diff --git a/zebrad/src/commands/start.rs b/zebrad/src/commands/start.rs
index 06e062e2..cac20258 100644
--- a/zebrad/src/commands/start.rs
+++ b/zebrad/src/commands/start.rs
@@ -22,8 +22,6 @@ use crate::config::ZebradConfig;
 use crate::{components::tokio::TokioComponent, prelude::*};
 use abscissa_core::{config, Command, FrameworkError, Options, Runnable};
 use color_eyre::eyre::Report;
-use futures::stream::FuturesUnordered;
-use std::collections::HashSet;
 use tower::{buffer::Buffer, service_fn};
 use zebra_chain::block::BlockHeaderHash;
 
@@ -60,14 +58,7 @@ impl StartCmd {
         let (peer_set, _address_book) = zebra_network::init(config, node).await;
         let verifier = zebra_consensus::verify::init(state.clone());
 
-        let mut syncer = sync::Syncer {
-            peer_set,
-            state,
-            verifier,
-            block_requests: FuturesUnordered::new(),
-            fanout: 4,
-            prospective_tips: HashSet::new(),
-        };
+        let mut syncer = sync::Syncer::new(peer_set, state, verifier);
 
         syncer.run().await
     }
diff --git a/zebrad/src/commands/start/sync.rs b/zebrad/src/commands/start/sync.rs
index 4b61f19b..8a770973 100644
--- a/zebrad/src/commands/start/sync.rs
+++ b/zebrad/src/commands/start/sync.rs
@@ -2,14 +2,13 @@ use color_eyre::eyre::{eyre, Report};
 use futures::stream::{FuturesUnordered, StreamExt};
 use std::{collections::HashSet, iter, sync::Arc, time::Duration};
 use tokio::time::delay_for;
-use tower::{Service, ServiceExt};
+use tower::{retry::Retry, Service, ServiceExt};
 use zebra_chain::{
     block::{Block, BlockHeaderHash},
     types::BlockHeight,
 };
-
-use zebra_network as zn;
-use zebra_state as zs;
+use zebra_network::{self as zn, RetryLimit};
+use zebra_state::{self as zs};
 
 pub struct Syncer<ZN, ZS, ZV>
 where
@@ -18,11 +17,30 @@ where
     pub peer_set: ZN,
     pub state: ZS,
     pub verifier: ZV,
+    pub retry_peer_set: Retry<RetryLimit, ZN>,
     pub prospective_tips: HashSet<BlockHeaderHash>,
     pub block_requests: FuturesUnordered<ZN::Future>,
     pub fanout: NumReq,
 }
 
+impl<ZN, ZS, ZC> Syncer<ZN, ZS, ZC>
+where
+    ZN: Service<zn::Request> + Clone,
+{
+    pub fn new(peer_set: ZN, state: ZS, verifier: ZC) -> Self {
+        let retry_peer_set = Retry::new(RetryLimit::new(3), peer_set.clone());
+        Self {
+            peer_set,
+            state,
+            verifier,
+            retry_peer_set,
+            block_requests: FuturesUnordered::new(),
+            fanout: 4,
+            prospective_tips: HashSet::new(),
+        }
+    }
+}
+
 impl<ZN, ZS, ZV> Syncer<ZN, ZS, ZV>
 where
     ZN: Service<zn::Request, Response = zn::Response, Error = Error> + Send + Clone + 'static,
@@ -224,7 +242,7 @@ where
             let set = chunk.iter().cloned().collect();
 
             let request = self
-                .peer_set
+                .retry_peer_set
                 .ready_and()
                 .await
                 .map_err(|e| eyre!(e))?