diff --git a/pkg/ovncontroller/daemonset.go b/pkg/ovncontroller/daemonset.go
index dfb9e0f1..215bd621 100644
--- a/pkg/ovncontroller/daemonset.go
+++ b/pkg/ovncontroller/daemonset.go
@@ -177,7 +177,7 @@ func CreateOVSDaemonSet(
 			Lifecycle: &corev1.Lifecycle{
 				PreStop: &corev1.LifecycleHandler{
 					Exec: &corev1.ExecAction{
-						Command: []string{"/usr/share/openvswitch/scripts/ovs-ctl", "stop", "--no-ovs-vswitchd"},
+						Command: []string{"/usr/local/bin/container-scripts/stop-ovsdb-server.sh"},
 					},
 				},
 			},
@@ -199,12 +199,11 @@ func CreateOVSDaemonSet(
 		},
 		{
 			Name:    "ovs-vswitchd",
-			Command: []string{"/bin/bash", "-c"},
-			Args:    []string{"/usr/local/bin/container-scripts/net_setup.sh && /usr/sbin/ovs-vswitchd --pidfile --mlockall"},
+			Command: []string{"/usr/local/bin/container-scripts/start-vswitchd.sh"},
 			Lifecycle: &corev1.Lifecycle{
 				PreStop: &corev1.LifecycleHandler{
 					Exec: &corev1.ExecAction{
-						Command: []string{"/usr/share/openvswitch/scripts/ovs-ctl", "stop", "--no-ovsdb-server"},
+						Command: []string{"/usr/local/bin/container-scripts/stop-vswitchd.sh"},
 					},
 				},
 			},
diff --git a/templates/ovncontroller/bin/functions b/templates/ovncontroller/bin/functions
index c1a8a79c..8b4d7388 100755
--- a/templates/ovncontroller/bin/functions
+++ b/templates/ovncontroller/bin/functions
@@ -23,6 +23,20 @@ EnableChassisAsGateway=${EnableChassisAsGateway:-true}
 PhysicalNetworks=${PhysicalNetworks:-""}
 OVNHostName=${OVNHostName:-""}
 
+ovs_dir=/var/lib/openvswitch
+FLOWS_RESTORE_SCRIPT=$ovs_dir/flows-script
+FLOWS_RESTORE_DIR=$ovs_dir/saved-flows
+SAFE_TO_STOP_OVSDB_SERVER_SEMAPHORE=$ovs_dir/is_safe_to_stop_ovsdb_server
+
+function cleanup_ovsdb_server_semaphore() {
+    rm -f $SAFE_TO_STOP_OVSDB_SERVER_SEMAPHORE 2>&1 > /dev/null
+}
+
+function cleanup_flows_backup() {
+    rm -f $FLOWS_RESTORE_SCRIPT 2>&1 > /dev/null
+    rm -rf $FLOWS_RESTORE_DIR 2>&1 > /dev/null
+}
+
 function wait_for_ovsdb_server {
     while true; do
         /usr/bin/ovs-vsctl show
diff --git a/templates/ovncontroller/bin/start-ovsdb-server.sh b/templates/ovncontroller/bin/start-ovsdb-server.sh
index 1a3e577c..42bf8f63 100755
--- a/templates/ovncontroller/bin/start-ovsdb-server.sh
+++ b/templates/ovncontroller/bin/start-ovsdb-server.sh
@@ -13,11 +13,15 @@
 # WARRANTIES OR CONDITIONS OF ANY KIND, either express or implied. See the
 # License for the specific language governing permissions and limitations
 # under the License.
+
 set -ex
+source $(dirname $0)/functions
 
-CTL_ARGS="--system-id=random --no-ovs-vswitchd"
+# Remove the obsolete semaphore file in case it still exists.
+cleanup_ovsdb_server_semaphore
 
