diff --git a/sql/sql_plugin.cc b/sql/sql_plugin.cc
index 008aa2b5de1..fca16ffa369 100644
--- a/sql/sql_plugin.cc
+++ b/sql/sql_plugin.cc
@@ -1505,7 +1505,7 @@ static int plugin_initialize(MEM_ROOT *tmp_root, struct st_plugin_int *plugin,
   else
     ret= plugin_do_initialize(plugin, state);
 
-  if (ret)
+  if (ret && ret != HA_ERR_RETRY_INIT)
     plugin_variables_deinit(plugin);
 
   mysql_mutex_lock(&LOCK_plugin);
@@ -1786,6 +1786,7 @@ int plugin_init(int *argc, char **argv, int flags)
         uint state= plugin_ptr->state;
         mysql_mutex_unlock(&LOCK_plugin);
         error= plugin_do_initialize(plugin_ptr, state);
+        DBUG_EXECUTE_IF("fail_spider_init_retry", error= 1;);
         mysql_mutex_lock(&LOCK_plugin);
         plugin_ptr->state= state;
         if (error == HA_ERR_RETRY_INIT)
diff --git a/storage/spider/mysql-test/spider/bugfix/r/mdev_33441.result b/storage/spider/mysql-test/spider/bugfix/r/mdev_33441.result
new file mode 100644
index 00000000000..b19194f13b5
--- /dev/null
+++ b/storage/spider/mysql-test/spider/bugfix/r/mdev_33441.result
@@ -0,0 +1,7 @@
+#
+# MDEV-33441 No spider variables available is Spider is loaded upon server startup
+#
+set spider_same_server_link=0;
+#
+# end of test mdev_33441
+#
diff --git a/storage/spider/mysql-test/spider/bugfix/r/mdev_33441_fail.result b/storage/spider/mysql-test/spider/bugfix/r/mdev_33441_fail.result
new file mode 100644
index 00000000000..e6123ed429b
--- /dev/null
+++ b/storage/spider/mysql-test/spider/bugfix/r/mdev_33441_fail.result
@@ -0,0 +1,10 @@
+#
+# MDEV-33441 No spider variables available is Spider is loaded upon server startup
+#
+select * from mysql.plugin;
+name	dl
+show variables like 'spider%';
+Variable_name	Value
+#
+# end of test mdev_33441_fail
+#
diff --git a/storage/spider/mysql-test/spider/bugfix/t/mdev_33441.opt b/storage/spider/mysql-test/spider/bugfix/t/mdev_33441.opt
new file mode 100644
index 00000000000..924ea4e31ef
--- /dev/null
+++ b/storage/spider/mysql-test/spider/bugfix/t/mdev_33441.opt
@@ -0,0 +1 @@
+--plugin-load-add=ha_spider
diff --git a/storage/spider/mysql-test/spider/bugfix/t/mdev_33441.test b/storage/spider/mysql-test/spider/bugfix/t/mdev_33441.test
new file mode 100644
index 00000000000..a2e0ddafe01
--- /dev/null
+++ b/storage/spider/mysql-test/spider/bugfix/t/mdev_33441.test
@@ -0,0 +1,10 @@
+--echo #
+--echo # MDEV-33441 No spider variables available is Spider is loaded upon server startup
+--echo #
+
+# We test that at least one spider variable exists.
+set spider_same_server_link=0;
+
+--echo #
+--echo # end of test mdev_33441
+--echo #
diff --git a/storage/spider/mysql-test/spider/bugfix/t/mdev_33441_fail.opt b/storage/spider/mysql-test/spider/bugfix/t/mdev_33441_fail.opt
new file mode 100644
index 00000000000..28f1ce4825b
--- /dev/null
+++ b/storage/spider/mysql-test/spider/bugfix/t/mdev_33441_fail.opt
@@ -0,0 +1,2 @@
+--plugin-load-add=ha_spider
+--debug-dbug=d,fail_spider_init_retry
diff --git a/storage/spider/mysql-test/spider/bugfix/t/mdev_33441_fail.test b/storage/spider/mysql-test/spider/bugfix/t/mdev_33441_fail.test
new file mode 100644
index 00000000000..6734b477583
--- /dev/null
+++ b/storage/spider/mysql-test/spider/bugfix/t/mdev_33441_fail.test
@@ -0,0 +1,10 @@
+--source include/have_debug.inc
+--echo #
+--echo # MDEV-33441 No spider variables available is Spider is loaded upon server startup
+--echo #
+# We test that when retry fails, spider variables are deleted.
+select * from mysql.plugin;
+show variables like 'spider%';
+--echo #
+--echo # end of test mdev_33441_fail
+--echo #