diff --git a/homeassistant/components/zha/core/gateway.py b/homeassistant/components/zha/core/gateway.py
index 6a02a21781d..ffd005e8edc 100644
--- a/homeassistant/components/zha/core/gateway.py
+++ b/homeassistant/components/zha/core/gateway.py
@@ -17,6 +17,7 @@ from zigpy.application import ControllerApplication
 from zigpy.config import CONF_DEVICE
 import zigpy.device
 import zigpy.endpoint
+import zigpy.exceptions
 import zigpy.group
 from zigpy.types.named import EUI64
 
@@ -24,6 +25,7 @@ from homeassistant import __path__ as HOMEASSISTANT_PATH
 from homeassistant.components.system_log import LogEntry, _figure_out_source
 from homeassistant.config_entries import ConfigEntry
 from homeassistant.core import HomeAssistant, callback
+from homeassistant.exceptions import ConfigEntryNotReady
 from homeassistant.helpers import device_registry as dr, entity_registry as er
 from homeassistant.helpers.dispatcher import async_dispatcher_send
 from homeassistant.helpers.entity import DeviceInfo
@@ -172,6 +174,8 @@ class ZHAGateway:
                 self.application_controller = await app_controller_cls.new(
                     app_config, auto_form=True, start_radio=True
                 )
+            except zigpy.exceptions.TransientConnectionError as exc:
+                raise ConfigEntryNotReady from exc
             except Exception as exc:  # pylint: disable=broad-except
                 _LOGGER.warning(
                     "Couldn't start %s coordinator (attempt %s of %s)",
diff --git a/tests/components/zha/test_gateway.py b/tests/components/zha/test_gateway.py
index bc49b04d86a..4eb95a8441b 100644
--- a/tests/components/zha/test_gateway.py
+++ b/tests/components/zha/test_gateway.py
@@ -3,12 +3,14 @@ import asyncio
 from unittest.mock import AsyncMock, MagicMock, patch
 
 import pytest
+import zigpy.exceptions
 import zigpy.profiles.zha as zha
 import zigpy.zcl.clusters.general as general
 import zigpy.zcl.clusters.lighting as lighting
 
 from homeassistant.components.zha.core.group import GroupMember
 from homeassistant.const import Platform
+from homeassistant.exceptions import ConfigEntryNotReady
 
 from .common import async_find_group_entity_id, get_zha_gateway
 from .conftest import SIG_EP_INPUT, SIG_EP_OUTPUT, SIG_EP_PROFILE, SIG_EP_TYPE
@@ -259,3 +261,20 @@ async def test_gateway_initialize_failure(hass, device_light_1, coordinator):
             await zha_gateway.async_initialize()
 
     assert mock_new.call_count == 3
+
+
+@patch("homeassistant.components.zha.core.gateway.STARTUP_FAILURE_DELAY_S", 0.01)
+async def test_gateway_initialize_failure_transient(hass, device_light_1, coordinator):
+    """Test ZHA failing to initialize the gateway but with a transient error."""
+    zha_gateway = get_zha_gateway(hass)
+    assert zha_gateway is not None
+
+    with patch(
+        "bellows.zigbee.application.ControllerApplication.new",
+        side_effect=[RuntimeError(), zigpy.exceptions.TransientConnectionError()],
+    ) as mock_new:
+        with pytest.raises(ConfigEntryNotReady):
+            await zha_gateway.async_initialize()
+
+    # Initialization immediately stops and is retried after TransientConnectionError
+    assert mock_new.call_count == 2