diff --git a/mysql-test/r/rpl_trigger.result b/mysql-test/r/rpl_trigger.result
index 3c740bf8e64..f8573eec75f 100644
--- a/mysql-test/r/rpl_trigger.result
+++ b/mysql-test/r/rpl_trigger.result
@@ -941,3 +941,30 @@ c
 ---> Cleaning up...
 DROP TABLE t1;
 DROP TABLE t2;
+drop table if exists t1;
+create table t1(a int, b varchar(50));
+drop trigger not_a_trigger;
+ERROR HY000: Trigger does not exist
+drop trigger if exists not_a_trigger;
+Warnings:
+Note	1360	Trigger does not exist
+create trigger t1_bi before insert on t1
+for each row set NEW.b := "In trigger t1_bi";
+insert into t1 values (1, "a");
+drop trigger if exists t1_bi;
+insert into t1 values (2, "b");
+drop trigger if exists t1_bi;
+Warnings:
+Note	1360	Trigger does not exist
+insert into t1 values (3, "c");
+select * from t1;
+a	b
+1	In trigger t1_bi
+2	b
+3	c
+select * from t1;
+a	b
+1	In trigger t1_bi
+2	b
+3	c
+drop table t1;
diff --git a/mysql-test/r/trigger.result b/mysql-test/r/trigger.result
index 9d3ab9b1d7d..9f34f60eb1a 100644
--- a/mysql-test/r/trigger.result
+++ b/mysql-test/r/trigger.result
@@ -1256,4 +1256,26 @@ select @a;
 20
 drop table t1;
 drop function f1;
+drop table if exists t1;
+create table t1(a int, b varchar(50));
+drop trigger not_a_trigger;
+ERROR HY000: Trigger does not exist
+drop trigger if exists not_a_trigger;
+Warnings:
+Note	1360	Trigger does not exist
+create trigger t1_bi before insert on t1
+for each row set NEW.b := "In trigger t1_bi";
+insert into t1 values (1, "a");
+drop trigger if exists t1_bi;
+insert into t1 values (2, "b");
+drop trigger if exists t1_bi;
+Warnings:
+Note	1360	Trigger does not exist
+insert into t1 values (3, "c");
+select * from t1;
+a	b
+1	In trigger t1_bi
+2	b
+3	c
+drop table t1;
 End of 5.0 tests
diff --git a/mysql-test/t/rpl_trigger.test b/mysql-test/t/rpl_trigger.test
index d6e9410b1d3..faba89e7a73 100644
--- a/mysql-test/t/rpl_trigger.test
+++ b/mysql-test/t/rpl_trigger.test
@@ -423,6 +423,43 @@ DROP TABLE t2;
 --sync_with_master
 --connection master
 
+#
+# BUG#23703: DROP TRIGGER needs an IF EXISTS
+#
+
+connection master;
+
+--disable_warnings
+drop table if exists t1;
+--enable_warnings
+
+create table t1(a int, b varchar(50));
+
+-- error ER_TRG_DOES_NOT_EXIST
+drop trigger not_a_trigger;
+
+drop trigger if exists not_a_trigger;
+
+create trigger t1_bi before insert on t1
+for each row set NEW.b := "In trigger t1_bi";
+
+insert into t1 values (1, "a");
+drop trigger if exists t1_bi;
+insert into t1 values (2, "b");
+drop trigger if exists t1_bi;
+insert into t1 values (3, "c");
+
+select * from t1;
+
+save_master_pos;
+connection slave;
+sync_with_master;
+
+select * from t1;
+
+connection master;
+
+drop table t1;
 
 #
 # End of tests
diff --git a/mysql-test/t/trigger.test b/mysql-test/t/trigger.test
index 81334f9b8ef..a9395c12a63 100644
--- a/mysql-test/t/trigger.test
+++ b/mysql-test/t/trigger.test
@@ -1519,4 +1519,32 @@ connection default;
 drop table t1;
 drop function f1;
 
+#
+# Bug#23703: DROP TRIGGER needs an IF EXISTS
+#
+
+--disable_warnings
+drop table if exists t1;
+--enable_warnings
+
+create table t1(a int, b varchar(50));
+
+-- error ER_TRG_DOES_NOT_EXIST
+drop trigger not_a_trigger;
+
+drop trigger if exists not_a_trigger;
+
+create trigger t1_bi before insert on t1
+for each row set NEW.b := "In trigger t1_bi";
+
+insert into t1 values (1, "a");
+drop trigger if exists t1_bi;
+insert into t1 values (2, "b");
+drop trigger if exists t1_bi;
+insert into t1 values (3, "c");
+
+select * from t1;
+
+drop table t1;
+
 --echo End of 5.0 tests
diff --git a/sql/sql_trigger.cc b/sql/sql_trigger.cc
index 95734d31411..3552fc596f3 100644
--- a/sql/sql_trigger.cc
+++ b/sql/sql_trigger.cc
@@ -107,7 +107,9 @@ const LEX_STRING trg_event_type_names[]=
 };
 
