diff --git a/src/__phutil_library_map__.php b/src/__phutil_library_map__.php
--- a/src/__phutil_library_map__.php
+++ b/src/__phutil_library_map__.php
@@ -1000,6 +1000,7 @@
     'DoorkeeperSchemaSpec' => 'applications/doorkeeper/storage/DoorkeeperSchemaSpec.php',
     'DoorkeeperTagView' => 'applications/doorkeeper/view/DoorkeeperTagView.php',
     'DoorkeeperTagsController' => 'applications/doorkeeper/controller/DoorkeeperTagsController.php',
+    'DrydockAcquiredBrokenResourceException' => 'applications/drydock/exception/DrydockAcquiredBrokenResourceException.php',
     'DrydockAlmanacServiceHostBlueprintImplementation' => 'applications/drydock/blueprint/DrydockAlmanacServiceHostBlueprintImplementation.php',
     'DrydockApacheWebrootInterface' => 'applications/drydock/interface/webroot/DrydockApacheWebrootInterface.php',
     'DrydockAuthorization' => 'applications/drydock/storage/DrydockAuthorization.php',
@@ -1065,6 +1066,7 @@
     'DrydockLeasePHIDType' => 'applications/drydock/phid/DrydockLeasePHIDType.php',
     'DrydockLeaseQuery' => 'applications/drydock/query/DrydockLeaseQuery.php',
     'DrydockLeaseQueuedLogType' => 'applications/drydock/logtype/DrydockLeaseQueuedLogType.php',
+    'DrydockLeaseReacquireLogType' => 'applications/drydock/logtype/DrydockLeaseReacquireLogType.php',
     'DrydockLeaseReclaimLogType' => 'applications/drydock/logtype/DrydockLeaseReclaimLogType.php',
     'DrydockLeaseReleaseController' => 'applications/drydock/controller/DrydockLeaseReleaseController.php',
     'DrydockLeaseReleasedLogType' => 'applications/drydock/logtype/DrydockLeaseReleasedLogType.php',
@@ -6199,6 +6201,7 @@
     'DoorkeeperSchemaSpec' => 'PhabricatorConfigSchemaSpec',
     'DoorkeeperTagView' => 'AphrontView',
     'DoorkeeperTagsController' => 'PhabricatorController',
+    'DrydockAcquiredBrokenResourceException' => 'Exception',
     'DrydockAlmanacServiceHostBlueprintImplementation' => 'DrydockBlueprintImplementation',
     'DrydockApacheWebrootInterface' => 'DrydockWebrootInterface',
     'DrydockAuthorization' => array(
@@ -6285,6 +6288,7 @@
     'DrydockLeasePHIDType' => 'PhabricatorPHIDType',
     'DrydockLeaseQuery' => 'DrydockQuery',
     'DrydockLeaseQueuedLogType' => 'DrydockLogType',
+    'DrydockLeaseReacquireLogType' => 'DrydockLogType',
     'DrydockLeaseReclaimLogType' => 'DrydockLogType',
     'DrydockLeaseReleaseController' => 'DrydockLeaseController',
     'DrydockLeaseReleasedLogType' => 'DrydockLogType',
diff --git a/src/applications/drydock/exception/DrydockAcquiredBrokenResourceException.php b/src/applications/drydock/exception/DrydockAcquiredBrokenResourceException.php
new file mode 100644
--- /dev/null
+++ b/src/applications/drydock/exception/DrydockAcquiredBrokenResourceException.php
@@ -0,0 +1,4 @@
+<?php
+
+final class DrydockAcquiredBrokenResourceException
+  extends Exception {}
diff --git a/src/applications/drydock/logtype/DrydockLeaseReacquireLogType.php b/src/applications/drydock/logtype/DrydockLeaseReacquireLogType.php
new file mode 100644
--- /dev/null
+++ b/src/applications/drydock/logtype/DrydockLeaseReacquireLogType.php
@@ -0,0 +1,26 @@
+<?php
+
+final class DrydockLeaseReacquireLogType extends DrydockLogType {
+
+  const LOGCONST = 'core.lease.reacquire';
+
+  public function getLogTypeName() {
+    return pht('Reacquiring Resource');
+  }
+
+  public function getLogTypeIcon(array $data) {
+    return 'fa-refresh yellow';
+  }
+
+  public function renderLog(array $data) {
+    $class = idx($data, 'class');
+    $message = idx($data, 'message');
+
+    return pht(
+      'Lease acquired a resource but failed to activate; acquisition '.
+      'will be retried: [%s] %s',
+      $class,
+      $message);
+  }
+
+}
diff --git a/src/applications/drydock/worker/DrydockLeaseUpdateWorker.php b/src/applications/drydock/worker/DrydockLeaseUpdateWorker.php
--- a/src/applications/drydock/worker/DrydockLeaseUpdateWorker.php
+++ b/src/applications/drydock/worker/DrydockLeaseUpdateWorker.php
@@ -43,6 +43,26 @@
   private function handleUpdate(DrydockLease $lease) {
     try {
       $this->updateLease($lease);
+    } catch (DrydockAcquiredBrokenResourceException $ex) {
+      // If this lease acquired a resource but failed to activate, we don't
+      // need to break the lease. We can throw it back in the pool and let
+      // it take another shot at acquiring a new resource.
+
+      // Before we throw it back, release any locks the lease is holding.
+      DrydockSlotLock::releaseLocks($lease->getPHID());
+
+      $lease
+        ->setStatus(DrydockLeaseStatus::STATUS_PENDING)
+        ->save();
+
+      $lease->logEvent(
+        DrydockLeaseReacquireLogType::LOGCONST,
+        array(
+          'class' => get_class($ex),
+          'message' => $ex->getMessage(),
+        ));
+
+      $this->yieldLease($lease, $ex);
     } catch (Exception $ex) {
       if ($this->isTemporaryException($ex)) {
         $this->yieldLease($lease, $ex);
@@ -749,9 +769,12 @@
     }
 
     if ($resource_status != DrydockResourceStatus::STATUS_ACTIVE) {
-      throw new Exception(
+      throw new DrydockAcquiredBrokenResourceException(
         pht(
-          'Trying to activate lease on a dead resource (in status "%s").',
+          'Trying to activate lease ("%s") on a resource ("%s") in '.
+          'the wrong status ("%s").',
+          $lease->getPHID(),
+          $resource->getPHID(),
           $resource_status));
     }