 # Initialize or upgrade database if needed
+CTL_ARGS="--system-id=random --no-ovs-vswitchd"
 /usr/share/openvswitch/scripts/ovs-ctl start $CTL_ARGS
 /usr/share/openvswitch/scripts/ovs-ctl stop $CTL_ARGS
 
diff --git a/templates/ovncontroller/bin/start-vswitchd.sh b/templates/ovncontroller/bin/start-vswitchd.sh
new file mode 100755
index 00000000..c9ee0a24
--- /dev/null
+++ b/templates/ovncontroller/bin/start-vswitchd.sh
@@ -0,0 +1,54 @@
+#!/bin/sh
+#
+# Copyright 2024 Red Hat Inc.
+#
+# Licensed under the Apache License, Version 2.0 (the "License"); you may
+# not use this file except in compliance with the License. You may obtain
+# a copy of the License at
+#
+#      http://www.apache.org/licenses/LICENSE-2.0
+#
+# Unless required by applicable law or agreed to in writing, software
+# distributed under the License is distributed on an "AS IS" BASIS, WITHOUT
+# WARRANTIES OR CONDITIONS OF ANY KIND, either express or implied. See the
+# License for the specific language governing permissions and limitations
+# under the License.
+
+source $(dirname $0)/functions
+wait_for_ovsdb_server
+
+# The order - first wait for db server, then set -ex - is important. Otherwise,
+# wait_for_ovsdb_server interrim check would make the script exit.
+set -ex
+
+# Configure encap IP.
+OVNEncapIP=$(ip -o addr show dev {{ .OVNEncapNIC }} scope global | awk '{print $4}' | cut -d/ -f1)
+ovs-vsctl --no-wait set open . external-ids:ovn-encap-ip=${OVNEncapIP}
+
+# Before starting vswitchd, block it from flushing existing datapath flows.
+ovs-vsctl --no-wait set open_vswitch . other_config:flow-restore-wait=true
+
+# It's safe to start vswitchd now. Do it.
+# --detach to allow the execution to continue to restoring the flows.
+/usr/sbin/ovs-vswitchd --pidfile --mlockall --detach
+
+# Restore saved flows.
+if [ -f $FLOWS_RESTORE_SCRIPT ]; then
+    # It's unsafe to leave these files in place if they fail once. Make sure we
+    # remove them if the eval fails.
+    trap cleanup_flows_backup EXIT
+    eval "$(cat $FLOWS_RESTORE_SCRIPT)"
+    trap - EXIT
+fi
+
+# It's also unsafe to leave these files after flow-restore-wait flag is removed
+# because the backup will become stale and if a container later crashes, it may
+# mistakenly try to restore from this old backup.
+cleanup_flows_backup
+
+# Now, inform vswitchd that we are done.
+ovs-vsctl remove open_vswitch . other_config flow-restore-wait
+
+# This is container command script. Block it from exiting, otherwise k8s will
+# restart the container again.
+sleep infinity
diff --git a/templates/ovncontroller/bin/net_setup.sh b/templates/ovncontroller/bin/stop-ovsdb-server.sh
similarity index 53%
rename from templates/ovncontroller/bin/net_setup.sh
rename to templates/ovncontroller/bin/stop-ovsdb-server.sh
index 305200e4..2d15c507 100755
--- a/templates/ovncontroller/bin/net_setup.sh
+++ b/templates/ovncontroller/bin/stop-ovsdb-server.sh
@@ -1,6 +1,6 @@
 #!/bin/sh
 #
-# Copyright 2023 Red Hat Inc.
+# Copyright 2024 Red Hat Inc.
 #
 # Licensed under the Apache License, Version 2.0 (the "License"); you may
 # not use this file except in compliance with the License. You may obtain
@@ -14,11 +14,17 @@
 # License for the specific language governing permissions and limitations
 # under the License.
 
-OVNEncapIP=$(ip -o addr show dev {{ .OVNEncapNIC }} scope global | awk '{print $4}' | cut -d/ -f1)
-
+set -ex
 source $(dirname $0)/functions
 
-wait_for_ovsdb_server
+# The ovs_vswitchd container has to terminate before ovsdb-server because it
+# needs access to db in its preStop script. The preStop script backs up flows
+# for restoration during the next startup. This semaphore ensures the vswitchd
+# container is not torn down before flows are saved.
+while [ ! -f $SAFE_TO_STOP_OVSDB_SERVER_SEMAPHORE ]; do
+    sleep 0.5
+done
+cleanup_ovsdb_server_semaphore
 
-set -ex
-ovs-vsctl --no-wait set open . external-ids:ovn-encap-ip=${OVNEncapIP}
+# Now it's safe to stop db server. Do it.
+/usr/share/openvswitch/scripts/ovs-ctl stop --no-ovs-vswitchd
diff --git a/templates/ovncontroller/bin/stop-vswitchd.sh b/templates/ovncontroller/bin/stop-vswitchd.sh
new file mode 100755
index 00000000..d12f74c9
--- /dev/null
+++ b/templates/ovncontroller/bin/stop-vswitchd.sh
@@ -0,0 +1,36 @@
+#!/bin/sh
+#
+# Copyright 2024 Red Hat Inc.
+#
+# Licensed under the Apache License, Version 2.0 (the "License"); you may
+# not use this file except in compliance with the License. You may obtain
+# a copy of the License at
+#
+#      http://www.apache.org/licenses/LICENSE-2.0
+#
+# Unless required by applicable law or agreed to in writing, software
+# distributed under the License is distributed on an "AS IS" BASIS, WITHOUT
+# WARRANTIES OR CONDITIONS OF ANY KIND, either express or implied. See the
+# License for the specific language governing permissions and limitations
+# under the License.
+
+set -ex
+source $(dirname $0)/functions
+
+# Clean up any previously created flow backups to avoid conflict with newly
+# generated backup.
+cleanup_flows_backup
+
+# Passing --real to mimic what upstream startup scripts do; maybe redundant.
+bridges=$(ovs-vsctl -- --real list-br)
+
+# Saving flows to avoid disrupting gateway datapath.
+mkdir $FLOWS_RESTORE_DIR
+TMPDIR=$FLOWS_RESTORE_DIR /usr/share/openvswitch/scripts/ovs-save save-flows $bridges > $FLOWS_RESTORE_SCRIPT
+
+# Once save-flows logic is complete it no longer needs ovsdb-server, this file
+# unlocks the db preStop script, working as a semaphore
+touch $SAFE_TO_STOP_OVSDB_SERVER_SEMAPHORE
+
+# Finally, stop vswitchd.
+/usr/share/openvswitch/scripts/ovs-ctl stop --no-ovsdb-server
diff --git a/tests/functional/ovncontroller_controller_test.go b/tests/functional/ovncontroller_controller_test.go
index cf0d7d3d..ba321325 100644
--- a/tests/functional/ovncontroller_controller_test.go
+++ b/tests/functional/ovncontroller_controller_test.go
@@ -65,7 +65,7 @@ var _ = Describe("OVNController controller", func() {
 			}, timeout, interval).Should(ContainElement("openstack.org/ovncontroller"))
 		})
 
-		It("should create a ConfigMap for net_setup.sh with eth0 as Interface Name", func() {
+		It("should create a ConfigMap for start-vswitchd.sh with eth0 as Interface Name", func() {
 			scriptsCM := types.NamespacedName{
 				Namespace: OVNControllerName.Namespace,
 				Name:      fmt.Sprintf("%s-%s", OVNControllerName.Name, "scripts"),
@@ -74,7 +74,7 @@ var _ = Describe("OVNController controller", func() {
 				return *th.GetConfigMap(scriptsCM)
 			}, timeout, interval).ShouldNot(BeNil())
 