 
-static TABLE_LIST *add_table_for_trigger(THD *thd, sp_name *trig);
+static int
+add_table_for_trigger(THD *thd, sp_name *trig, bool if_exists,
+                      TABLE_LIST ** table);
 
 class Handle_old_incorrect_sql_modes_hook: public Unknown_key_hook
 {
@@ -156,6 +158,13 @@ private:
 */
 bool mysql_create_or_drop_trigger(THD *thd, TABLE_LIST *tables, bool create)
 {
+  /*
+    FIXME: The code below takes too many different paths depending on the
+    'create' flag, so that the justification for a single function
+    'mysql_create_or_drop_trigger', compared to two separate functions
+    'mysql_create_trigger' and 'mysql_drop_trigger' is not apparent.
+    This is a good candidate for a minor refactoring.
+  */
   TABLE *table;
   bool result= TRUE;
   String stmt_query;
@@ -181,10 +190,6 @@ bool mysql_create_or_drop_trigger(THD *thd, TABLE_LIST *tables, bool create)
     DBUG_RETURN(TRUE);
   }
 
-  if (!create &&
-      !(tables= add_table_for_trigger(thd, thd->lex->spname)))
-    DBUG_RETURN(TRUE);
-
   /*
     We don't allow creating triggers on tables in the 'mysql' schema
   */
@@ -194,9 +199,6 @@ bool mysql_create_or_drop_trigger(THD *thd, TABLE_LIST *tables, bool create)
     DBUG_RETURN(TRUE);
   }
 
-  /* We should have only one table in table list. */
-  DBUG_ASSERT(tables->next_global == 0);
-
   /*
     TODO: We should check if user has TRIGGER privilege for table here.
     Now we just require SUPER privilege for creating/dropping because
@@ -211,7 +213,7 @@ bool mysql_create_or_drop_trigger(THD *thd, TABLE_LIST *tables, bool create)
     DROP for example) so we do the check for privileges. For now there is
     already a stronger test right above; but when this stronger test will
     be removed, the test below will hold. Because triggers have the same
-    nature as functions regarding binlogging: their body is implicitely
+    nature as functions regarding binlogging: their body is implicitly
     binlogged, so they share the same danger, so trust_function_creators
     applies to them too.
   */
@@ -222,24 +224,52 @@ bool mysql_create_or_drop_trigger(THD *thd, TABLE_LIST *tables, bool create)
     DBUG_RETURN(TRUE);
   }
 
-  /* We do not allow creation of triggers on temporary tables. */
-  if (create && find_temporary_table(thd, tables->db, tables->table_name))
-  {
-    my_error(ER_TRG_ON_VIEW_OR_TEMP_TABLE, MYF(0), tables->alias);
-    DBUG_RETURN(TRUE);
-  }
-
   /*
     We don't want perform our operations while global read lock is held
-    so we have to wait until its end and then prevent it from occuring
+    so we have to wait until its end and then prevent it from occurring
     again until we are done. (Acquiring LOCK_open is not enough because
-    global read lock is held without helding LOCK_open).
+    global read lock is held without holding LOCK_open).
   */
   if (wait_if_global_read_lock(thd, 0, 1))
     DBUG_RETURN(TRUE);
 
   VOID(pthread_mutex_lock(&LOCK_open));
 
+  if (!create)
+  {
+    bool if_exists= thd->lex->drop_if_exists;
+
+    if (add_table_for_trigger(thd, thd->lex->spname, if_exists, & tables))
+      goto end;
+
+    if (!tables)
+    {
+      DBUG_ASSERT(if_exists);
+      /*
+        Since the trigger does not exist, there is no associated table,
+        and therefore :
+        - no TRIGGER privileges to check,
+        - no trigger to drop,
+        - no table to lock/modify,
+        so the drop statement is successful.
+      */
+      result= FALSE;
+      /* Still, we need to log the query ... */
+      stmt_query.append(thd->query, thd->query_length);
+      goto end;
+    }
+  }
+
+  /* We should have only one table in table list. */
+  DBUG_ASSERT(tables->next_global == 0);
+
+  /* We do not allow creation of triggers on temporary tables. */
+  if (create && find_temporary_table(thd, tables->db, tables->table_name))
+  {
+    my_error(ER_TRG_ON_VIEW_OR_TEMP_TABLE, MYF(0), tables->alias);
+    goto end;
+  }
+
   if (lock_table_names(thd, tables))
     goto end;
 
