Example illustrating "lazy val" initialization when the RHS fails by throwing an Exception.

LazyRetry.scala

// 
// If a "lazy val" initialization fails, the val is not initialized 
// to anything and subsequent calls re-evaluate the RHS
// 
object LazyRetry extends App {

  class ServiceFactory() {
    // Only returns a value after two failures
    // (simulate waiting for service availability)
    var tries = 0
    private def _getService(): String = {
      if(tries <= 1) {
        tries += 1
        throw new RuntimeException("Service not ready!")
      }
      else {
        "ServiceOKGuy"
      }
    }

    // Expose "service" to caller via lazy-initialized getter
    lazy val service = _getService()
    def getService() = service
  }

  val factory = new ServiceFactory()

  def loadService() = {
    // Print the result, or the Exception message
    try {
      println(factory.getService())
    }
      catch { case e: Throwable => println(e.getMessage) }
  }

  //
  // The lazy val is not initialized until
  // the function evaluation succeeds
  //
  loadService() // Service not ready!
  loadService() // Service not ready!
  loadService() // ServiceOKGuy
  loadService() // ServiceOKGuy
}