-			Expect(th.GetConfigMap(scriptsCM).Data["net_setup.sh"]).Should(
+			Expect(th.GetConfigMap(scriptsCM).Data["start-vswitchd.sh"]).Should(
 				ContainSubstring("addr show dev eth0"))
 
 			th.ExpectCondition(
@@ -179,12 +179,12 @@ var _ = Describe("OVNController controller", func() {
 				th.AssertJobDoesNotExist(configJobOVS)
 			})
 
-			It("should create a ConfigMap for net_setup.sh with eth0 as Interface Name", func() {
+			It("should create a ConfigMap for start-vswitchd.sh with eth0 as Interface Name", func() {
 				Eventually(func() corev1.ConfigMap {
 					return *th.GetConfigMap(scriptsCM)
 				}, timeout, interval).ShouldNot(BeNil())
 
-				Expect(th.GetConfigMap(scriptsCM).Data["net_setup.sh"]).Should(
+				Expect(th.GetConfigMap(scriptsCM).Data["start-vswitchd.sh"]).Should(
 					ContainSubstring("addr show dev eth0"))
 
 				th.ExpectCondition(
@@ -445,7 +445,7 @@ var _ = Describe("OVNController controller", func() {
 
 			}, timeout, interval).Should(Succeed())
 		})
-		It("should create a ConfigMap for net_setup.sh with nic name as Network Attachment and OwnerReferences set", func() {
+		It("should create a ConfigMap for start-vswitchd.sh with nic name as Network Attachment and OwnerReferences set", func() {
 
 			scriptsCM := types.NamespacedName{
 				Namespace: OVNControllerName.Namespace,
@@ -461,7 +461,7 @@ var _ = Describe("OVNController controller", func() {
 			Expect(th.GetConfigMap(scriptsCM).ObjectMeta.OwnerReferences[0].Kind).To(Equal("OVNController"))
 