@@ -1145,13 +1175,17 @@ bool Table_triggers_list::get_trigger_info(THD *thd, trg_event_type event,
     mysql_table_for_trigger()
       thd    - current thread context
       trig   - identifier for trigger
+      if_exists - treat a not existing trigger as a warning if TRUE
+      table - pointer to TABLE_LIST object for the table trigger (output)
 
   RETURN VALUE
-    0 - error
-    # - pointer to TABLE_LIST object for the table
+    0 Success
+    1 Error
 */
 
-static TABLE_LIST *add_table_for_trigger(THD *thd, sp_name *trig)
+static int
+add_table_for_trigger(THD *thd, sp_name *trig, bool if_exists,
+                      TABLE_LIST **table)
 {
   LEX *lex= thd->lex;
   char path_buff[FN_REFLEN];
@@ -1162,6 +1196,7 @@ static TABLE_LIST *add_table_for_trigger(THD *thd, sp_name *trig)
                                           path_buff, &trigname.trigger_table);
   
   DBUG_ENTER("add_table_for_trigger");
+  DBUG_ASSERT(table != NULL);
 
   strxnmov(path_buff, FN_REFLEN, mysql_data_home, "/", trig->m_db.str, "/",
            trig->m_name.str, trigname_file_ext, NullS);
@@ -1170,30 +1205,45 @@ static TABLE_LIST *add_table_for_trigger(THD *thd, sp_name *trig)
 
   if (access(path_buff, F_OK))
   {
+    if (if_exists)
+    {
+      push_warning_printf(thd,
+                         MYSQL_ERROR::WARN_LEVEL_NOTE,
+                         ER_TRG_DOES_NOT_EXIST,
+                         ER(ER_TRG_DOES_NOT_EXIST));
+      *table= NULL;
+      DBUG_RETURN(0);
+    }
+
     my_error(ER_TRG_DOES_NOT_EXIST, MYF(0));
-    DBUG_RETURN(0);
+    DBUG_RETURN(1);
   }
 
   if (!(parser= sql_parse_prepare(&path, thd->mem_root, 1)))
-    DBUG_RETURN(0);
+    DBUG_RETURN(1);
 
   if (!is_equal(&trigname_file_type, parser->type()))
   {
     my_error(ER_WRONG_OBJECT, MYF(0), trig->m_name.str, trigname_file_ext+1,
              "TRIGGERNAME");
-    DBUG_RETURN(0);
+    DBUG_RETURN(1);
   }
 
   if (parser->parse((gptr)&trigname, thd->mem_root,
                     trigname_file_parameters, 1,
                     &trigger_table_hook))
-    DBUG_RETURN(0);
+    DBUG_RETURN(1);
 
   /* We need to reset statement table list to be PS/SP friendly. */
   lex->query_tables= 0;
   lex->query_tables_last= &lex->query_tables;
-  DBUG_RETURN(sp_add_to_query_tables(thd, lex, trig->m_db.str,
-                                     trigname.trigger_table.str, TL_IGNORE));
+  *table= sp_add_to_query_tables(thd, lex, trig->m_db.str,
+                                 trigname.trigger_table.str, TL_IGNORE);
+
+  if (! *table)
+    DBUG_RETURN(1);
+
+  DBUG_RETURN(0);
 }
 
 
diff --git a/sql/sql_yacc.yy b/sql/sql_yacc.yy
index 6f24a42c07c..21325123baa 100644
--- a/sql/sql_yacc.yy
+++ b/sql/sql_yacc.yy
@@ -6098,11 +6098,12 @@ drop:
 	    lex->sql_command= SQLCOM_DROP_VIEW;
 	    lex->drop_if_exists= $3;
 	  }
-        | DROP TRIGGER_SYM sp_name
+        | DROP TRIGGER_SYM if_exists sp_name
           {
             LEX *lex= Lex;
             lex->sql_command= SQLCOM_DROP_TRIGGER;
-            lex->spname= $3;
+            lex->drop_if_exists= $3;
+            lex->spname= $4;
           }
 	;