diff --git a/py/kubeflow/testing/argo_client.py b/py/kubeflow/testing/argo_client.py
index 6872e3dfac2..59e789b49de 100644
--- a/py/kubeflow/testing/argo_client.py
+++ b/py/kubeflow/testing/argo_client.py
@@ -1,8 +1,10 @@
 """Some utility functions for working with TfJobs."""
 
 import datetime
+import json
 import logging
 from retrying import retry
+import six
 import time
 
 from kubernetes import client as k8s_client
@@ -35,17 +37,35 @@ def log_status(workflow):
 GATEWAY_TIMEOUT = 504
 
 def handle_retriable_exception(exception):
-  if (isinstance(exception, rest.ApiException) and
+  if isinstance(exception, rest.ApiException):
+    # ApiException could store the exit code in status or it might
+    # store it in HTTP response body
+    # see: https://github.com/kubernetes-client/python/blob/5e512ff564c244c50cab780d821542ed56aa965a/kubernetes/client/rest.py#L289  # pylint: disable=line-too-long
+    code = None
+    if exception.body:
+      if isinstance(exception.body, six.string_types):
+        body = {}
+        try:
+          logging.info("Parsing ApiException body: %s", exception.body)
+          body = json.loads(exception.body)
+        except json.JSONDecodeError as e:
+          logging.error("Error parsing body: %s", e)
+      else:
+        body = exception.body
+      code = body.get("code")
+    else:
+      code = exception.status
+
     # UNAUTHORIZED and FORBIDDEN errors can be an indication we need to
     # refresh credentials
-    (exception.status == UNAUTHORIZED or exception.status == FORBIDDEN or
-     exception.status == GATEWAY_TIMEOUT)):
-    # Due to https://github.com/kubernetes-client/python-base/issues/59,
-    # we need to reload the kube config (which refreshes the GCP token).
-    # TODO(richardsliu): Remove this workaround when the k8s client issue
-    # is resolved.
-    util.load_kube_config()
-    return True
+    logging.info("ApiException code=%s", code)
+    if code in [UNAUTHORIZED, FORBIDDEN, GATEWAY_TIMEOUT]:
+      # Due to https://github.com/kubernetes-client/python-base/issues/59,
+      # we need to reload the kube config (which refreshes the GCP token).
+      # TODO(richardsliu): Remove this workaround when the k8s client issue
+      # is resolved.
+      util.load_kube_config()
+      return True
   return not isinstance(exception, util.TimeoutError)