diff --git a/zerver/tests/test_queue_worker.py b/zerver/tests/test_queue_worker.py
index 156a2f6c54..792b5e4e13 100644
--- a/zerver/tests/test_queue_worker.py
+++ b/zerver/tests/test_queue_worker.py
@@ -2,6 +2,7 @@
 import os
 import time
 import ujson
+import smtplib
 
 from django.conf import settings
 from django.http import HttpResponse
@@ -60,6 +61,31 @@ class WorkerTest(ZulipTestCase):
                 worker.setup()
                 worker.start()
 
+    def test_email_sending_worker_retries(self):
+        # type: () -> None
+        """Tests the retry_send_email_failures decorator to make sure it
+        retries sending the email 3 times and then gives up."""
+        fake_client = self.FakeClient()
+
+        data = {'test': 'test', 'failed_tries': 0, 'id': 'test_missed'}
+        fake_client.queue.append(('missedmessage_email_senders', data))
+
+        def fake_publish(queue_name, event, processor):
+            # type: (str, Dict[str, Any], Callable[[Any], None]) -> None
+            fake_client.queue.append((queue_name, event))
+
+        with simulated_queue_client(lambda: fake_client):
+            worker = queue_processors.MissedMessageSendingWorker()
+            worker.setup()
+            with patch('zerver.worker.queue_processors.send_email_from_dict',
+                       side_effect=smtplib.SMTPServerDisconnected), \
+                    patch('zerver.lib.queue.queue_json_publish',
+                          side_effect=fake_publish), \
+                    patch('logging.exception'):
+                worker.start()
+
+        self.assertEqual(data['failed_tries'], 4)
+
     def test_UserActivityWorker(self):
         # type: () -> None
         fake_client = self.FakeClient()
diff --git a/zerver/worker/queue_processors.py b/zerver/worker/queue_processors.py
index 9083f1c456..d3ec026e70 100644
--- a/zerver/worker/queue_processors.py
+++ b/zerver/worker/queue_processors.py
@@ -4,6 +4,10 @@ from typing import Any, Callable, Dict, List, Mapping, Optional, cast
 import signal
 import sys
 import os
+from functools import wraps
+
+import smtplib
+import socket
 
 from zulip_bots.lib import ExternalBotHandler, StateHandler
 from django.conf import settings
@@ -16,7 +20,7 @@ from zerver.models import \
 from zerver.lib.context_managers import lockfile
 from zerver.lib.error_notify import do_report_error
 from zerver.lib.feedback import handle_feedback
-from zerver.lib.queue import SimpleQueueClient, queue_json_publish
+from zerver.lib.queue import SimpleQueueClient, queue_json_publish, retry_event
 from zerver.lib.timestamp import timestamp_to_datetime
 from zerver.lib.notifications import handle_missedmessage_emails, enqueue_welcome_emails
 from zerver.lib.push_notifications import handle_push_notification
@@ -98,6 +102,27 @@ def check_and_send_restart_signal():
     except Exception:
         pass
 
+def retry_send_email_failures(func):
+    # type: (Callable[[Any, Dict[str, Any]], None]) -> Callable[[QueueProcessingWorker, Dict[str, Any]], None]
+    # If we don't use cast() and use QueueProcessingWorker instead of Any in
+    # function type annotation then mypy complains.
+    func = cast(Callable[[QueueProcessingWorker, Dict[str, Any]], None], func)
+
+    @wraps(func)
+    def wrapper(worker, data):
+        # type: (QueueProcessingWorker, Dict[str, Any]) -> None
+        try:
+            func(worker, data)
+        except (smtplib.SMTPServerDisconnected, socket.gaierror):
+
+            def on_failure(event):
+                # type: (Dict[str, Any]) -> None
+                logging.exception("Event {} failed".format(event['id']))
+
+            retry_event(worker.queue_name, data, on_failure)
+
+    return wrapper
+
 class QueueProcessingWorker(object):
     queue_name = None  # type: str
 
@@ -245,6 +270,7 @@ class MissedMessageWorker(QueueProcessingWorker):
 
 @assign_queue('missedmessage_email_senders')
 class MissedMessageSendingWorker(QueueProcessingWorker):
+    @retry_send_email_failures
     def consume(self, data):
         # type: (Dict[str, Any]) -> None
         try: