diff --git a/neutron/agent/linux/ra.py b/neutron/agent/linux/ra.py
index 66fa0129f1..6bdfea57c5 100644
--- a/neutron/agent/linux/ra.py
+++ b/neutron/agent/linux/ra.py
@@ -82,9 +82,15 @@ def _generate_radvd_conf(router_id, router_ports, dev_name_helper):
 
 def _spawn_radvd(router_id, radvd_conf, router_ns, root_helper):
     def callback(pid_file):
+        # we need to use -m syslog and f.e. not -m stderr (the default)
+        # or -m stderr_syslog so that radvd 2.0+ will close stderr and
+        # exit after daemonization; otherwise, the current thread will
+        # be locked waiting for result from radvd that won't ever come
+        # until the process dies
         radvd_cmd = ['radvd',
                      '-C', '%s' % radvd_conf,
-                     '-p', '%s' % pid_file]
+                     '-p', '%s' % pid_file,
+                     '-m', 'syslog']
         return radvd_cmd
 
     radvd = external_process.ProcessManager(cfg.CONF,
diff --git a/neutron/tests/unit/test_l3_agent.py b/neutron/tests/unit/test_l3_agent.py
index 54ae156cf6..339dae14ec 100644
--- a/neutron/tests/unit/test_l3_agent.py
+++ b/neutron/tests/unit/test_l3_agent.py
@@ -27,6 +27,7 @@ from neutron.agent.common import config as agent_config
 from neutron.agent import l3_agent
 from neutron.agent import l3_ha_agent
 from neutron.agent.linux import interface
+from neutron.agent.linux import ra
 from neutron.common import config as base_config
 from neutron.common import constants as l3_constants
 from neutron.common import exceptions as n_exc
@@ -2315,6 +2316,38 @@ vrrp_instance VR_1 {
         self.assertFalse(nat.add_rule.called)
         nat.clear_rules_by_tag.assert_called_once_with('floating_ip')
 
+    def test_spawn_radvd(self):
+        router = prepare_router_data()
+
+        conffile = '/fake/radvd.conf'
+        pidfile = '/fake/radvd.pid'
+        agent = l3_agent.L3NATAgent(HOSTNAME, self.conf)
+
+        # we don't want the whole process manager to be mocked to be
+        # able to catch execute() calls
+        self.external_process_p.stop()
+        self.ip_cls_p.stop()
+
+        get_pid_file_name = ('neutron.agent.linux.external_process.'
+                             'ProcessManager.get_pid_file_name')
+        with mock.patch('neutron.agent.linux.utils.execute') as execute:
+            with mock.patch(get_pid_file_name) as get_pid:
+                get_pid.return_value = pidfile
+                ra._spawn_radvd(router['id'],
+                                conffile,
+                                agent.get_ns_name(router['id']),
+                                self.conf.root_helper)
+            cmd = execute.call_args[0][0]
+
+        self.assertIn('radvd', cmd)
+
+        _join = lambda *args: ' '.join(args)
+
+        cmd = _join(*cmd)
+        self.assertIn(_join('-C', conffile), cmd)
+        self.assertIn(_join('-p', pidfile), cmd)
+        self.assertIn(_join('-m', 'syslog'), cmd)
+
 
 class TestL3AgentEventHandler(base.BaseTestCase):