica_plan)
diff --git a/test/unit/common/ring/test_builder.py b/test/unit/common/ring/test_builder.py
index 454c6a130a..c8c5023a30 100644
--- a/test/unit/common/ring/test_builder.py
+++ b/test/unit/common/ring/test_builder.py
@@ -1385,6 +1385,21 @@ class TestRingBuilder(unittest.TestCase):
         rb.rebalance()  # this would crash since parts_wanted was not set
         rb.validate()
 
+    def test_reduce_replicas_after_remove_device(self):
+        rb = ring.RingBuilder(8, 3, 1)
+        rb.add_dev({'id': 0, 'region': 0, 'zone': 0, 'weight': 3,
+                    'ip': '127.0.0.1', 'port': 10000, 'device': 'sda'})
+        rb.add_dev({'id': 1, 'region': 0, 'zone': 0, 'weight': 3,
+                    'ip': '127.0.0.1', 'port': 10000, 'device': 'sda'})
+        rb.add_dev({'id': 2, 'region': 0, 'zone': 0, 'weight': 3,
+                    'ip': '127.0.0.1', 'port': 10000, 'device': 'sda'})
+        rb.rebalance()
+        rb.remove_dev(0)
+        self.assertRaises(exceptions.RingValidationError, rb.rebalance)
+        rb.set_replicas(2)
+        rb.rebalance()
+        rb.validate()
+
     def test_rebalance_post_upgrade(self):
         rb = ring.RingBuilder(8, 3, 1)
         # 5 devices: 5 is the smallest number that does not divide 3 * 2^8,