 			ovncontroller := GetOVNController(OVNControllerName)
-			Expect(th.GetConfigMap(scriptsCM).Data["net_setup.sh"]).Should(
+			Expect(th.GetConfigMap(scriptsCM).Data["start-vswitchd.sh"]).Should(
 				ContainSubstring("addr show dev %s", ovncontroller.Spec.NetworkAttachment))
 		})
 		It("should create an external ConfigMap with expected key-value pairs and OwnerReferences set", func() {
diff --git a/tests/kuttl/tests/ovn_restart_flow/01-assert.yaml b/tests/kuttl/tests/ovn_restart_flow/01-assert.yaml
new file mode 120000
index 00000000..461654ea
--- /dev/null
+++ b/tests/kuttl/tests/ovn_restart_flow/01-assert.yaml
@@ -0,0 +1 @@
+../../common/assert_sample_deployment.yaml
\ No newline at end of file
diff --git a/tests/kuttl/tests/ovn_restart_flow/01-deploy-ovn.yaml b/tests/kuttl/tests/ovn_restart_flow/01-deploy-ovn.yaml
new file mode 120000
index 00000000..ec519de5
--- /dev/null
+++ b/tests/kuttl/tests/ovn_restart_flow/01-deploy-ovn.yaml
@@ -0,0 +1 @@
+../../common/deploy_ovn.yaml
\ No newline at end of file
diff --git a/tests/kuttl/tests/ovn_restart_flow/02-add-bridge-and-flows.yaml b/tests/kuttl/tests/ovn_restart_flow/02-add-bridge-and-flows.yaml
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..680f212f
--- /dev/null
+++ b/tests/kuttl/tests/ovn_restart_flow/02-add-bridge-and-flows.yaml
@@ -0,0 +1,9 @@
+apiVersion: kuttl.dev/v1beta1
+kind: TestStep
+commands:
+  - script: |
+      node=$(oc get nodes -o name|sort|head -1| sed "s|node/||g")
+      controller_pod=$(oc get pod -n $NAMESPACE -l service=ovn-controller-ovs --field-selector spec.nodeName=$node -o name | head -1)
+      oc rsh -n $NAMESPACE --container ovs-vswitchd $controller_pod ovs-vsctl --if-exists del-br br-test-flows || exit 1
+      oc rsh -n $NAMESPACE --container ovs-vswitchd $controller_pod ovs-vsctl add-br br-test-flows || exit 1
+      oc rsh -n $NAMESPACE --container ovs-vswitchd $controller_pod ovs-ofctl add-flow br-test-flows "table=100, priority=200 action=drop" || exit 1
diff --git a/tests/kuttl/tests/ovn_restart_flow/03-assert.yaml b/tests/kuttl/tests/ovn_restart_flow/03-assert.yaml
new file mode 120000
index 00000000..461654ea
--- /dev/null
+++ b/tests/kuttl/tests/ovn_restart_flow/03-assert.yaml
@@ -0,0 +1 @@
+../../common/assert_sample_deployment.yaml
\ No newline at end of file
diff --git a/tests/kuttl/tests/ovn_restart_flow/03-delete-pods.yaml b/tests/kuttl/tests/ovn_restart_flow/03-delete-pods.yaml
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..8c86bab7
--- /dev/null
+++ b/tests/kuttl/tests/ovn_restart_flow/03-delete-pods.yaml
@@ -0,0 +1,7 @@
+apiVersion: kuttl.dev/v1beta1
+kind: TestStep
+commands:
+  - script: |
+      node=$(oc get nodes -o name|sort|head -1| sed "s|node/||g")
+      controller_pod=$(oc get pod -n $NAMESPACE -l service=ovn-controller-ovs --field-selector spec.nodeName=$node -o name | head -1)
+      oc delete -n $NAMESPACE $controller_pod
diff --git a/tests/kuttl/tests/ovn_restart_flow/04-assert-flows-present.yaml b/tests/kuttl/tests/ovn_restart_flow/04-assert-flows-present.yaml
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..fff4833e
--- /dev/null
+++ b/tests/kuttl/tests/ovn_restart_flow/04-assert-flows-present.yaml
@@ -0,0 +1,17 @@
+#
+# Check for:
+#
+# - Check that the flow added to the test bridge "br-test-flows" is present
+#   after the ovn-controller has been restarted.
+#   Expected flow: "table=100, priority=200 actions=drop"
+
+apiVersion: kuttl.dev/v1beta1
+kind: TestAssert
+timeout: 300
+commands:
+    - script: |
+        node=$(oc get nodes -o name|sort|head -1| sed "s|node/||g")
+        controller_pod=$(oc get pod -n $NAMESPACE -l service=ovn-controller-ovs --field-selector spec.nodeName=$node -o name | head -1)
+        expected_flows="table=100, priority=200 actions=drop"
+        oc rsh -n $NAMESPACE --container ovs-vswitchd $controller_pod ovs-ofctl dump-flows br-test-flows --no-stats | grep -q "$expected_flows" || exit 1
+        oc rsh -n $NAMESPACE --container ovs-vswitchd $controller_pod ovs-vsctl --if-exists del-br br-test-flows
diff --git a/tests/kuttl/tests/ovn_restart_flow/06-cleanup-ovn.yaml b/tests/kuttl/tests/ovn_restart_flow/06-cleanup-ovn.yaml
new file mode 120000
index 00000000..02360341
--- /dev/null
+++ b/tests/kuttl/tests/ovn_restart_flow/06-cleanup-ovn.yaml
@@ -0,0 +1 @@
+../../common/cleanup-ovn.yaml
\ No newline at end of file
diff --git a/tests/kuttl/tests/ovn_restart_flow/06-errors.yaml b/tests/kuttl/tests/ovn_restart_flow/06-errors.yaml
new file mode 120000
index 00000000..7314c155
--- /dev/null
+++ b/tests/kuttl/tests/ovn_restart_flow/06-errors.yaml
@@ -0,0 +1 @@
+../../common/errors_cleanup_ovn.yaml
\ No newline at end of file