Provided are a computer program product, system, and method for using alternate recovery actions for initial recovery actions in a computing system. An initial recovery table provides initial recovery actions to perform for errors detected in the computing system. An alternate recovery table is received including at least one alternate recovery action for at least one of the initial recovery actions. An alternative recovery action provided for an initial recovery action specifies a different recovery path involving at least one of a different action and a different component in the computing system than involved in the initial recovery action. A determination is made as to whether to use the initial recovery action in the initial recovery table for a detected error or the alternate recovery action in the alternate recovery table. The determined initial recovery action or alternate recovery action determined is used to address the detected error.