diff --git a/hadoop-hdfs-project/hadoop-hdfs/CHANGES.HDFS-1623.txt b/hadoop-hdfs-project/hadoop-hdfs/CHANGES.HDFS-1623.txt
index 925af24d93..fecb9c8c82 100644
--- a/hadoop-hdfs-project/hadoop-hdfs/CHANGES.HDFS-1623.txt
+++ b/hadoop-hdfs-project/hadoop-hdfs/CHANGES.HDFS-1623.txt
@@ -49,3 +49,5 @@ HDFS-2625. TestDfsOverAvroRpc failing after introduction of HeartbeatResponse ty
 HDFS-2627. Determine DN's view of which NN is active based on heartbeat responses (todd)
 
 HDFS-2634. Standby needs to ingest latest edit logs before transitioning to active (todd)
+
+HDFS-2671. NN should throw StandbyException in response to RPCs in STANDBY state (todd)
diff --git a/hadoop-hdfs-project/hadoop-hdfs/src/main/java/org/apache/hadoop/hdfs/server/namenode/BackupNode.java b/hadoop-hdfs-project/hadoop-hdfs/src/main/java/org/apache/hadoop/hdfs/server/namenode/BackupNode.java
index 381bf7b5be..b84d4eb34a 100644
--- a/hadoop-hdfs-project/hadoop-hdfs/src/main/java/org/apache/hadoop/hdfs/server/namenode/BackupNode.java
+++ b/hadoop-hdfs-project/hadoop-hdfs/src/main/java/org/apache/hadoop/hdfs/server/namenode/BackupNode.java
@@ -43,6 +43,7 @@
 import org.apache.hadoop.hdfs.server.protocol.NamenodeRegistration;
 import org.apache.hadoop.hdfs.server.protocol.NamespaceInfo;
 import org.apache.hadoop.ipc.RPC;
+import org.apache.hadoop.ipc.StandbyException;
 import org.apache.hadoop.net.NetUtils;
 
 import com.google.protobuf.BlockingService;
@@ -397,11 +398,11 @@ String getClusterId() {
   
   @Override // NameNode
   protected void checkOperation(OperationCategory op)
-      throws UnsupportedActionException {
+      throws StandbyException {
     if (OperationCategory.JOURNAL != op) {
       String msg = "Operation category " + op
           + " is not supported at the BackupNode";
-      throw new UnsupportedActionException(msg);
+      throw new StandbyException(msg);
     }
   }
   
diff --git a/hadoop-hdfs-project/hadoop-hdfs/src/main/java/org/apache/hadoop/hdfs/server/namenode/NameNode.java b/hadoop-hdfs-project/hadoop-hdfs/src/main/java/org/apache/hadoop/hdfs/server/namenode/NameNode.java
index fca815fdea..25cbb2e08b 100644
--- a/hadoop-hdfs-project/hadoop-hdfs/src/main/java/org/apache/hadoop/hdfs/server/namenode/NameNode.java
+++ b/hadoop-hdfs-project/hadoop-hdfs/src/main/java/org/apache/hadoop/hdfs/server/namenode/NameNode.java
@@ -54,6 +54,7 @@
 import org.apache.hadoop.hdfs.server.protocol.NamenodeProtocol;
 import org.apache.hadoop.hdfs.server.protocol.NamenodeProtocols;
 import org.apache.hadoop.hdfs.server.protocol.NamenodeRegistration;
+import org.apache.hadoop.ipc.StandbyException;
 import org.apache.hadoop.metrics2.lib.DefaultMetricsSystem;
 import org.apache.hadoop.net.NetUtils;
 import org.apache.hadoop.security.RefreshUserMappingsProtocol;
@@ -910,7 +911,7 @@ synchronized void transitionToStandby() throws ServiceFailedException {
   
