diff --git a/neutron/notifiers/nova.py b/neutron/notifiers/nova.py
index bcb253ccfa..1237a16b74 100644
--- a/neutron/notifiers/nova.py
+++ b/neutron/notifiers/nova.py
@@ -13,6 +13,7 @@
 #    License for the specific language governing permissions and limitations
 #    under the License.
 
+import eventlet
 from novaclient import exceptions as nova_exceptions
 import novaclient.v1_1.client as nclient
 from novaclient.v1_1.contrib import server_external_events
@@ -23,7 +24,6 @@ from neutron.common import constants
 from neutron import context
 from neutron import manager
 from neutron.openstack.common import log as logging
-from neutron.openstack.common import loopingcall
 from neutron.openstack.common import uuidutils
 
 
@@ -55,8 +55,44 @@ class Notifier(object):
             region_name=cfg.CONF.nova_region_name,
             extensions=[server_external_events])
         self.pending_events = []
-        event_sender = loopingcall.FixedIntervalLoopingCall(self.send_events)
-        event_sender.start(interval=cfg.CONF.send_events_interval)
+        self._waiting_to_send = False
+
+    def queue_event(self, event):
+        """Called to queue sending an event with the next batch of events.
+
+        Sending events individually, as they occur, has been problematic as it
+        can result in a flood of sends.  Previously, there was a loopingcall
+        thread that would send batched events on a periodic interval.  However,
+        maintaining a persistent thread in the loopingcall was also
+        problematic.
+
+        This replaces the loopingcall with a mechanism that creates a
+        short-lived thread on demand when the first event is queued.  That
+        thread will sleep once for the same send_events_interval to allow other
+        events to queue up in pending_events and then will send them when it
+        wakes.
+
+        If a thread is already alive and waiting, this call will simply queue
+        the event and return leaving it up to the thread to send it.
+
+        :param event: the event that occured.
+        """
+        if not event:
+            return
+
+        self.pending_events.append(event)
+
+        if self._waiting_to_send:
+            return
+
+        self._waiting_to_send = True
+
+        def last_out_sends():
+            eventlet.sleep(cfg.CONF.send_events_interval)
+            self._waiting_to_send = False
+            self.send_events()
+
+        eventlet.spawn_n(last_out_sends)
 
     def _is_compute_port(self, port):
         try:
@@ -94,8 +130,7 @@ class Notifier(object):
 
         event = self.create_port_changed_event(action, original_obj,
                                                returned_obj)
-        if event:
-            self.pending_events.append(event)
+        self.queue_event(event)
 
     def create_port_changed_event(self, action, original_obj, returned_obj):
         port = None
@@ -172,8 +207,7 @@ class Notifier(object):
 
     def send_port_status(self, mapper, connection, port):
         event = getattr(port, "_notify_event", None)
-        if event:
-            self.pending_events.append(event)
+        self.queue_event(event)
         port._notify_event = None
 
     def send_events(self):
diff --git a/neutron/tests/unit/notifiers/test_notifiers_nova.py b/neutron/tests/unit/notifiers/test_notifiers_nova.py
index eb32aef6df..7972ebf55a 100644
--- a/neutron/tests/unit/notifiers/test_notifiers_nova.py
+++ b/neutron/tests/unit/notifiers/test_notifiers_nova.py
@@ -274,3 +274,32 @@ class TestNovaNotify(base.BaseTestCase):
             self.nova_notifier.pending_events.append(
                 {'name': 'network-changed', 'server_uuid': device_id})
             self.nova_notifier.send_events()
+
+    def test_queue_event_no_event(self):
+        with mock.patch('eventlet.spawn_n') as spawn_n:
+            self.nova_notifier.queue_event(None)
+            self.assertEqual(0, len(self.nova_notifier.pending_events))
+            self.assertEqual(0, spawn_n.call_count)
+
+    def test_queue_event_first_event(self):
+        with mock.patch('eventlet.spawn_n') as spawn_n:
+            self.nova_notifier.queue_event(mock.Mock())
+            self.assertEqual(1, len(self.nova_notifier.pending_events))
+            self.assertEqual(1, spawn_n.call_count)
+
+    def test_queue_event_multiple_events(self):
+        with mock.patch('eventlet.spawn_n') as spawn_n:
+            events = 6
+            for i in range(0, events):
+                self.nova_notifier.queue_event(mock.Mock())
+            self.assertEqual(events, len(self.nova_notifier.pending_events))
+            self.assertEqual(1, spawn_n.call_count)
+
+    def test_queue_event_call_send_events(self):
+        with mock.patch.object(self.nova_notifier,
+                               'send_events') as send_events:
+            with mock.patch('eventlet.spawn_n') as spawn_n:
+                spawn_n.side_effect = lambda func: func()
+                self.nova_notifier.queue_event(mock.Mock())
+                self.assertFalse(self.nova_notifier._waiting_to_send)
+                send_events.assert_called_once_with()