diff --git a/http-internal.h b/http-internal.h
index 7fab6413..96e53725 100644
--- a/http-internal.h
+++ b/http-internal.h
@@ -86,6 +86,9 @@ struct evhttp_connection {
 	struct timeval timeout;		/* timeout for events */
 	int retry_cnt;			/* retry count */
 	int retry_max;			/* maximum number of retries */
+	struct timeval initial_retry_timeout; /* Timeout for low long to wait
+					       * after first failing attempt
+					       * before retry */
 
 	enum evhttp_connection_state state;
 
diff --git a/http.c b/http.c
index 67b985a9..9f1bc899 100644
--- a/http.c
+++ b/http.c
@@ -352,23 +352,6 @@ evhttp_response_needs_body(struct evhttp_request *req)
 		req->type != EVHTTP_REQ_HEAD);
 }
 
-/** Helper: adds the event 'ev' with the timeout 'timeout', or with
- * default_timeout if timeout is -1.
- */
-static int
-evhttp_add_event(struct event *ev, int timeout, int default_timeout)
-{
-	if (timeout != 0) {
-		struct timeval tv;
-
-		evutil_timerclear(&tv);
-		tv.tv_sec = timeout != -1 ? timeout : default_timeout;
-		return event_add(ev, &tv);
-	} else {
-		return event_add(ev, NULL);
-	}
-}
-
 /** Helper: called after we've added some data to an evcon's bufferevent's
  * output buffer.  Sets the evconn's writing-is-done callback, and puts
  * the bufferevent into writing mode.
@@ -1284,11 +1267,23 @@ evhttp_connection_cb_cleanup(struct evhttp_connection *evcon)
 	struct evcon_requestq requests;
 
 	if (evcon->retry_max < 0 || evcon->retry_cnt < evcon->retry_max) {
+		struct timeval tv_retry = evcon->initial_retry_timeout;
+		int i;
 		evtimer_assign(&evcon->retry_ev, evcon->base, evhttp_connection_retry, evcon);
 		/* XXXX handle failure from evhttp_add_event */
-		evhttp_add_event(&evcon->retry_ev,
-		    MIN(3600, 2 << evcon->retry_cnt),
-		    HTTP_CONNECT_TIMEOUT);
+		for (i=0; i < evcon->retry_cnt; ++i) {
+			tv_retry.tv_usec *= 2;
+			if (tv_retry.tv_usec > 1000000) {
+				tv_retry.tv_usec -= 1000000;
+				tv_retry.tv_sec += 1;
+			}
+			tv_retry.tv_sec *= 2;
+			if (tv_retry.tv_sec > 3600) {
+				tv_retry.tv_sec = 3600;
+				tv_retry.tv_usec = 0;
+			}
+		}
+		event_add(&evcon->retry_ev, &tv_retry);
 		evcon->retry_cnt++;
 		return;
 	}
@@ -2193,6 +2188,9 @@ evhttp_connection_base_bufferevent_new(struct event_base *base, struct evdns_bas
 	evcon->state = EVCON_DISCONNECTED;
 	TAILQ_INIT(&evcon->requests);
 
+	evcon->initial_retry_timeout.tv_sec = 2;
+	evcon->initial_retry_timeout.tv_usec = 0;
+
 	if (base != NULL) {
 		evcon->base = base;
 		if (bufferevent_get_base(bev) != base)
@@ -2263,6 +2261,18 @@ evhttp_connection_set_timeout_tv(struct evhttp_connection *evcon,
 	}
 }
 
+void
+evhttp_connection_set_initial_retry_tv(struct evhttp_connection *evcon,
+    const struct timeval *tv)
+{
+	if (tv) {
+		evcon->initial_retry_timeout = *tv;
+	} else {
+		evutil_timerclear(&evcon->initial_retry_timeout);
+		evcon->initial_retry_timeout.tv_sec = 2;
+	}
+}
+
 void
 evhttp_connection_set_retries(struct evhttp_connection *evcon,
     int retry_max)
diff --git a/include/event2/http.h b/include/event2/http.h
index 5c9f0e55..1a72f775 100644
--- a/include/event2/http.h
+++ b/include/event2/http.h
@@ -538,6 +538,13 @@ void evhttp_connection_set_timeout(struct evhttp_connection *evcon,
 void evhttp_connection_set_timeout_tv(struct evhttp_connection *evcon,
     const struct timeval *tv);
 
+/** Sets the delay before retrying requests on this connection. This is only
+ * used if evhttp_connection_set_retries is used to make the number of retries
+ * at least one. Each retry after the first is twice as long as the one before
+ * it. */
+void evhttp_connection_set_initial_retry_tv(struct evhttp_connection *evcon,
+    const struct timeval *tv);
+
 /** Sets the retry limit for this connection - -1 repeats indefinitely */
 void evhttp_connection_set_retries(struct evhttp_connection *evcon,
     int retry_max);