   /** Check if an operation of given category is allowed */
   protected synchronized void checkOperation(final OperationCategory op)
-      throws UnsupportedActionException {
+      throws StandbyException {
     state.checkOperation(haContext, op);
   }
   
diff --git a/hadoop-hdfs-project/hadoop-hdfs/src/main/java/org/apache/hadoop/hdfs/server/namenode/ha/ActiveState.java b/hadoop-hdfs-project/hadoop-hdfs/src/main/java/org/apache/hadoop/hdfs/server/namenode/ha/ActiveState.java
index e00df208d7..f893cc2883 100644
--- a/hadoop-hdfs-project/hadoop-hdfs/src/main/java/org/apache/hadoop/hdfs/server/namenode/ha/ActiveState.java
+++ b/hadoop-hdfs-project/hadoop-hdfs/src/main/java/org/apache/hadoop/hdfs/server/namenode/ha/ActiveState.java
@@ -37,8 +37,7 @@ public ActiveState() {
   }
 
   @Override
-  public void checkOperation(HAContext context, OperationCategory op)
-      throws UnsupportedActionException {
+  public void checkOperation(HAContext context, OperationCategory op) {
     return; // Other than journal all operations are allowed in active state
   }
   
diff --git a/hadoop-hdfs-project/hadoop-hdfs/src/main/java/org/apache/hadoop/hdfs/server/namenode/ha/HAState.java b/hadoop-hdfs-project/hadoop-hdfs/src/main/java/org/apache/hadoop/hdfs/server/namenode/ha/HAState.java
index 6ee516c4ca..d3ff252cbc 100644
--- a/hadoop-hdfs-project/hadoop-hdfs/src/main/java/org/apache/hadoop/hdfs/server/namenode/ha/HAState.java
+++ b/hadoop-hdfs-project/hadoop-hdfs/src/main/java/org/apache/hadoop/hdfs/server/namenode/ha/HAState.java
@@ -21,6 +21,7 @@
 import org.apache.hadoop.ha.ServiceFailedException;
 import org.apache.hadoop.hdfs.server.namenode.NameNode.OperationCategory;
 import org.apache.hadoop.hdfs.server.namenode.UnsupportedActionException;
+import org.apache.hadoop.ipc.StandbyException;
 
 /**
  * Namenode base state to implement state machine pattern.
@@ -89,12 +90,8 @@ public void setState(HAContext context, HAState s) throws ServiceFailedException
    * @throws UnsupportedActionException if a given type of operation is not
    *           supported in this state.
    */
-  public void checkOperation(final HAContext context, final OperationCategory op)
-      throws UnsupportedActionException {
-    String msg = "Operation category " + op + " is not supported in state "
-        + context.getState();
-    throw new UnsupportedActionException(msg);
-  }
+  public abstract void checkOperation(final HAContext context, final OperationCategory op)
+      throws StandbyException;
   
   @Override
   public String toString() {
diff --git a/hadoop-hdfs-project/hadoop-hdfs/src/main/java/org/apache/hadoop/hdfs/server/namenode/ha/StandbyState.java b/hadoop-hdfs-project/hadoop-hdfs/src/main/java/org/apache/hadoop/hdfs/server/namenode/ha/StandbyState.java
index a329934f58..aec86eae91 100644
--- a/hadoop-hdfs-project/hadoop-hdfs/src/main/java/org/apache/hadoop/hdfs/server/namenode/ha/StandbyState.java
+++ b/hadoop-hdfs-project/hadoop-hdfs/src/main/java/org/apache/hadoop/hdfs/server/namenode/ha/StandbyState.java
@@ -22,6 +22,8 @@
 import org.apache.hadoop.classification.InterfaceAudience;
 import org.apache.hadoop.ha.ServiceFailedException;
 import org.apache.hadoop.hdfs.server.namenode.NameNode;
+import org.apache.hadoop.hdfs.server.namenode.NameNode.OperationCategory;
+import org.apache.hadoop.ipc.StandbyException;
 
 /**
  * Namenode standby state. In this state the namenode acts as warm standby and
@@ -66,5 +68,13 @@ public void exitState(HAContext context) throws ServiceFailedException {
       throw new ServiceFailedException("Failed to stop standby services", e);
     }
   }
+
+  @Override
+  public void checkOperation(HAContext context, OperationCategory op)
+      throws StandbyException {
+    String msg = "Operation category " + op + " is not supported in state "
+        + context.getState();
+    throw new StandbyException(msg);
+  }
 }