diff --git a/worker/games.py b/worker/games.py
index 2d3caec44..6de94d42b 100644
--- a/worker/games.py
+++ b/worker/games.py
@@ -1021,7 +1021,7 @@ def shorten_hash(match):
             ):
                 # Attempt to send game results to the server. Retry a few times upon error.
                 update_succeeded = False
-                for _ in range(5):
+                for attempt in range(5):
                     try:
                         response = send_api_post_request(
                             remote + "/api/update_task", result
@@ -1048,7 +1048,7 @@ def shorten_hash(match):
                         update_succeeded = True
                         num_games_updated = num_games_finished
                         break
-                    time.sleep(UPDATE_RETRY_TIME)
+                    time.sleep(UPDATE_RETRY_TIME * (attempt + 2))
                 if not update_succeeded:
                     raise WorkerException("Too many failed update attempts")
 
diff --git a/worker/worker.py b/worker/worker.py
index 4cc70bb9a..d9cb8155e 100644
--- a/worker/worker.py
+++ b/worker/worker.py
@@ -58,7 +58,7 @@
 WORKER_VERSION = 236
 FILE_LIST = ["updater.py", "worker.py", "games.py"]
 HTTP_TIMEOUT = 30.0
-INITIAL_RETRY_TIME = 15.0
+INITIAL_RETRY_TIME = 120.0
 THREAD_JOIN_TIMEOUT = 15.0
 MAX_RETRY_TIME = 900.0  # 15 minutes
 IS_COLAB = False