diff --git a/neutron/db/l3_db.py b/neutron/db/l3_db.py
index 69357afce4b..ee024c20578 100644
--- a/neutron/db/l3_db.py
+++ b/neutron/db/l3_db.py
@@ -169,10 +169,8 @@ class L3_NAT_dbonly_mixin(l3.RouterPluginBase):
         return self._make_router_dict(router_db)
 
     def _update_router_db(self, context, router_id, data, gw_info):
-        """Update the DB object and related gw info, if available."""
+        """Update the DB object."""
         with context.session.begin(subtransactions=True):
-            if gw_info != attributes.ATTR_NOT_SPECIFIED:
-                self._update_router_gw_info(context, router_id, gw_info)
             router_db = self._get_router(context, router_id)
             if data:
                 router_db.update(data)
@@ -188,6 +186,10 @@ class L3_NAT_dbonly_mixin(l3.RouterPluginBase):
         if gw_info != attributes.ATTR_NOT_SPECIFIED:
             candidates = self._check_router_needs_rescheduling(
                 context, id, gw_info)
+            # Update the gateway outside of the DB update since it involves L2
+            # calls that don't make sense to rollback and may cause deadlocks
+            # in a transaction.
+            self._update_router_gw_info(context, id, gw_info)
         else:
             candidates = None
         router_db = self._update_router_db(context, id, r, gw_info)
@@ -316,10 +318,10 @@ class L3_NAT_dbonly_mixin(l3.RouterPluginBase):
                 router.gw_port = None
                 context.session.add(router)
                 context.session.expire(gw_port)
-            vpnservice = manager.NeutronManager.get_service_plugins().get(
-                constants.VPN)
-            if vpnservice:
-                vpnservice.check_router_in_use(context, router_id)
+                vpnservice = manager.NeutronManager.get_service_plugins().get(
+                    constants.VPN)
+                if vpnservice:
+                    vpnservice.check_router_in_use(context, router_id)
             self._core_plugin.delete_port(
                 admin_ctx, gw_port['id'], l3_port_check=False)